Some New Clues from the Ancient Land of Niššāya and its Related Toponyms

The article focuses on the study of the ancient land of Niššāya during the Neo-Assyrian and Achaemenid periods, based on the inscriptions of the Assyrian kings Tiglath-Pileser III (745–727 BC) andSargon II (705–722 BC), as well as on the inscription of Darius I in Bisotun (522 BC). It also considers information from ancient Greek and Roman historians and geographers, as well as archaeological evidence. Additional clues are presented for identifying the ancient land of Niššāya with the present-day Nahavand Plain, located in the southern part of the Hamadan Province. An important piece of evidence supporting this idea is an inscription of Tiglath-Pileser III, which indicates that the Niššāya region was an important and well-known center for horse breeding during the Neo-Assyrian period. This assertion is significant as there was previously no evidence supporting the importance of the Niššāya land as a center for horse breeding during the Neo-Assyrian period. Accordingly, the author suggests that Niššāya/Irnisa in the Neo-Assyrian inscriptions, Nisāya in the inscription of Darius I in Bisotun, and the adjective Nesaean mentioned by classical historians such as Herodotus and Strabo, all refer to a single place, which coincides with the current Nahavand plain in the southern part of the Hamadan province. In addition, this study also suggests the probable locations of two toponyms related to Niššāya, Ṣibur/Ṣibar and Urimzan/Urenzan. The author suggests that both territories were situated in the present-day Nahavand County.