Ctesiphon

Seleucia- Ctesiphon (Arabic المدائن, DMG al - Mada ʾ in, the cities '; Aramaic and Hebrew sources Mahuza ( Māḥōzē ) with the same meaning ) was a twin city in present-day Iraq, from the growing together cities of Seleucia on the Tigris (now Tell ʿ Umar ) and Ctesiphon (Persian تيسفون, Tīsfūn; than Veh - Aradaschir ( Veh - Ardashir ) founded ), was formed. The Doppelmetrolpole was the main residence of the kings of the Parthian and Sassanid. The origin of the name Ctesiphon (actually a Greek personal name ) is unclear. The town was about the fourth century BC to the 8th century AD

History

Seleucia

Seleucia on the Tigris (Greek: Σελεύκεια, Seleucia ), located on the right bank of the river Tigris, was founded around 305 BC by Seleucus I, near the ancient city of Opis and - where the main residence of the Seleucid Empire - next to Antioch. In the founding Greeks and Macedonians were settled; in the first decades of the civil rights of the city was largely limited to these. In the 2nd century BC, the city fell under Parthian rule. The city is described inter alia by Tacitus ( Annals, 6, 42) and Pliny the Elder. Tacitus noted especially that of Seleucia was a powerful, proprietary walled old town.

300 citizens of the town formed a Council ( bule ) Greek type (see Polis ), the opposite was a popular assembly ( ekklesia ); were added annually changing officials. This changed initially after the Parthian conquest not. The city was initially continue to be characterized largely Greek and flourished due to its convenient location further on. The population must have gone into hundreds of thousands, there being next to Greeks and Macedonians soon mainly Jews and Syrians lived, and later increasingly Iranians. It was also repeated uprisings against the Parthians, especially after the Parthian kings had established in the neighborhood of Seleucia Vologesias and promoted. King Artabanus II then reached 38 AD seem to be substantially in the self-administration of the city, Seleucia after his rival Tiridates III. had supported (see below ), even if the polis nominally retained its autonomy. In the course of the later 1st century AD, the city then apparently lost rapidly its Greek character and turned into a largely Parthian city. Seleucia was, among others, the birthplace of Diogenes of Babylon and Seleucus of Seleucia.

In the autumn of 165 AD, Seleucia was stormed and sacked by Roman troops under the command of Avidius Cassius, which meant the definitive end for the former center of Hellenism in Mesopotamia. Already Septimius Severus was on his Parthian campaign, the remains of the city virtually undefended before; yet were still currently Vologaeses ' VI in the city. Coins minted. Nevertheless, the focus is now shifted permanently to the other river bank, to Ctesiphon.

Ctesiphon

Ctesiphon - the name is purely Greek ( Κτησιφῶν ), but possibly a corruption of a local toponym - which lay on an important trade route, was located approximately 35 km southeast of Baghdad, on the left bank of the Tigris River, opposite of Seleucia (see above ). The Parthians charged Ctesiphon, which had been known since the time of the Seleucids, as a counterpart to the Greek Seleucia for winter and the main residence and fortified it eventually, even if Seleucia initially continued to play an important role. According to Ammianus Marcellinus (23, 6, 23), this should be done under Vardanes (38 to 45 AD). However, already referred to Tacitus ( Annals, 6, 44) the city as the residence of Tiridates III. ( a Parthian usurper who temporarily occupied Mesopotamia in the year 36).

The city ( one would say precisely, cities, because it was a conglomeration of various places ) flourished under the Sassanids, Seleucia- Ctesiphon from the 226 also as the capital used ( Istachr and other places have been used in the summer when the climate in Seleucia- Ctesiphon was too unpleasant, but remained Seleucia- Ctesiphon main residence ). The Sassanid Ctesiphon enlarged to a true big city, which eventually may have had up to 500,000 inhabitants. It was conquered by the Romans in 283 and repeatedly besieged ( last 591 ), but never of them could be held. The last ( Eastern ) Roman advance to Ctesiphon was carried out by Emperor Heraclius in 628.

After the Persian defeat at the Battle of Kadesia (see Islamic expansion), the city was 637 AD conquered by the Arabs and partially destroyed, but was in addition to the Islamic Umayyad period foundation Kufa a center of Shia. The Islamic governor Seleucia- Ktesiphons, Salmaan al - Farisi, is an important figure of the Islamic gnosis. Since the founding of Baghdad Seleucia- Ctesiphon fell 762 then rapidly.

Seleucia- Ctesiphon was under the Sassanids also the center of the Christian Church of Persia ( Assyrian Church of the East). At least 410 led the bishop as the United Metropolitan of the Church of Persia, the title Catholicos. He was subordinate to all metropolitans of Mesopotamia as well as all the churches of the East ( Persia, India, and later Central Asia and China). In the late 8th century, the seat of the Catholicos was moved to Baghdad.

Excavations

Supposedly from Tell ʿ Umar comes a Cassite clay tablet with a recipe for lead glaze, which is now in the British Museum. The text of the clay tablet is dated in the first year of government Gulkišar, but Landsberger considers him a Cassite fake.

The site of the ancient city is now only been inadequately archaeologically. During the First World War, the ruins were more severely damaged during fighting between troops of the Ottoman Empire and British troops. Excavations were carried out in 1927-1932 and 1936-1937 Seleucia by the University of Michigan instead, with especially a large insula has been investigated. In this block there were some very richly appointed accommodation units. It was possible to distinguish four layers (from about 300 BC to 200 AD). The excavation results have been presented in several volumes, finds are exhibited in the Kelsey Museum of the University of Michigan. From 1964 to 1989 here also undermined an Italian mission of the University of Turin. They found among other things, a building that appears to have been used in the Seleucid period as State Archives. 30,000 seal impressions in clay could there be excavated, almost all held in a purely Greek style. The building was apparently in the Parthian conquest of 150 BC in flames. Soundings have also shown that the city of two channels, one was in an east-west and a north-south direction, thwarted.

Even the identification of the ruins of Ctesiphon is controversial. Right next to Seleucia is a large round town complex, which is usually referred to as Ctesiphon. German excavations at the site have been only partherzeitliche grave sites, but no Parthian settlement layers unearthed. Italian excavations found an artisans' quarter. All settlement remains found here date to the time of the Sassanids, among which are also the remains of an early Christian church. This city (or this district ) has therefore been identified with Veh - Ardashir, a foundation of Ardashir I.. A final proof of this identification is still pending. This also applies to Chosroeantiochia or Rumagan, a city district in which 540 Roman prisoners of war were settled and until now could not be identified. The fact that the course of the Tigris in the past has repeatedly changed the situation complicates further. Many ancient buildings may have been destroyed or buried under several meters thick layers of sediment.

Just north of the city round investment from Veh - Ardashir were found in Iraqi excavations early Islamic houses, some of which were richly decorated with stucco and an upscale residential level still show for this time.

The only ruins to be seen today is the Sassanid (probably by Khosrau I built or completed ) Palace Taq -e Kisra, which is notable mainly for its vault. The palace is located in an urban area outside the large round town layout.