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Ctesiphon was an ancient Iraqi city and the capital of the Parthian and Sasanian empires. Learn about its history, names, location, architecture, and archaeology from this comprehensive article.
Ctesiphon, ancient city located on the left (northeast) bank of the Tigris River about 20 miles (32 km) southeast of modern Baghdad, in east-central Iraq. It served as the winter capital of the Parthian empire and later of the Sāsānian empire.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Founding & Parthian Empire
- Sassanian Empire & The Battle of Ctesiphon
- Further Developments & Taq Kasra
- Fall of Ctesiphon
- Conclusion
The city was known as Tisfun to the Persians, Ktesiphon to the Greeks, and is best known by its Latin designation, Ctesiphon; the meaning of the name is unknown. It was founded on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, across from the city of Seleucia, as a military camp, possibly (according to Strabo's Geography 16.1.16), because the Parthian army ...
Ardashir I had been a general in the Parthian army who led the revolt which toppled the empire. He then founded the Sassanian Empire and began a series of building projects which included the restoration of the city which he made his capital. From Ctesiphon, Ardashir I issued his famous ultimatum to Rome demanding that all the territories which had...
The city flourished under Shapur I to become a major cultural center and the heart of the Sassanian Empire. The decree for the founding of the Academy of Gundeshapur, the leading intellectual center of the region and the first teaching hospital, would have been issued from Ctesiphon. Building projects and plans initiated by Ardashir I, and greatly ...
Although Roman forces approached or even attacked the city at various times during the Sassanian Period, it held against any attempts to take it until the Muslim Arab invasion of 636/637 CE. The Arabs had been making incursions into Persian lands prior to the reign of the last Sassanian king, Yazdegerd III(632-651 CE) and he intended to stop them. ...
Ctesiphon was forgotten for centuries afterwards until European explorers rediscovered it in the 19th century CE. No attempts at excavation or restoration were made, however, and in 1888 CE the banks of the Tigris overflowed during a flood and washed away large parts of the remaining structure (the imperial palace and throne room adjoining Taq Kasr...
- Joshua J. Mark
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Ctesiphon was a major city on the Tigris River in Iraq, ruled by the Parthians and the Sasanians for over 800 years. Learn about its history, architecture, and art, including the famous Taq-i Kisra palace and its mosaics.
Ctesiphon was an ancient city located on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, near present-day Baghdad in Iraq. It served as the capital of the Parthian Empire and later became a significant center for the Sassanian Empire, playing a vital role in trade and culture during its peak.
Nov 2, 2011 · Ctesiphon was the capital of the Parthian and Sasanian empires, located on the east bank of the Tigris opposite Seleucia. Learn about its history, name, architecture, and archeological research from various sources and scholars.
May 18, 2018 · Ctesiphon was an ancient Persian city on the Tigris, opposite Seleucia, with a large Jewish community. It was the winter residence of the Parthian kings and was ruined by the Arab conquest in 637 CE.
