The Mannaeans were an ancient people of Asia Minor, occupying the region East of Assyria and South-East of Urartu, in present-day North-West Iran. Their kingdom, which flourished in the 9th and 8th century B.C., seems to have acted as a buffer state between the Urartians and the Assyrians until it was conquered (7th century) by Media. Excavations that began in 1956 succeeded in uncovering the fortified city of Hasanlu .
