Samarra

Quick Facts: Who was Samarra?

Subject:

Samarra

Known for:

Historic Iraqi city, famed for its Abbasid capital and Shia holy sites.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Samarra (Arabic: سَامَرَّاء, Sāmarrāʾ) is a city in Iraq. It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Saladin Governorate, 125 kilometers (78 mi) north of Baghdad. Due to the presence of Al-Askari Shrine, the city is considered a holy site in Shia Islam. The modern city of Samarra was founded in 836 CE by the Abbasid caliph al-Mu'tasim as a new administrative capital and military base. In 2003 the city had an estimated population of 348,700.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

During the Iraqi Civil War (2006–2008), Samarra was in the "Sunni Triangle" of resistance. The archeological site of Samarra still retains much of the historic city's original plan, architecture and artistic relics. In 2007, UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site. The remains of prehistoric Samarra were first excavated between 1911 and 1914 by the German archaeologist Ernst Herzfeld and Friedrich Sarre. Samarra became the type site for the Samarra culture.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Since 1946, the notebooks, letters, unpublished excavation reports and photographs have been in the Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The civilization flourished alongside the Ubaid period, as one of the first town states in the Near East. It lasted from 5,500 BCE and eventually collapsed in 3,900 BCE. A city of Sur-marrati (refounded by Sennacherib in 690 BC according to a stele in the Walters Art Museum) is insecurely identified with a fortified Assyrian site at al-Huwaysh on the Tigris opposite modern Samarra. The State Archives of Assyria Online identifies Surimarrat as the modern site of Samarra. Ancient place names for Samarra noted by the Samarra Archaeological Survey are Greek Souma (Ptolemy V.19, Zosimus III, 30), Latin Sumere, a fort mentioned during the retreat of the army of Julian in 363 AD (Ammianus Marcellinus XXV, 6, 4), and Syriac Sumra (Hoffmann, Auszüge, 188; Michael the Syrian, III, 88), described as a village.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1911: 1911 Milestone — The remains of prehistoric Samarra were first excavated between 1911 and 1914 by the German archaeologist Ernst Herzfeld and Friedrich Sarre.
2. 1946: 1946 Milestone — Since 1946, the notebooks, letters, unpublished excavation reports and photographs have been in the Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, D.
3. 2003: 2003 Milestone — In 2003 the city had an estimated population of 348,700.
4. 2006: 2006 Milestone — During the Iraqi Civil War (2006–2008), Samarra was in the "Sunni Triangle" of resistance.
5. 2007: 2007 Milestone — In 2007, UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Samarra

True or False: “The modern city of Samarra was founded as a new administrative capital by Caliph al-Mu'tasim in 836 CE.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): Al-Mu'tasim established the city to serve as both an administrative center and a military base for the Abbasid Caliphate.

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• A. N. Sherwin-White — Historical peer (Born in 1911) (1911): British academic and ancient historian, specializing in Roman law and society.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Samarra