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Amol

City in Mazandaran province, Iran

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Through Iron Age, Aryan and Medes

Amol is located on the Haraz River bank. It is situated less than 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of the Caspian Sea and less than 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of the Alborz mountains. It is 124 kilometres (77 mi) northeast of Tehran, and 60 kilometres (37 mi) west of the provincial capital, Sari. It is one of the oldest cities in Iran, and a historic city, with its foundation dating back to the Amardi tribe, who inhabited the region in the Iron Age. Amol is the center of industry and culture of Mazandaran, the rice capital of Iran, and one of the most important cities of the transportation, agriculture, and tourism industries in Iran. It is known as the History, Science and Philosophy city, City that does not die and Hezar Sangar city.

History

Pre-Islamic era

According to the city government, the name is derived from Amardi, a tribe mentioned by the Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus.

Amol is one of the most ancient cities of Iran. A number of historians and geographers believe it was established in the 1st millennium BC. Some historians have attributed the birth of the city during the reign of the mythological king Tahmuras.

Pishdadian and Amard

Some historians have associated this ancient city with the periods of the Pishdadian dynasty and the Kayanian dynasty. The people inhabiting the area before the arrival of Aryans, were known as Amards (Amui in Pahlavi), who had migrated to and settled on the Iranian Plateau between the late 2nd millennium BC and early 1st millennium BC. According to historical literature, Amol was the capital of Mazandaran, at least in the period starting from Sassanid Empire to the Ilkhanate dynasty of Mongol Empire. Though they are a Median tribe, Herodotus named the tribe Mardians as one of the ten to fifteen Persian tribes in Persis. It is now known that the only distinction between the Median Amardians and the Persian Mardians is the 'a' at the beginning of Amardians, which would mean they are two different tribes. Elsewhere, he says, one of the peoples who have trusted Darius I

Igor M. Diakonoff says that Amardians lived on the coasts of the Caspian Sea, in the distance of the Alban and Otia from the north and the Hyrcanian from the east.

Strabo says about the Tapyri that they wore black robes and had long hair, and "he who is adjudged the bravest marries whomever he wishes" (Geography 11.8 = T520a). In the history of the Persian Empire, the Mard were handsome, capable, and brave persons present in the heart of the army and were responsible for defending the commander.) The Amard helped the Achaemenid in several battles, including the invasion of Greece, the occupation of Sardis, the attack of the Medes, and at the Battle of Opis. Ibn Isfandiyar has another theory about Amol which says, at the request of his wife, Firoz Shah created a large and flourishing city named Amele.

Achaemenid Empire

People of Amol were p, the current Caspian Sea. Further evidence of the power of the Amol people is their fighting in the Battle of Thermopylae, Battle of Gaugamela and other Sardis forces in the Achaemenid Empire. Quintus Curtius Rufus said, Immortals (Achaemenid Empire) Archers they were all Amard people.

Parthian Empire

During the reign of the Parthian Empire, Amol was one of the centers of Iran. It seems that Amol's reputation in the time of Alexander the Great and the Parthian period dominated the political-administrative Satrap was Hyrcanian. During the Parthian period, Amol was also famous and prosperous, which was called Homo or Hamo. Parthian King Phraates I (171–173 AH) defeated the Mardas in the Amol region. He is said to have moved a group of people to the Parthian lands in northern Khorasan and settled in western Amu Darya, also known as Amol Zam.

Sasanian Empire

According to historical literature, Amol was the capital of Mazandaran during the period starting from the 3rd century AD under the Sasanian Empire to the 13/14th century AD under the Ilkhanate dynasty of Mongol Empire. Before Islam, Amol was one of the largest and most important cities in the region and was considered the center of Mazandaran. The city of Amol existed before the Sassanids and during Alexander's time. During the Sassanid era, the importance of this Amol was increased due to the escape of the followers of Mazdak to this city. Based on pieces of evidence, including the coins found during excavations in addition to Muslim historical books, Amol was the capital of Mazandaran province during the Sassanid era. On Sasanian coins, coin cities where there has been an abbreviated name is known, but the mark m was Amol. During the Bahram V, Amol was Central to Iran and during the Khosrow II and Dabuyid dynasty capital Mazandaran. Amu Darya The Sasanian Pers River is about 2,500 km long, regarded in ancient times as the boundary between Iran and Turan; the modern name may be derived from Amol. In the city during this period, there was a Temple, Market, and fireplace there was. Ibn Rawi, in his book, calls Amol bigger than Isfahan and Qazvin.

