Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Department of History, Seyyed Jamaluddin Asadabadi University, Hamedan,
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Lorestan University, Lorestan, Iran.
Abstract
The Asadabad Pass, situated on the western slopes of Mount Alvand and along the Hamadan–Kermanshah route, is considered one of the oldest and most significant natural passages across the Iranian Plateau. Throughout history, this pass has played a prominent role in the country’s political, military, economic, and cultural transformations. This study, employing a descriptive-analytical approach based on historical and geographical sources, examines the position of the Asadabad Pass from the ancient era up to contemporary times, seeking to elucidate the reasons for its sustained importance within the structure of Iran’s historical geography. The findings indicate that from the Median and Achaemenid periods through the end of the Sasanian era, the Asadabad Pass served as the western gateway to Central Iran, playing a decisive role in controlling communication and defense routes. During the Islamic periods, particularly from the Middle Ages up to the Safavid era, the Hamadan–Asadabad–Kermanshah route transformed into one of the main military, commercial, and pilgrimage axes, leading to a simultaneous increase in the region’s economic importance. In the Safavid, Afsharid, and Qajar periods, this passage was vital for the movement of armies, trade, and religious caravans. In contemporary times, due to its strategic location, it has attracted the attention of both domestic and foreign forces. The natural location of the pass has been the primary factor in its continuous historical importance- a feature that has kept this passage not merely a route of transit, but a geographical, cultural, and historical link between the East and West of Iran.
Keywords
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