A long time ago, there was a big city.
It sat by a large river. Kings lived in a grand palace there. It was a very busy place. Many people lived there together. Now, we can see its old ruins. Do you like old cities?
A long time ago, there was a big city.
It sat by a large river. Kings lived in a grand palace there.
The city was very large. It was even bigger than old Rome.
Many different people lived there. They had many ways to talk and pray.
The city was a busy place for trade. It grew as it joined with other towns. Some people called it "The Cities."
Wars happened in the city. Roman leaders fought to take it. Many rulers lived in the great palace.
Today, we can see its old ruins. One big arch still stands.
It is a special place to see.
Ctesiphon was a great ancient city. It sat on the Tigris River in modern Iraq.
For over eight hundred years, it was a royal capital. It served the Parthian and Sasanian empires. The city grew very large and rich. It merged with nearby towns to form a big center for trade. Some people even called it "The Cities."
Many different people lived there. They spoke many languages. They also followed many religions, like Christianity and Judaism. In the 6th century, some said it was the largest city in the world. It was even bigger than the city of Rome was back then.
Wars often happened in Ctesiphon. Roman leaders fought to take the city many times. Later, the city fell to Muslim Arabs in 637. After that, the city began to fade. A new capital called Baghdad was built nearby. People even took bricks from Ctesiphon to build Baghdad.
Today, you can still see the ruins. The most famous part is the Taq Kasra. It is a massive arch from a royal palace.
Ctesiphon was a massive and famous ancient city. It sat on the eastern bank of the Tigris River. This location is in modern Iraq, near Baghdad.
For over eight hundred years, it served as a royal capital. It was the center for the Parthian and Sasanian empires. The city was a rich commercial metropolis. It grew by merging with nearby towns like Seleucia. Because of this, people often called the area "The Cities."
The city worked as a huge hub for trade and power. It had many different districts with their own names. One area was the Old City, where the White Palace stood. Another area was called Asbānbar, known for its grand halls and baths. There was also a western side called Veh-Ardashir. This part of the city was home to many wealthy people. The city was so large it covered 30 square kilometers. This was more than twice the size of ancient Rome.
History shows that Ctesiphon was a prize for many leaders. It was founded in the late 120s BC as a military camp. During the Parthian period, it became a capital around 58 BC. Later, the Sasanian Empire took control in 226 AD. The city faced many wars during these times. Roman leaders captured the city three times in the 2nd century. In 197 AD, the emperor Septimius Severus even sacked the city. He took thousands of people away to be sold into slavery.
Many different groups of people lived together in Ctesiphon. The population included Persians, Greeks, Arameans, and Assyrians. They followed many different religions. You could find Christians, Jews, and followers of Zoroastrianism there. In the late 6th century, some accounts called it the largest city in the world. However, things changed after the Muslim conquest in 637 AD. The city began to decline as a political center. A new capital, Baghdad, was built nearby in the 760s.
Today, you can still visit the ruins of this great place. The most famous structure is the Taq Kasra. This is a huge arch that was once part of a royal palace. It is sometimes called the Arch of Ctesiphon. Experts believe it was built between the 3rd and 6th centuries AD. Many different rulers helped build these grand structures. These include Shapur I, Shapur II, Chosroes I, and Chosroes II. Even though the city is gone, its stones still tell its story.
Ctesiphon was a massive, influential metropolis located in modern-day Iraq. It sat on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, about 35 kilometers southeast of Baghdad.
For over eight hundred years, the city served as the royal capital for the Iranian empires. It was the heart of the Parthian and Sasanian periods. The city grew into a rich commercial center by merging with nearby settlements. This included the Hellenistic city of Seleucia. Because of this massive growth, people often referred to the area as "The Cities" (al-Mada'in).
As a major hub, Ctesiphon was organized into several distinct districts. The eastern side was known as the "Old City" or Madīnah al-'Atīqah. This area housed the White Palace, which was the residence of the Sasanian rulers. The southern side was called Asbānbar or Aspānbar. This district was famous for its grand halls, baths, stables, and riches. The western side was known as Veh-Ardashir, meaning "the good city of Ardashir." This area was home to many wealthy Jewish residents and the seat of the Nestorian patriarch. Other named districts included Hanbu Shapur, Darzanidan, and Valashabad.
The city was enormous for its time. Ctesiphon measured approximately 30 square kilometers. To understand this scale, consider that it was more than twice the surface area of fourth-century imperial Rome, which was 13.7 square kilometers. By the late 6th and early 7th centuries, some historical accounts listed Ctesiphon as the largest city in the entire world. This vast size made it a primary target during many ancient conflicts. Its wealth and strategic location on the river made it a prize for many invading armies.
Ctesiphon's history began in the late 120s BC. It was originally founded as a military camp by Mithridates I of Parthia. The camp was built directly across from the city of Seleucia. The city reached its peak as a political and commercial center during the reign of Gotarzes I. It officially became the empire's capital around 58 BC under Orodes II. The Romans frequently targeted the city during the Roman–Parthian Wars. The city fell to Roman forces three times during the 2nd century alone. In 197 AD, the emperor Septimius Severus sacked the city and sold thousands of inhabitants into slavery.
In 226 AD, the Sasanian Empire took control and made Ctesiphon their administrative capital. They ruled from the city until the Arab conquest in 637 AD. During this era, the city saw massive expansion. In 541 AD, Khosrow I built a new city near Ctesiphon for people captured during the conquest of Antioch. He named this city Veh-Antiok-Xusrō, which means "better than Antioch Khosrow built this." Some locals called it Rumagan, or the "town of the Romans." This period was marked by both great prosperity and intense warfare with the Byzantine Empire.
In the mid-630s, the Muslim Arabs invaded Sasanian territories. Following the Battle of al-Qādisiyyah, they occupied Ctesiphon in early 637 AD. The military officer Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas seized Valashabad and made peace treaties with some districts. When the Muslims arrived, the city was largely desolated because the Sasanian royal family and nobles had fled. However, the Muslim forces seized great riches from the Sasanian treasury. The city's political importance faded rapidly after the founding of Baghdad in the 760s. The Abbasid Caliph Al-Mansur even used materials from the ruins of Ctesiphon to build his new capital.
The city was also a diverse center for many different cultures and faiths. The population was a mix of Persians, Greeks, Arameans, and Assyrians. People practiced several religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. The Manichean church also had a significant presence there. Today, the most famous remaining structure is the Taq Kasra, also called the Arch of Ctesiphon.
This massive arch was part of the royal palace. It is estimated to have been built between the 3rd and 6th centuries AD. At least four Sasanian rulers are credited with its construction: Shapur I, Shapur II, Chosrow I, and Chosrow II.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (3)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.