Chalkis (Syria)

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Chalkis ( Chalcis ad Belum ; Greek  Χαλκίς ) was an ancient city in what is now northern Syria . Since early Islamic times, the place has been called Quinnasrin , also Qinnesrin , outdated inscription Ḳinnesrîn ("eagle's nest"). Quinnasrin is 25 kilometers southwest of Aleppo and a few kilometers east of the highway towards Homs . Today the hill of ruins, of which almost nothing has been preserved, belongs to the village of al-Iss.

history

According to the Greek historian Appian , Chalkis, which should have existed as a place before, was "founded" by Seleukos Nikator . The name Quinnasrin, which is pre-Greek, means "eagle's nest" and was later adopted by the Arabs, points to an earlier existence of the place.

The place was the center of a principality at the time of Jesus. From 44 to 48 AD it was ruled as a kingdom by Herod of Chalkis , who was married to the famous Berenike , who later became the lover of the Roman emperor Titus . His successor was Berenike's brother, Herodes Agrippa II .

Since the late 2nd century Chalkis belonged to the Roman province of Syria Coele . Chalkis is the birthplace of the Neoplatonic philosopher Iamblichus of Chalkis (* around 240 AD). The name of today's titular archbishopric Chalcis in Syria (Archdiocese Chalcidensis , Calcide di Siria) of the Catholic Church refers to the late antique bishopric in Chalkis .

In late antiquity, Chalkis was involved in the Roman-Persian Wars ; Among other things, it served as a transit point for the troops of Justinian , commanded by Belisarius , during a campaign against the Persian Sassanids . The Sassanid great king Chosrau I threatened the city with plunder.

In 629 it was finally conquered by the Arabs under Abu ʿUbeida with the beginning of the Islamic expansion . At first, Chalkis - from now on called Quinnasrin again - retained its central position and important function, including as the capital of the Umayyads in northern Syria and an important military base. In the period that followed, however, the city increasingly lost its influence compared to nearby Aleppo. At the end of the Middle Ages, Quinnasrin was almost completely depopulated.

Severus Sebokht , who lived in Kennesrin Monastery in the mid-7th century, is the first “Western” scholar known to teach Indian numbers .

Famous citizens

Roman auxiliary units

During the imperial era , the following auxiliary units were recruited from the city of Chalcis and its surroundings:

literature

Web links

Remarks

  1. ^ Appian, Syr. 57.

Coordinates: 36 ° 0 '  N , 37 ° 0'  E