Erbil (as in latin Kurdish) also written Arbil, or Irbil is the fourth largest city in Iraq after Baghdad, Basra and Mosul. The city lies eighty kilometres east of Mosul, and is the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.
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| The citadel of Erbil |
Urban life at Arbil can be dated back to at least 6000 BC, and it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. At the heart of the city is the ancient Citadel of Arbil. The Hurrians were the first to establish Urbilum and expand their rule to the rest of Northern Mesopotamia. Afterwards, The city has been under the rule of many regional powers since that time, including the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Arabs and Ottomans. The city's archaeological museum houses a large collection of pre- Islamic artefacts, and is a center for archaeological projects in the area.
The name Erbil was mentioned in Sumerian writings (c. 2000 BC) as Urbilum, Urbelum or Urbillum, and it may be Sumerian in origin. It is thought to originate from Sumerian UR (city) + BELA (high) meaning the city located in the upper area. The initial ar element also appears in a number of Hurrian place names.
Later, Akkadians/Assyrians rendered the name to mean four gods. The city was a centre for the worship of the goddess Ishtar. In classical times the city was known by its Aramaic name: Arbela. In Old Persian the city was called Arbaira.
Later, Akkadians/Assyrians rendered the name to mean four gods. The city was a centre for the worship of the goddess Ishtar. In classical times the city was known by its Aramaic name: Arbela. In Old Persian the city was called Arbaira.
It has been suggested that Erbil is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in history. It was an Assyrian city from around 2000 BC until 608 BC, and remained part of an Assyria province under Persian, Greeks, Parthian, Roman and Sassanid rule. It was capital of Persian ruled Assyria.
Over a millennium later, under the Median Empire, which might have settled a number of people from an ancient Iranian tribe in Arbela and Kirkuk, probably as a reward for their help in the capture of Nineveh. Persian emperor Cyrus the Great occupied Assyria in 547 B.C. and established there an Achaemenid satrapy called in Old Persian with Arbela as the capital.
The battle of Gaugamela, in which Alexander the Great defeated Daius III of Persia in 331 BC, took place approximately 100 kilometres west of Erbil. After the battle, Darius managed to flee to the city, and, somewhat inaccurately, the confrontation is sometimes known as the "Battle of Arbela".
Erbil became part of the region disputed between Rome and Persia. The ancient Syriac kingdom of Adiabene had its center at Erbil, and the town and kingdom are known in Jewish Middle Eastern history for the conversion of the royal family to Judaism. Its populace then converted in during the first and second century to Christianty with Pkidha becoming traditionally its first bishop around 104 A.D. The metropolinate of Haydab in Arbela became a centre of eastern Syriac Christianity until late in the Middle Ages.
Over a millennium later, under the Median Empire, which might have settled a number of people from an ancient Iranian tribe in Arbela and Kirkuk, probably as a reward for their help in the capture of Nineveh. Persian emperor Cyrus the Great occupied Assyria in 547 B.C. and established there an Achaemenid satrapy called in Old Persian with Arbela as the capital.
The battle of Gaugamela, in which Alexander the Great defeated Daius III of Persia in 331 BC, took place approximately 100 kilometres west of Erbil. After the battle, Darius managed to flee to the city, and, somewhat inaccurately, the confrontation is sometimes known as the "Battle of Arbela".
Erbil became part of the region disputed between Rome and Persia. The ancient Syriac kingdom of Adiabene had its center at Erbil, and the town and kingdom are known in Jewish Middle Eastern history for the conversion of the royal family to Judaism. Its populace then converted in during the first and second century to Christianty with Pkidha becoming traditionally its first bishop around 104 A.D. The metropolinate of Haydab in Arbela became a centre of eastern Syriac Christianity until late in the Middle Ages.