Pre-Islamic Era The city of Semnan has historically been one of the fourteen civil establishments of the ancient,
Avesta-era province of "Vern." Semnan remained an important city throughout the era of the
Persian
Achaemenid Empire. After the invasion of
Alexander the Great, which resulted in the fall of the
Achaemenid Empire, and the establishment of the
Seleucid Empire, the region which hosts the city of Semnan became known as Komesh. The beginning of the prosperous era of the city arrived with the rise of the
Arsacid dynasty of Parthia. The Parthians are an
Iranian people. The
Arsacid dynasty of Parthia was very interested in the importing of
Hellenism, or Greek culture. This resulted in the pioneering of sculpting and other forms of
Western art in the city of Semnan. One of the capital cities of the
Parthian Empire was
Hecatompylos, and its ruins and numerous historical sites remain between the modern day city of Semnan and
Damghan. With the fall of the
Parthian Empire, and the rise of the
Persian
Sassanid Empire,
Zoroastrianism was chosen as the state religion, and the city of Semnan was once again brought under the reign of
Persian customs and traditions.
Post-Islamic Era After the
Muslim conquest of Persia, the religion of
Islam was established within the city of Semnan. Though, unlike modern day Semnan, the people of the city originally practiced
Sunni Islam, similar to the rest of early Islamic Persia. However, the institution of
Sunni Islam did not last very long. The
Alavids of
Tabaristan had established a
Shi'a Islamic emirate and upon conquering Semnan, brought the
Zaidi Shi'a sect of Islam. Then, in the year 427
AH, the
Seljuq Turks invaded and devastated the city. Nevertheless, it was the very
Seljuq Turks that built many of the historical monuments and infrastructure of
medieval Semnan. As the Seljuq Empire grew weak, the Abbasids managed to reconquer and assert their sovereignty over Persia. The people of Semnan suffered severely under the
Abbasid Caliphate. It is possible that the years of Abbasid rule traumatized the people of Semnan, and even to this day, the Semnani people despise the color black because of its utilization for the black flags of the
Abbasid Caliphate. The Abbasid rule was ended by the brutal, devastating invasion of the Mongols in the year of 618
AH. The Mongol hordes massacred the people and burnt much of the city to the ground. Semnan would not recover until the rise of the
Turco-Persian Safavid dynasty. The Safavids brought the
Twelver Shi'ism sect of Islam to Semnan, and contributed to the reconstruction of the city.
Qajar Era With the rise of the
Qajar dynasty, historical Semnan witnessed economical, cultural, infrastructural, and political progress. The very tribe that rose into becoming the
Qajar dynasty was based out of the mountainous terrain between modern-day
Semnan,
Mazandaran, and
Golestan. The Qajars turned Semnan into a civil fortress, from which they oversaw the major trade route between their capital in
Tehran and the holy city of
Mashad. In addition to infrastructural growth, some Qajar royals built their estates in the city. Semnan was also an important medical center for members of the Qajar imperial family and was home to many notable physicians and doctors of the era. Economically, the city consisted of several feudal estates with agricultural plantations which relied on serf labor.
Pahlavi Era The Pahlavi era marked the transition of Semnan into the industrial era. Semnan's original loyalty to the
Qajar dynasty and the city's importance under the Qajars prompted a lot of anti-Pahlavi sentiment with the rise of Reza Shah.
Reza Shah Pahlavi's government began the immediate construction of modern infrastructure and paved roads throughout the city, however, this called for the destruction of the citadel of Semnan and the artistic monuments of the Qajars. Upon attempting to destroy the Gate of Semnan, the locals chained themselves to the building and stopped its destruction. Many prominent families in Semnan were also restricted from attaining high political posts as a result of their previous connection with and service to the Qajar imperial family. This resulted in the exodus of many prominent Semnani families to
Tehran during the early Pahlavi era. Despite the tension and confrontation, the
Pahlavi dynasty was successful in transforming Semnan into a more modern city. Throughout the early Pahlavi era, Semnan experienced several rounds of extreme drought, famine, crop devastation, and poverty. Prominent
Semnani language poets such as
Nosratollah Nouhian encouraged the Farmers and General Labor class to rise up and demand their rights from the unjust, well-fed landlords who were carelessly watching the very farmers who grew the food starve and deteriorate into ruin and agony: ==Demographics==