Iran is home to Ecbatana, the ancient capital of the Medes.
Ecbatana was an important ancient city located at the site of modern Hamadan in western Iran. Classical Greek and Roman writers described it as the capital of the Median Empire, which emerged as a major power in the Iranian plateau during the first millennium BCE. The city later remained significant under successive Persian empires.
Ancient descriptions portray Ecbatana as a heavily fortified royal center, traditionally surrounded by concentric walls. Archaeological evidence at Hamadan includes remains associated with the city’s long history, although the grandeur described by classical authors cannot always be matched directly to surviving structures.
Ecbatana is sometimes confused with Persepolis, Pasargadae, or Susa. Those were also major centers in ancient Iran, but they belonged to different political and historical contexts. Ecbatana is especially associated with the Medes and with the region around modern Hamadan. The city’s name also appears in ancient sources in forms such as Agbatana.