Hudud al-'Alam had said about Amol, that it was a great city with most moats and castles, the universe and the origin of merchants, and city Carpet, mats, boxwood, bowls, brick, and medallions are found.

Herodotus in Histories, mentions the tribes of the Tabaristan, the Mard or the Amards In the time of the king Darius the Great from influential and tribespeople. During the Sassanid era, the city of Amol enjoyed development and was the center of the important province of Tabarestan. During this period, the city had infrastructures and elements such as government citadels, neighborhoods, fire temples, and bazaars and a fire temple in the area, called Avam Kuye.

Dabuyid dynasty and Bavand dynasty Iranian dynasty were the kings of the Sassanid dynasty; they lived in Amol, which was the city capital of these dynasties. The coins of Ispahbudhan of Tabarestan and the Arab and Sassanid eras have been minted in Amol mint and sometimes in Sari. It can be argued that the mints of several cities in Mazandaran, especially Amol and Sari, such as the city of Gorgan, have been engaged in minting various coins for 1,300 years.

Islamic era

Abbasid, Alid, Ziyarid, Marashis

Amol, in the era of the Alid dynasties and Marashis dynasty, was the capital of Northern Iran. The inhabitants of Amol embraced Islam during the reign of Mahdi (775–785), the Abbasid Caliph. Amol was also the capital city of the Bavand dynasty and Ziyarid dynasty. The people of Amol initially resisted the Arabs. In the Abbasid Caliphate of the ninth century, Amol was one of the largest cities in Iran. Khalid ibn Barmak built a palace in the city and ruled for years. People from the Qarinvand dynasty arrived a couple of years ago and fought with the Abbasid Caliphate to win the kingdom. During the Umayyad Caliphate period, during the reign of Muawiyah I, Sa'id ibn al-As undertook the conquest of Tabaristan, and with an army of 4,000 troops rushed there, and the whole war between him and Farrukhan the Great lasted for two whole years, but was postponed. The conflict lasted until Abbasid Caliphate until the attack of the Persian general Wandad Hurmuzd.

In Hudud al-'Alam, Amol is regarded as a great city with active commerce and trading ventures. However, resentment with the Tahirids rule increased due to the oppressive activities of their officials. People of the provinces pledged alliance to Hasan ibn Zayd. Zayd became the founder of the Zaydid dynasty of Tabaristan Alavids government in Tabaristan established and it's with Amol centered and 106-year domination of the Abbasids in the territory ended. Yaqub ibn Layth the was geostrategy in Amol. Hasan al-Utrush with a trip to Amol who re-established Zaydid rule over the province Tabaristan in northern Iran in 914, after fourteen years of Samanid rule. After the Alid dynasty, the Ziyarid dynasty ruled Iran and Tabaristan. At this time Amol was developed in such a way that geographers have written articles about the industry and its silk. Hasan ibn Zayd, nicknamed al-Dai al-Kabir, appeared in the Tabaristan region in 250 AH, and many dissatisfied people and the captives of the Caliph Tahirid strengthened him. He invited people and published the Shiite religion. After coming to power in Tabaristan, Daei Kabir moved his capital from Sari to Amol, which was Taherian's seat. In 260 A.D., Ya'qub ibn al-Layth al-Saffar marched on Tabaristan and entered Amol after the departure of Hassan ibn Zayd, but his rule did not last long and the Alavids recaptured the city again. The Alawites ruled the city until Ziyarid and Buyid, who were the handmaidens of the Shiites. The people of Amol were very militant and stood up to the Arabs, but social injustice and class divisions led the people to convert to Islam.

Qabus was in 1012 overthrown by his own army and was succeeded by his son Manuchihr, who quickly recognized the sovereignty of Mahmud of Ghazni and married one of his daughters. Manuchihr died in 1031 and was succeeded by his son Anushirvan Sharaf al-Ma'ali, whom Mahmud of Ghazni had chosen as the heir of the Ziyarid dynasty. From 1032 to 1040, the real power behind the throne was held by Abu Kalijar ibn Vayhan, a relative of Anushirvan Sharaf al-Ma'ali. During this period, Amol was chosen as the capital of Iran until 1090. He also had the first seminary by Hasan al-Utrush built in Amol, which was later named Imam Hassan Askari Mosque. The subsequent Afrasiyab dynasty flourished in the late medieval, pre-Safavid period; it is also called the Kia dynasty. It was founded by Kiya Afrasiyab, who conquered the Bavand kingdom in 1349 and made himself king of the region, in Amol. In this period Sheikh Khalifa Mazandarani of Amol was a leader Sarbadars. During the ministry of Nizam al-Mulk in the Seljuq Empire, Amol and other big cities of that time such as Nishapur, Balkh, Herat, Baghdad and Isfahan had a prestigious Nizamiyya.

