Sabeol State

Sabeol State (沙伐國), Sallyang-beol State (沙梁伐國), or Sabul (沙弗) was a state of the Three Kingdoms period centered on the area of present-day North Gyeongsang Province Sangju, which held sway over the northwestern part of present-day North Gyeongsang Province and the eastern part of Chungcheong Province.

Sangju is one of the representative regions where many bronze artifacts dating from the 2nd century BCE to around the beginning of the Common Era have been excavated, so it is presumed that an independent political power formed there early on. The first record of this political power appears in the "Biography of Seok U-ro" (昔于老傳) in the "Biographies" (列傳) section of the Samguk Sagi. When Sallyang-beol State, which had already been subjugated by Silla, suddenly betrayed Silla and submitted to Baekje during the reign of Cheomhae of Silla (247–261 CE), Seok U-ro led troops and annihilated it. Meanwhile, the Geography Treatise (地理志) of the same book states that at this time Sabeol State was conquered and a province (州) was established.

History

The Sangju area had been inhabited since ancient times, as revealed by the investigation of the Sinsang-ri Paleolithic site. In the Bronze Age, remains were confirmed at many sites, including the area around Cheongni. During the Samhan period, Horo State (戶 집 호, 지게 호路 길 로 國) existed in the area of present-day Hamchang-eup, Sangju. Horo State belonged to Jinhan. Jinhan and Byeonhan were under the rule of Mahan, and the small states of each Jinhan were dispatched Taesu (太守) from Mahan. Later, when Jinhan broke away from Mahan's influence centered on Saro State (斯盧國) in Gyeongju, Horo State (Sabeol State) also broke away from Mahan's influence, formed a Jinhan confederation, and began to prosper based on the granary region of the Sangju area. Afterwards, Mahan lost its sovereignty to Baekje in 9 CE and was destroyed. In 63 CE, when Baekje eliminated the remnants of Mahan and advanced to Nangjagok Fortress (娘子谷城), the Jinhan confederation made contact with Baekje at Guyang (狗壤), on the western border of Sabeol State, and Waesan (蛙山), and in the following year a war broke out between Jinhan, centered on Saro State, and Baekje over the territorial rights to Bokam Fortress (覆巖城), which had submitted to Jinhan. Baekje continued to attack and even occupied Guyang and Waesan, but was repeatedly driven back by Saro State. The war that began in the reign of King Daru was barely quelled during the reign of King Giru, and Sabeol State was placed under the strong military control of Saro State. Saro State, that is , was a small state until the later part of the reign of , when it began to conquer neighboring states starting with the Ulsan and Busan area, in contrast to Baekje, which had defeated Mahan and early developed into a territorial state with a vast territory. Yet Silla strongly controlled and ruled the Jinhan states as if they were its own territory, and Sabeol State effectively fell into the status of a vassal state of Silla. In the late 1st century, Silla advanced into Busan and Ulsan and fought against , and in the early 2nd century CE it attacked the East Sea coast area including , expanding its home territory (本國), while strongly binding the Jinhan states and seeking to advance north of the using Sabeol State as a base. In 156 CE, the third year of , (鷄立嶺) was opened, and in 158 CE, the fifth year of King Adalla, the Jukryeong (竹嶺) road was opened, and the sphere of influence of Jinhan extended to the areas of Chungbuk and Gangwon. Sabeol State was subjected to military control as Silla's military logistics base against Baekje, and as its western territory suffered from the wars between Silla and Baekje, resentment accumulated. Moreover, as small states belonging to Jinhan were continuously annexed by Silla, Sabeol State felt a sense of crisis and sought independence. In 249 CE, the first year of , Sabeol State rebelled against Silla and submitted to Baekje. In response, Silla dispatched , and Sabeol State could not withstand this and was destroyed.