Symmerian Shirvaniya

Symmerian rule of Shirvaniya began in the 3rd Century BCE through the conquests of Orestes II. Parts of Shirvaniya would remain under Symmerian control until the Fall of the Symmerian Empire in the 13th Century.

Orestes invaded present day Shirvaniya (known as Naran Dahyu in antiquity) in 232 BCE, conquering the norther and central regions of the land before defeating the petty Erani Kingdoms in 227 BCE. While this in theory established Symmerian control over most of Shrivaniya, in practice ownership of southern Shirvaniya, part of the central Siduri Steppe, proved more difficult. Over the next several centuries Symmerian rule in Shirvaniya waxed and waned as steppe nomads arose to challenge Symmerian rule, occasionally forming large empires of their own. The most prominent of these were the Liezue confederation, from which spawned the Hannashka Empire and led to the subsequent Symmerian-Hannashka Wars.

Symmerian rule over northern Shirvaniya was further challenged in the Discovery Wars by Serikos, leading to frequent exchanges of territory between the two powers. Symmerian holdings in Shirvaniya were gradually reduced during the Symmerian Recession, and were not restored until after the reign of Alexarchus and the end of the 16 Years' Crisis. In the 5th and 6th Centuries Symmeria regained control of virtually all of Shirvaniya before beginning the conquest of Serikos. Shirvaniya later served as a springboard to the invasion and conquest of Quenmin. During the Burning Plague Shirvaniya was relatively unscathed due to its lower population density, although northern coastal regions were affected. During the Crisis of the Ninth Century large portions of Shirvaniya broke away from the Empire, but were eventually restored by Aristoxenus.

During the Slavokratia Shirvaniya remained loyal to the Zelusian Dynasty largely through the machinations of Kallixeina the Reclaimer. By the 11th Century however the region was increasingly unstable as steppe migrations and residual instability from the Empire's frequent civil wars spurred rebellion. The Adamdar began rising as a major steppe tribe around the 11th Century, eventually displacing the Khiyzan Confederation in the 13th Century. By then the rising Adamdar Empire had grown large enough to challenge Symmerian rule, which had been further weakened by the War of the Marked. Symmerian rule in Shirvaniya effectively ended by the end of the 13th Century, after which the Adamdar invaded Ruvelka and Syara, bringing about the fall of the Empire.

Shirvaniya has been described as a "blessing and burden" for Symmeria by historians. Shirvaniya was a major source of resources and manpower; Symmerian commanders believed that the Epikouros (auxiliary) cavalry from Shirvaniya were the best in Tyran. However, the large open steppe was a frequent source of rebellion from steppe nomads, while the large interior of the region was difficult to patrol and protect from marauders and invaders. Shirvaniya was as ethnically diverse in antiquity as it is today, which provided both benefits and drawbacks to the Symmerians. The mixture of peoples allowed for large scale conscription, but frequent ethnic tensions often boiled over into violence. Ruins of Symmerian rule are usually located in the northern portion of the country which was more stable, with cities like Adygeysk becoming major urban areas.