خلاصة:
Azerbaijan has been one of the important political and religious centers throughout the history of Iran, especially ancient Iran. Following the rise of the Sasanian religious state, Azerbaijan, like Fars, enjoyed a prominent religious status; so much so that Sasanian kings would go on foot to visit the Adur Gushnasp fire temple in Azerbaijan during their coronation, and during difficult decision-making processes, especially during wartime, they would visit there to perform rituals of prayer and vows. In other words, with the location of the Adur Gushnasp fire temple in Azerbaijan, this land, alongside the land of Pars, became one of the important religious bases and a symbol of the unity of religion and state during the Sasanian period. Given the location of one of the three important fire temples of the Sasanian era, namely Adur Gushnasp, in Azerbaijan—which turned it into a sacred place and a pilgrimage site for Zoroastrian kings, nobles, and clergy—this article aims to explain the religious status of Azerbaijan during the religious rule of the Sasanians using documents, historical evidence, and the application of historical research methods.
ملخص الجهاز:
Following the fall of the Achaemenid Empire, it seems that the princes and survivors of this dynasty, despite the rule of the Seleucids and later the Parthians over Iran, were able to continue their political, social, and religious life in this land - which was somewhat distant from the center of the Arsacid government - in a semi-independent manner, and continued to keep national traditions, ancient customs, and especially ancient religious rituals alive, making this land a center for the propagation and expansion of the Zoroastrian religion.
Most scholars of ancient Iranian history consider the remains left in the north of Takab in Azerbaijan - which in the Islamic era were called Shiz and are known today as the ruins of Takht-e Soleyman - to be the remains of the Adur Gushnasp fire temple (Christian Sen, 1967: 189; Boyce and Grenet, 1991: 77; Ghodrat-Dizaji, 2007: 90; Huff, 2002: 1-2; 78).
Archaeological evidence, especially the coins and beads left in the area on which the names of Magi and other local rulers are written, shows the prominent presence of Zoroastrian clergy and high-ranking political and military figures in Azerbaijan and the Takht-e Soleyman region (Adur Gushnasp fire temple) (Frye, 1968: 123, 128-129; Ghodrat-Dizaji, 2010: 78).
Conclusion In short, it can be claimed that the land of Azerbaijan, due to its historical position in ancient times, especially during the Medes period which was known as the religious center of Mughan, attracted the attention of Sassanid kings and Zoroastrian clerics.
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