Silvan, Turkey

Silvan (Arabic: ميافارقين‎, Meiafarakin ‎or Mayyafariqin; Syriac: ܡܝܦܪܩܝܢ, Mayafaraqin; Armenian: Նփրկերտ, Np'rkert; Greek: Mαρτυρόπολις, Martyropolis; Kurdish: Farqîn) is a district of the Diyarbakır Province of Turkey. Its population is 41,451 ^[1] Notable attraction is Malabadi Bridge.

History

Main article: Tigranakert (Silvan)

Silvan has been identified by several scholars as one of two possible locations (the other being Arzan) of Tigranakert,^[2] the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Armenia, which was built by King Tigran the Great (r. 95-55 B.C.) and named in his honor.^[3] It was located in the canton of Np'rkert, which was in the province of Aghdznik'. In 69 B.C., a battle outside the gates of Tigranakert between Tigran and the forces of Republican Rome resulted in the former's defeat, giving a free hand for the Roman army to pillage and partially destroy the city. It lost its importance as a thriving center for trade and Hellenistic culture in the following decades. During the reign of the Arshakuni kings, Tigranakert became the seat of the margrave (bdeshkh) of the province of Aghdznik'.^[3]

In 387 A.D., Tigranakert was made a part of the Byzantine Empire. In the year 400, its bishop, Marutha (later, saint Maruthas), brought a large number of relics back from Sassanid Persia. These were the relics of the Persian martyrs from the persecution of Christians in that empire that had barely ended at this point. For this reason it was renamed Martyropolis, "city of the maryrs." Following the reforms of Justinian I (r. 527-565), it was made the capital of the province of Fourth Armenia.^[4] The city was known by the name of Meiafarakin after the Arabs took over this region in the seventh century. It declined in importance over the centuries and had been reduced to a small settlement by the twelfth century.

Notes

1. ^ Statistical Institute
2. ^ Avdoyan, Levon. "Tiganocerta: The City 'Built by Tigranes'" in Armenian Tigranakert/Diarbekir and Edessa/Urfa. Richard G. Hovannisian (ed.) UCLA Armenian History and Culture Series: Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces, 6. Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda Publishers, 2006, pp. 94-95.
3. ^ ^{a b} (Armenian) Hakobyan, Tadevos Kh. «Տիգրանակերտ» (Tigranakert). Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia. vol. xi. Yerevan: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1986, pp. 699-700.
4. ^ Adontz, Nicholas (1970). Armenia in the Period of Justinian: The Political Conditions Based on the Naxarar System. Trans. Nina G. Garsoïan. Lisbon: Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. p. 134. 

Coordinates: 38°08′32″N 41°00′05″E / 38.14222°N 41.00139°E / 38.14222; 41.00139