Qumis (region)

Qūmis (قومس; Arabized form of the Persian word کومش Kōmiš) was a small province of medieval Islamic Persia, lying between the southern Alborz chain watershed and the northern fringes of the Dasht-e Kavir desert. its western boundaries lay in the eastern rural districts of Ray, while in the east it marched with Khurasan. It was bisected by the great Khurasan Road, along which was situated the major cities of (from west to east) Khuwar (Choarene; modern Aradun), Semnan, Shahr-i Qumis (or "Hecatompylos"; the administrative capital; modern Damghan), and Bistam. and in its southeastern extremity was located the town of Biyar (modern Beyarjomand).

Qumis, which was called Cōmisēnē (Κωμισηνή) in Greek and Komsh (Կոմշ) in Armenian sources, was an important province in pre-Islamic Persia. In Sassanian period, it was separating the provinces of Ray and Gurgan.

The word Qumis started to become obsolete from the beginning of the 11th century. Currently, the region is divided between the modern provinces of Mazandaran and Semnan.