Balasagan

Balasagan
Province of the Sasanian Empire
← 224–651 →
Capital		Derbent
Historical era		Late Antiquity
•	Sassanid conquest	224
•	Rashidun conquest	651
Today part of		Azerbaijan  Iran  Russia

Balasagan (literally meaning "country of Balas") was a satrapy of the Sasanian Empire. Shapur I's inscription at Naqsh-e-Rostam describes the satrapy as "extending to the Caucasus mountains and the Gate of Albania (also known as Gate of the Alans)", but for the most part it was located south of the lower course of the rivers Kura and the Aras (Araxes), bordered on the south by Adurbadagan, and had the Caspian Sea on its east. Balasagan is also mentioned separately from Albania as a province of the empire at Shapur's inscription, which indicates that it was its own political entity even though it was subject to Albania. The monarch of Balasagan also gained the title of King under Ardashir, which would indicate it becoming a vassal.

After the conversion of Armenia to Christianity, and subsequently Iberia and Albania Balasagan was also slowly converted to Christianity. During the reign of Yazdegerd II, the king of Balasagan, Heran, sided with the Sassanids and helped crush an Armenian revolt, however he himself revolted later on and was executed.

References

• Encyclopaedia Iranica

Provinces of the Sasanian Empire
Abarshahr Albania Arbayistan Armenia Asoristan Adurbadagan Balasagan Dihistan Egypt* Eran-Khwarrah-Yazdegerd* Garamig Garamig ud Nodardashiragan Gorgan Harev Iberia India Khuzestan Kirman Kushanshahr Khwarazm Lazica Machelonia Meshan Marv Mazun Media Makuran Nodardashiragan Paradan Padishkhwargar Pars Sakastan Sogdia Spahan Turgistan
* indicates short living provinces