Safavid era

In the time of the Safavid rulers of Mazandaran, Amol experienced a period of growth. The city was the favorite dwelling of Abbas II of Persia, who often frequented it. At the time Amol was considered "the capital of the inhabited world" and acclaimed for its grandeur. Several bridges were built in the area across the Haraz River at this time. During the Safavid era, especially during the reign of Abbas the Great, Mazandaran was considered and a road from Astarabad and Sari to Amol was built.

in town was founded through trade center position and business centers already exceeded and founded artillery. The town has spacious and well-supplied bazaars and post and telegraph offices. Excavations in Amol at Hall of Fame have uncovered glazed ceramic and glass belonging to Islamic and modern periods But after the Mongol invasion, the region was subject to devastation and it was during this time that Sari was declared as capital. At the beginning of the 7th century, Hessamedin Ardeshir shifted the capital from Sari to Amol and constructed his palace there. At this time, a Palace and Ab Anbar were built by order of Shah Abbas, and the tomb of Mir Ghavam al-Din (Mir Bozorg), which had been destroyed by Timur's agents, was magnificently rebuilt. Amol recovered a certain measure of prosperity while ruled by the Marashians and the Safavids. Under the latter, it was a center of the province of Mazandaran. Since then, it has never played a leading part in Persian national affairs, being surpassed in population by Babol and by the administrative capital of the province Sari; it has also suffered at various times from earthquakes. In continuation, Haraz River crosses the city of coal and iron mining region of Amol much iron can also have it in the past.

Afsharid and Zand eras

During the Afsharid era and later under the Zand dynasty, Amol was a city for trade and construction were instruments of war. During Nader Shah's reign in town was founded Iron plant through the trade center position to make cannonballs, mortars, and horseshoes, and business centers already exceeded and founded artillery. This was the first artillery workshop in Iran Jonas Hanway came to Iran at this time and visited Amol and talked about this city, Due to the abundance of iron ore mines, by Nader Shah's order, it became the most important foundry and steel plant, where cannonballs, rifles, and horseshoes were produced. Nader Shah eventually decided to build the Iranian Navy in Amol. At first, the people and rulers of Larijan and Amol, in support of Zand dynasty, resisted Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar and defeated him.

Qajar era

In the Qajar era, the road and railway from Tehran to Amol, Amol was pulled from Mahmoudabad. Ibn Hawqal says the geographers of the 4th to 10th century describe Amol's great prosperity and prosperity; in the latter respect, according to Ebn Ḥawqal, it surpassed Qazvin. Its inner city was protected by a moat, and the houses were constructed of wood and reeds rather than mud bricks on account of the heavy summer rainfall. Rice, fruits, and vegetables grew profusely, and the town was a center for the fabrication of wooden articles, textiles, and carpets, the silks being especially famous. Amol port on the Caspian was the little town named Ahlam or Ahlom. James George Frazer entered Iran in 1238 as a merchant and scientist and said about this city in his travelogue that the city was truly great and vast. People were decent and respectable inhabitants of the city. Several leaders of the Iranian constitutional revolutions of 1905 and 1911 hailed from Amol. Mulla Ali Kani, one Amoli people reformist who led the people, had a great role in the achievement of the goals of Iran's constitutional revolution. During this period, was built many homes in the city. Although today Amol has expanded greatly on both sides of the Haraz river, its functions are still the same as they were seventy or eighty years ago. The Amol cotton cleaning plant was built in 1906 by the Russians. Prior to that, two companies, Rosenblum and Osser, in one of Amol boroughs that is, Barforoush, were active. In the 19th century, Amol iron and iron goods were traded all over Iran and as far abroad as Baghdad, Mosul and Damascus. Today, the main industries are food processing factories rice, minor woodworking shops, and a few brickworks. Pierre Amédée Jaubert says the Dispatch ambassador Napoleon Royal court Fath-Ali Shah Qajar visited Amol and mentioned in his book about the Haraz River and the centralization of Steel workshops on its shores. Although today Amol has expanded greatly on both sides of the Haraz river, its functions are still the same as they were seventy or eighty years ago. Besides being one of the county centers of the province of Mazandaran, it is a busy commercial center. In the itinerary, the book says, that Amol is a magnificent city with four gates, although there is no gate installed, namely Darvaze Tehran or Larijan, Barforosh, Taliksar and Nur.

