Matian

Matian (मतियान) Mathiyan (मतियान) Matiana (मतियाना) Matiani (मतियानी) is gotra of Jats found in Afghanistan.

Jat Gotras Namesake

• Matiani = Matiani (Pliny.vi.18)
• Matian = Matium (Pliny.vi.4)

Mention by Pliny

Pliny mentions The region of Themiscyra, and the nations therein.... At the back of the mountains of this district is Iberia, while on the coast are the Heniochi, the Ampreutæ²⁵, the Lazi, the rivers Acampsis,²⁶ Isis,²⁷ Mogrus, and Bathys,²⁸ the nations of the Colchi, the town of Matium,²⁹ the river Heracleum and the promontory of the same name,³⁰ and the Phasis,³¹ the most celebrated river of Pontus.

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25 It is suggested by Hardouin that these are the same as the Zydretæ mentioned in the Periplus of Arrian, and by him placed between the Heniochi and the Lazi.

26 See note 91.

27 Supposed to be the same as the modem Tshorok.

28 Or "Deep" River. This stream may possibly be identified by observing that Pliny places only one river between it and the Phasis.

29 Probably the Madia of Ptolemy, who places it in the interior.

30 At the present day called Eraklia, according to Parisot.

Mention by Pliny

Pliny mentions 'Nations situated around the Hyrcanian Sea.'....Beyond the nations already mentioned, are the Chorasmii,¹³ the Candari,¹⁴ the Attasini, the Paricani, the Sarangæ, the Marotiani, the Aorsi,¹⁵ the Gaëli, by the Greek writers called Cadusii,¹⁶ the Matiani, the city of Heraclea,¹⁷ which was founded by Alexander,

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13 An extensive tribe of 'Sogdiana, now represented by the district of Khawarezm, in the desert country of Khiva.

14 A tribe in the north-western part of Sogdiana. They appear to have been situate to the east of the district of Khawarezm. It has been suggested that they derived their name from the Sanscrit Gandharas, a tribe beyond the Indus.

15 The chief seat of the Aorsi, who appear to have been a numerous and powerful people both of Europe and Asia, was in the country between the Tanais, the Euxine, the Caspian, and the Caucasus. It seems doubtful, however, whether it is these people who are alluded to in the present passage.

16 These would almost seem to be a different people from those mentioned in c. 15 of the present Book, as dwelling in Atropatene. The present appears to have been a tribe of Sogdiana.

17 Strabo mentions a town of this name, which he places, together with Apamea, in the direction of Rhagæ. If Pliny has observed anything like order in his recital of nations and places, the Heraclea here mentioned cannot be that spoken of by Strabo, but must have been distant nearly 1000 miles from it.

Matiani in Lake Urmia

Lake Matianus (Latin: Lacus Matianus) is an old name for Lake Urmia. It was known as the Lower Nairi Sea (Lake Van was the Upper Nairi Sea) during the Armenian Nairi-Urartu period and as the Lower Armenian Sea during the Kingdom of Armenia. It was the center of the Mannaean Kingdom, a potential Mannaean settlement represented by the ruin mound of Hasanlu was on the south side of Lake Matianus. Mannae was overrun by a people who were called Matiani or Matieni, an Iranic people variously identified as Scythian, Saka, Sarmatian, or Cimmerian. It is not clear whether the lake took its name from the people or the people from the lake, but the country came to be called Matiene or Matiane.

In Afghanistan

H. W. Bellew writes that in the course of time the offspring of the children of Bibi Matu became very numerous, and were collectively styled Mati, because Shah Husen was not an Afghan. Such is the native tradition. I may note here that Mati is the name of a large and important Persian tribe, anciently inhabiting Northern Persia, between the modern Hamadan and Nishapur, and called Matianoi by Strabo (xi. 8). Pliny also mentions the Matiani ("Nat. Hist., vi. 18) along with the Sarangae and others, whose situation was west of the modern Helmand, and south of the Ghor country. In Afghanistan the

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[Page-13]: early seat of the Mati is said to have been the district of Matistan, in the Arghandab valley. The descendants of Bibi Mahi are included along with the Mati.

Distribution in Uttar Pradesh

Villages in Muzaffarnagar district

There are some village of Mathiyan in District Muzaffarnagar such as Mundet, Khadder, Pindora.

Notable persons

• Ajay Mathiyan

References

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