Investigation of the historical geography of Maghistan plain and the factors affecting the formation and stability of urbanization in it

The Minab Plain and the vast, alluvial Maghistan Plain are home to one of the oldest and most ancient southeastern Iranian civilizations. This plain is located in the east of Hormozgan province. Human civilizations have been formed and settled on the banks of this river due to the existence of water and strategic conditions. In this plain, various historical sites have been identified that have been inhabited since prehistoric times. Important ancient cities on the shorelands and hinterlands of the Persian Gulf were discovered and excavated in archaeological surveys. The findings were astounding, and several prehistoric to historical sites were discovered on the banks of the Minab River, 40 km from its basin point to the Persian Gulf. According to excavations, these cities date back to the Bronze Age in the fourth millennium BC. In addition to archaeological findings, historical and geographical writings also refer to different cities in this region in different parts and historical periods. In this study, the strategic position of the civilization of the eastern part of Hormozgan was examined and explained with a descriptive-analytical approach, using the library method and related documents and texts, as well as a field visit to this region. The results indicated that the most important factors affecting the development of civilization in this plain were the strategic position of Moghestan Plain, the flow of Minab River in the plain, and the passage of the ancient Persian Gulf trade route to the interior of Iran.