After the fall of the Mongols, the Marashians appeared in Mazandaran. In 760 AH, Mir Ghavam al-Din Marashi established the Marashis government. The Marashis uprising began in Amol. After gaining power, the Marashians soon occupied all the lands and areas around Mazandaran and expanded their territory from Gorgan to Qazvin and Isfahan.

In interval Persian Campaign, Community Tabaristan by Amir Movayed Savadkoohi, with the support of Influential men of Amol, was founded to oppose the British and the Russians. Vsevolod Starosselsky in Amol built a Headquarters for capturing other cities in Mazandaran. Mirza Kuchak Khan To deal with him, entered Amol through the port of Ahlam with Khan's Amol and left the city after a long involvement against Persian Cossack Brigade.

In this epoch, with the support of the Shah and the wealth of Amin al-Zarb, the first modern railway in the history of Iran was established in Amol. Twenty-one kilometers of railway linking Amol and the iron mines of Mahan Nour to the Caspian port of Mahmoudabad in the name of Naseriyah. In 1887, the project prompted Amin al Zarb after three visits to Europe, and the contract for the construction of the railway was signed with the British company Quzi and a Belgian company. At the end of the reign of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, the railway was completed in 1891 but never used due to the involvement of local people and Russians. About 700,000 tomans were invested in the project. Following the development technocracy policies of Iran by Amin al zarab, was established the first Steel mill of Iran in Amol. In 1887, Amin al zarb obtained an exclusive permit from Naser al-Din Shah for 30 years to establish a smelter, and bought an eight-meter furnace with a production capacity of 15 tons of iron from France for 24 hours and settled in Amol.

20th century

Pahlavi era, Islamic Republic of Iran

During the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi, the face of the town was changed drastically. Schools and most of the streets and governmental buildings current Amol date from that era. During this period, by order of Reza Shah, Austrian and German engineers built Moalagh Bridge, a Municipal mansion, a Municipal hotel, Chaikhori palace, Pahlavi High School, an Asset building, and a Rice warehouse for export. During this period, the construction of an alternative Haraz road was handed over to the Russian company Treskiniski by the Reza Shah.

Hyacinth Louis Rabino, while visiting Amol during this period, described it as an open town with four gates, nine quarters, and approximately 2000 houses. A large bazaar contained about 400 shops with many traditional crafts and trades.

During the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, The construction of Taleb Amoli Street in the western part of the old city and its extension from 1973 to 1975 was completed, and the texture of the city was changed. Street Shahpur, Street Reza Shah Kabir, Street Farhang, Street Saadi, Shir-o-Khorshid Hospital, Imamzadeh Abdollah, and Spinning, weaving, and textile factories were built. Road 77, Sepah-e Danesh school, Paddy factory, Grundig and Kubota in Iran came to fruition in 1963. Supporting Abali Hotel, Rineh Tourism Center, and Reinforcement of Amol Port was done as a tourism project. During this period, the municipal sewage system and electricity were modernized. During this period, behest of Reza Shah the railway between Tehran and Amol began seventeen years ago, and gradually a large part of it was built, except for sixty kilometers between Abegarm and Amol, Which totally stopped construction in September in the beginning Anglo-Soviet invasion to Iran. At the end of the kingdom, an agreement was signed between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Pahlavi Government of Iran and the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Republic of China on the extension of agricultural technical cooperation to develop research and increase rice production and was implemented at the Amol Rice Research Institute of Iran.

