Editing Isfahan (section)

==Etymology==
The name Espahan is derived from [[Middle Persian]] {{lang|pal-Latn|Spahān}}, which is attested by various Middle Persian seals and inscriptions, including that of the [[Zoroastrianism|Zoroastrian]] [[magi]] [[Kartir]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/isfahan-iv-pre-islamic-period |title=Isfahan, Pre-Islamic-Period |date=15 December 2006 |website=Encyclopædia Iranica |access-date=31 December 2015 |archive-date=17 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117045153/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/isfahan-iv-pre-islamic-period |url-status=live }}</ref>

The region is denoted by the abbreviation ''GD'' (Southern [[Media (region)|Media]]) on [[Sasanian]] coins. In Ptolemy's ''[[Geography (Ptolemy)|Geographia]]'', it appears as {{lang|grc-Latn|Aspadana}} ({{lang|grc|Ἀσπαδανα}}), which translates to "place of gathering for the army". It is believed that {{lang|pal-Latn|Spahān}} is derived from {{lang|peo-Latn|spādānām}} "the armies", the Old Persian plural of {{lang|peo-Latn|spāda}}, from which is derived {{lang|pal-Latn|spāh}} ({{lang|pal|𐭮𐭯𐭠𐭧}}) 'army' and {{lang|fa-Latn|[[spahi]]}} ({{lang|fa|سپاهی}}, 'soldier', literally 'of the army') in Central Persian. Some of the other ancient names include [[Gaea|Gey]], Jey (old form Zi),<ref>{{cite web |title = گاو، اسب و اینک اصفهان! |url = https://www.isna.ir/news/isfahan-80517/%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%88-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A8-%D9%88-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%86%DA%A9-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86 |date = 13 March 2019 |access-date = 31 December 2021 |archive-date = 24 December 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211224103448/https://www.isna.ir/news/isfahan-80517/%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%88-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A8-%D9%88-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%86%DA%A9-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86 |url-status = live }}</ref> Park, and Judea.<ref>{{cite web|title=وجه تسمیه اصفهان|url=http://daneshnameh.roshd.ir/mavara/mavara-index.php?page=%D9%88%D8%AC%D9%87+%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%87+%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86&PHPSESSID=d2667391f8167f8576b2faa30b2135df&SSOReturnPage=Check&Rand=0|access-date=2020-10-06|website=daneshnameh.roshd.ir|archive-date=25 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225233231/http://daneshnameh.roshd.ir/mavara/mavara-index.php?page=%D9%88%D8%AC%D9%87+%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%87+%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86&SSOReturnPage=Check&Rand=0|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2008-05-08|title=::: سازمان تبلیغات اسلامی استان اصفهان :::|url=http://esfahan-tebyan.ir/user/Index.jsp?SID=66&lang=Fa|access-date=2020-10-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080508200820/http://esfahan-tebyan.ir/user/Index.jsp?SID=66&lang=Fa|archive-date=8 May 2008}}</ref>