Kashkar
Kashkar, also known as Kaskar, (Syriac: ܟܫܟܪ), was a city in southern Mesopotamia. Its name appears to originate from Syriac ܟܪܟܐ karḵa meaning "citedal" or "town".[1] Other sources mention connect it to ܟܫܟܪܘܬܐ kaškarūṯá "farming".[2] It was originally built on the Tigris, across the river from the medieval city of Wasit.
The city was originally a significant Sasanian city built on the west bank of the Tigris where Greek speaking deportees from north-western Syria where settled by Shapur I in the mid third century A.D.[3]
According to Syriac tradition, Mar Mari is said to have preached and performed miracles and converted many of its inhabitants to Christianity.[3] Kashkar became an important centre of Christianity in lower Mesopotamia and had its own diocese which lay under the jurisdiction of the patriarchal see of Seleucia-Ctesiphon of the Church of the East.[3]
During a flood the Tigris burst its banks leaving Kashkar on its east bank. The medieval city of Wasit was built on the west bank of the new channel by al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf drawing off the population of Kashkar, which eventually turned to a ghost town.[1] By the middle of the twelfth century Kashkar ceased to exist as a bishopric see.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Mirecki, BeDuhn; Jason, Paul Allan (2007). Frontiers of faith: the Christian encounter with Manichaeism in the Acts of Archelaus. BRILL. pp. 10. ISBN 9789004161801. http://books.google.nl/books?id=JQd8b5s5QBUC.
- ^ قزانجي, فؤاد يوسف. "مدينة كشكر: أول مدينة مسيحية في بلاد الرافدين". Zahrira.net. http://www.zahrira.net/?p=2481. Retrieved 31 January 2012. (Arabic)
- ^ a b c d Harrak, Amir (2005). The acts of Mār Mārī the apostle. BRILL. pp. 69. ISBN 9789004130500. http://books.google.nl/books?id=4ePjro4KB4MC.