Following the 1979 Iranian revolution and with the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran, there was a forest uprising. The Jungle Uprising in 1982 of the Union of Iranian Communists (Sarbedaran) mobilized its forces to jungles around Amol and started wars against the Islamic Republic in those jungles. It finally organized a famous uprising on January 25, 1982. The Communist Union, based on its Maoist policy and with its mindset of guerrilla and peasant wars, established on the outskirts of the Haraz Road pathway of several important provinces and cities of the country and suitable camouflage of Amol forest and mine reasons to choose in the forest its strategy for war. The union assassinated 600 people during three operations in Amol on November 9 and 13, 1981, and January 25, 1982. The Mojahedin used machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers against units of the Pasdaran. Smaller left-wing opposition groups, including the Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas, attempted similar guerrilla activities. In July 1981, members of the Union of Communists tried to seize control of the town of Amol. This uprising was a failure, and most of the Maoist and UIC leaders were hanged, but the uprising itself became very famous and is well respected among some Iranian Leftist organizations. It also experienced various theoretical and political crises. The clashes lasted from November to February for four months.

This day became known in the Iranian calendar as Epic 6 Bahman or Epic of the People of Amol. After this incident, Ruhollah Khomeini only mentioned the name of the city of Amol in the political and divine testament and wrote, We have to thank the people of Amol.

21st century

Some of the most recent projects have been the complete restoration of the Bazaar and of Imam Reza Street, as well as a comprehensive plan for the preservation of the old city quarters. A lot of different construction projects are currently underway, that intend to modernize the city's infrastructure. In the last few years, many squares, towers, boulevards, and bridges were built in Amol. For example, Haraz Street is one of the most modern streets of northern Iran. Amol is growing and turning into an industrialized town like most of the large Iranian cities. Today, Amol is a thriving metropolis. One of the things they really lack is an airport so there are no cheap flights to Amol. Some of the most famous companies in Iran have main offices located in this city. Good secondary and tertiary education is being offered here as well. Islamic Azad University, for instance, is one of the biggest universities in the Middle East. Now in Amol, there is a municipality and special governor. Amol is one of the research centers for scientific development, knowledge-based sciences, and the Science and Technology Park of Iran. At present, Amol is the center of dairy and livestock products, mining sand, nurturing products such as meat, flowers, and fish, and producing rice in Iran. Industrial machinery products are also very popular in Amol and Iran Heavy Diesel Factory is located in Amol Industrial Town.

At present especially since 2017, in addition to mass construction of residential buildings, the construction of small streets and hall sports in the deprived areas of the city has accelerated.

Bitter events

  • Amol Gullies were completely destroyed. Since the Sasanian Empire then, the town has suffered earthquake and flood damage several times, but each time, it has recovered, and it is still a considerable town. During the Pahlavi dynasty, the city was burned twice due to fire.
  • Flooding in Mount Deryouk, and the destruction of the entire city.
  • Dangerous diseases that plague the year 1198 AH
  • The outbreak of the dangerous plague that took place in 1198 AH destroyed countless civilians
  • The war of the local kings with the Arabs
  • Mongol invasion of Genghis Khan and his descendants to Tabaristan
  • Wajih ad-Din Masud attack in Amol
  • Battle Alavid and Saffarian Samanid in Amol
  • Battle House of Karen and Bavandids in the city
  • Samanid Empire attack to royan and Amol with the House of Ispahbudhan
  • Timur war with the kings Marashis and killing people and battle with Iskandar-i shaykhi
  • Attack Mas'ud I of Ghazni on the city
  • Shah Ismail I and Shah Abbas Safavid King wars attack the Amol and killing people
  • Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar attacked the Larijan and Amol, killing people and destroying the city
  • Conflagration in 1335 AH caused a lot of damage and severe destruction to the city. This fire and fire occurred in the year 6 AH, which first started near the Niyaki ridge and was swept across the city by the wind and reached the Haraz River, causing a fire to the gunpowder shop and ammunition shop. The shop exploded and a terrible fire broke out across the river, and then the whole city of Amol was blown away by the wind. It is known that the fire took place in April when residents were enjoying the Nowruz celebration, and much of the city was turned gray
  • Sangchal (Bandpay) earthquake of July 2, 1957
  • Destroying people with Disease glanders

First in Iran

  • The first steel mill in Iran
  • The first artillery and gunpowder workshop in Iran
  • The first foundry in Iran
  • The first modern railway in Iran
  • The first banknote printing factory in Iran
  • The first road building in Iran
  • The first commercial port in northern Iran
  • The first cotton gin factory in Iran
  • The first mineral water factory in Iran
  • The first mdf wood factory in Iran
  • The oldest seminary in Iran

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Source and licence. Adapted from the Wikipedia article “Amol” (this version, 2026-10-01) by its contributors, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Lablypedia has left out its tables, references and most pictures, and linked it to other Lablypedia articles.