Manbij

Government

Manbidsch, Arabic منبج, DMG Manbiǧ, also Manbij, Syriac: Mabog ( " source " ), Kara- Membidj, the ancient Hierapolis Bambyke; is a place in present day Syria in Aleppo province, southwest of the confluence of the Euphrates and Sagur. The Aramaic name Mabog is already mentioned by Pliny ( Nat. Hist. V. 23 (19 ), § 81). Seleucus Nicator renamed the city in order for their temple in Hierapolis Hierapolis or. The city was known primarily as a cult center of the Dea Syria. She was an important resting place for caravans to Seleucia and Babylon. Under Antiochus IV coins were minted here.

Location and cityscape

The city is located at the leading from Aleppo to the north-east road 30 km before the bridge over the Euphrates River, which is dammed here by Tabqa Dam. According to the estimate of 2003, the population is 65 948.

The square minaret of the mosque located in the center is dated by an inscription to the year 1202. From the ancient city is nothing to get to the rest of a city wall.

Manbidsch is a titular of the Catholic Church.

History

In the 3rd century the city was the successor of Samosata capital of the province Euphratensis ( Commagene ) and one of the largest in Syria. Emperor Julian opened his campaign against Shapur here Station. Justinian had built new fortifications. In the 1060er years the Seljuks took under Alp Arslan a town. 1068 Romanus IV Diogenes captured the city back, then she lay manor of Philaretos Brachamios until they fell to the Seljuk Malik Shah I. below. The population clung to Monophysitism. The town was destroyed several times, most recently by Hulagu.

The re-founding of Manbidsch in the Ottoman Empire in 1879 by Circassians from the fortified town located on the Balkan Vidin, who were settled here, to form a government loyal counterweight against rebellious Bedouin. More Circassian families reached Manbidsch 1905. They received from the Ottoman administration in addition to land and agricultural implements, cattle and money. After there had been initial tensions with the local Bedouin tribe of Bani Sa'id, the place became commercially successful. There was a local market and administrative center with a small garrison. The population in 1932 was estimated at 2000, of which 800 were Circassians and about 100 Armenians. In 1970, the city had about 16,000 inhabitants.

In the civil war in Syria withdrew July 19, 2012 Syrian forces out of the city back, which Manbidsch became one of the first major cities of Syria, where rebels and local councils took over the administration. The Syrian air forces bombed ( at least until the beginning of October 2012) the city since mid-August day, with which the infrastructure is to be destroyed. In July 2013, came into the city to several protests against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.

Temple

According to Lucian, the temple of Atargatis was visited twice a year by pilgrims to pour water into a gullet ( De Dea Syriaca 13). The throat is a remnant according to Lucian, the Great Flood, and the first temple here was built by Deucalion. Boys sacrificed in the Temple their first facial hair, girls their tresses. Occasionally, child sacrifice took place, where the parents pretended it were a cow. The rich temple was sacked by Marcus Licinius Crassus in the campaign against the Parthians in 53 BC.

The Christian author (pseudo) Melito of Sardis ( Spicilegium Syriacum 44) describes how the goddess Simi, daughter of the supreme god Adad defeating a demon by, filled the pit in which he lived with seawater. Simi is identified by Sayce with Semiramis.

Ambrosius Theodosius Macrobius ( Saturnalia, I. xvii. § § 66, 67 ) mentions the worship of a goateed Apollo statue in Hierapolis. The god wears a breastplate, holding a spear in his hand, his coat is decorated with snakes. After Makrobios he holds in his other hand something that looks like a flower, but probably it is the flash of Hadad. The god is accompanied by eagles, two women and a dragon.

Near the temple there was a pond with sacred fish that swam cause when they were called. Lucian was able to observe a fish that was golden and was wearing a jewel on its fin.

Famous citizens

• Bardesanes, a gnostic theologian
• The Holy Golinduch († July 13 591 ), a Persian woman who was tortured Hormizd IV because of their religion.

Bishops

• Alexander, a Nestorian, exiled to Egypt
• Philoxenos of Mabbug, also Xenajas of Mabbug († 523 )
• Stefanos II (late 6th century ), the author of a biography of St. Golinduch
• Anastasius in the 6th century
• Agapios of Hierapolis in the 10th century
• The Latin Bishop Franko 1136