Madig was an
Iranian
Iranian may refer to:
* Iran, a sovereign state
* Iranian peoples, the speakers of the Iranian languages. The term Iranic peoples is also used for this term to distinguish the pan ethnic term from Iranian, used for the people of Iran
* Iranian lan ...
king who ruled in present-day northern Iraq. He is mentioned in a historical text called the ''
Book of the Deeds of Ardashir son of Babak''.
Origins
Although he is called a “Kurd” in the book, the word was used as a social term during this period, designating Iranian nomads, rather than a concrete ethnic group.
According to James Boris, the word first became an ethnic identity in the 12th and 13th century.
[James, Boris. (2006). Uses and Values of the Term Kurd in Arabic Medieval Literary Sources. ''Seminar at the American University of Beirut'', pp. 6-7.]
Biography
According to the ''Book of the Deeds of Ardashir son of Babak'',
Ardashir I
Ardashir I (Middle Persian: 𐭠𐭥𐭲𐭧𐭱𐭲𐭥, Modern Persian: , '), also known as Ardashir the Unifier (180–242 AD), was the founder of the Sasanian Empire. He was also Ardashir V of the Kings of Persis, until he founded the new ...
, after having defeated the
Parthian Artabanus V
Artabanus IV, also known as Ardavan IV ( Parthian: 𐭍𐭐𐭕𐭓), incorrectly known in older scholarship as Artabanus V, was the last ruler of the Parthian Empire from c. 213 to 224. He was the younger son of Vologases V, who died in 208.
N ...
, began subduing the vassal-states of the fallen Parthian Empire. With reinforcements from Zavul, he invaded the domains of Madig, but was repelled by the latter. However, Ardashir later returned with an army of 4,000 men, and defeated Madig in a night attack. The Book says the following thing:
References
3rd-century Iranian people
Zoroastrian rulers
{{Sasanian-stub