Birtha (Commagene)
Encyclopedia
Birtha was an ancient town on the east bank of the Euphrates
, at the upper part of a reach of that river, which runs nearly north-south, and just below a sharp bend in the stream, where it follows that course after coming from a long reach flowing more from the west. This town has often been confounded with the Birtha of Ptolemy
, but incorrectly. In fact, the name of Birtha occurs in no ancient writer. Zosimus
mentions that Julian
, in his march to Maogamalcha
, rested at a town called Bithra (Greek
: ), where there was a palace of such vast dimensions that it afforded quarters for his whole army. This town was no doubt the modern Birecik
, Turkey
. The castle of Bircejik rises on the left bank, so as to command the passage of the river on the opposite side, astride one of the most frequented of all the traditional passages into Mesopotamia
.
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
, at the upper part of a reach of that river, which runs nearly north-south, and just below a sharp bend in the stream, where it follows that course after coming from a long reach flowing more from the west. This town has often been confounded with the Birtha of Ptolemy
Birtha (Thapsacus)
Birtha , was an ancient town to the southeast of Thapsacus, which Ptolemy places in 73° 40′ long., 35° 0′ lat. This place, the same as the Birtha of Hierocles, has been confounded by geographers with the town in the Commagene, which lies much further to the north....
, but incorrectly. In fact, the name of Birtha occurs in no ancient writer. Zosimus
Zosimus
Zosimus was a Byzantine historian, who lived in Constantinople during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius I . According to Photius, he was a comes, and held the office of "advocate" of the imperial treasury.- Historia Nova :...
mentions that Julian
Julian the Apostate
Julian "the Apostate" , commonly known as Julian, or also Julian the Philosopher, was Roman Emperor from 361 to 363 and a noted philosopher and Greek writer....
, in his march to Maogamalcha
Maogamalcha
Maogamalcha was a place in Mesopotamia, attacked and taken by the Roman Emperor Julian . It appears to have been strongly fortified and well defended. Zosimus evidently alludes to the same place, though he does not mention it by name, and states it was about 90 stadia from Ctesiphon ....
, rested at a town called Bithra (Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: ), where there was a palace of such vast dimensions that it afforded quarters for his whole army. This town was no doubt the modern Birecik
Birecik
Birecik , also formerly known as Bir and during the Crusades as Bile, is a town and district of Şanlıurfa Province of Turkey, on the River Euphrates....
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. The castle of Bircejik rises on the left bank, so as to command the passage of the river on the opposite side, astride one of the most frequented of all the traditional passages into Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
.