Cambysene was a region first attested in the Geographica

 Cambysene was a region first attested in the Geographica ("Geography") of Strabo (64 BC – c. 24 AD). According to Strabo, it comprised one of the northernmost provinces of the ancient Kingdom of Armenia, and bordered on the Caucasus Mountains and was region through which a road connecting Caucasian Albania and Iberia passed. It was eventually lost by Armenia to Caucasian Albania, likely after 69 BC.

Cambysene correspond to modern Kakheti and northwestern parts of Azerbaijan. We have ancient DNA from Kakheti and it helps to understand why Strabo was considering Cambysene as part of Armenia.

Cambysene had virtually the same Etiuni related population since the Bronze Age which lived there at last till the antiquity. Probably sometimes around 4-2 century BCE the spread of Yaloylutepe culture from eastern parts of Albania introduced the Lezgi - Udi speakers into Cambysene. Ancient DNA from 3th century AD has more J1 and higher levels of CHG ancestry than usual Lchashen type ancestry. (See the chart)

In that period Graeco-Roman sources consider the Kur river as the border of Albania and Armenia, thus the Cambysene was firmly part of Albania in late antiquity. Despite this, Armenian population was still mentioned in that region in Medieval period. Even though those medieval Armenians in western Albania were most probably only partly descending from Lchashen culture but had some ancestry from south of Kur river.

Onomastic data also supports the Armenian presence in Cambysene. The river Getaru has transparent Armenian etymology (Hrach Martirosyan 2010). Compare to river Getar in Yerevan. Even more interesting it's possible that the name Cambysene (Կամբեճան) itself can be derived from Armenian term meaning water buffalo (գոմեշ). The other etymology based on the Persian king Cambys is considered as later invention and not realistic. And finally the river Yori can be compared to Armenian word *yur meaning water. Its evolved to grabar jur (ջուր) later. I discussed this theory with Armen Petrosyan and he considered it plausible.