Page:Baladhuri-Hitti1916.djvu/279

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The Frontier Fortresses of Syria
263

the city of Tall ʿAin-Zarbah and was rebuilt in the caliphate of al-Mutawakkil by ʿAli ibn-Yaḥya-l-Armani [the Armenian]. It was later ruined by the Greeks.

Antioch burnt. The one who burnt Antioch—condemned as it was to burning[1]—in the land of the Greeks was ʿAbbâs ibn-al-Walîd ibn-ʿAbd-al-Malik.

Tall Jubair. Tall Jubair was so called after a Persian from Antioch who fought a battle in it. The Tall lies less than 10 miles from Ṭarsûs.

Dhu-l-Kilâʿ. The name of the fort known as dhu-l-Kilâʿ is really a corruption of dhu-l-Ḳilâʿ [the fort of the castles], which name was given to it because it was made up of three castles. The explanation of its name in the Greek tongue is "the fortress with the stars."

Kanîsat aṣ-Sulḥ. Kanîsat aṣ-Ṣulḥ [the church of peace] was so called because when the Greeks came to ar-Rashîd to capitulate, they made it their headquarters.

Marj Ḥusain. Marj Ḥusain was named after Ḥusain ibn-Muslim al-Anṭâki who fought a battle in it and defeated the enemy.

Ḍamâlu. In the year 163, al-Mahdi sent on a campaign his son, Hârûn ar-Rashîd, who laid siege to Ḍamâlu (colloquial Samâlu). Its people asked a promise of security for ten of their nobility including the Comes.[2] Ar-Rashîd consented. One of their terms stipulated that they be never separated from one another. Therefore they were settled in Baghdâdh near Bâb ash-Shammâsîyah.[3] Their quarter

  1. Hamadhâni, Buldân, p. 37: Said Makḥûl, "Four cities are of the cities of Paradise; Makkah, al-Madînah, Îliyâʾ [Jerusalem] and Damascus; and four of the cities of fire: Antioch, aṭ-Ṭuwânah, Constantinople and Sanʿâʾ."
  2. Ar. al-Ḳûmis = a leader of two hundred: Zaidân, vol. i, p. 118; Ḳudâmah, pp. 255–256.
  3. Le Strange, Baghdâd, p. 202.