Near East Kingdoms

Harran (City) (Northern Mesopotamia)

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In southern Mesopotamia the city states of Sumer formed one of the first great civilisations in human history (see feature link). This Near Eastern civilisation developed out of the end of the Pottery Neolithic across the Fertile Crescent, a period which had seen Neolithic Farmer practices spread far and wide across the Near East and beyond.

As irrigation improved so the more southerly reaches of the Euphrates could at last be occupied by humans and their animals, with permanent settlements arising from the sixth millennium BC. Initially these were pastoralist settlements, but soon farming villages appeared and they gradually grew and improved. At the same time, northern Mesopotamia experienced its own burgeoning development processes, largely starting under the Hassuna culture.

These processes took longer here than they did in the south, in what is now northern Iraq, the western edge of Iran, the south-eastern corner of Turkey, and the eastern wedge of Syria. An urban lifestyle only really appeared in the third millennium BC, thanks in part to such influences being imposed during Sumerian empire-building periods. Archaeology has uncovered a wealth of detail about settlements in this region, but many more sites remain to be examined.

The city of Harran is located far up the Euphrates, on the border between modern Syria, Turkey, and Iraq (and the area is now part of south-eastern Turkey). It was one of the later city states to be founded on the extreme periphery of general Sumerian influence. Being expanded from a village in the mid-third millennium BC, it served as a religious centre.

The main reason for its early existence was its location on the trade route across northern Mesopotamia and down to Ur in the south. Details of its early rule are very thin, but it seems to have been developed as a holding of the state of Ebla. However, it had its own ruler for at least a short period around 2400 BC, as an Eblaite princess married him.

Later known by an amended form of its name - Carrhae - the ancient part of the Harran site is famous for being the location of Rome's disastrous battle against Parthia in 53 BC. The surviving part of Harran, which most certainly remains occupied, is better known for its relatively modern beehive houses.

(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information from History of the Ancient Near East c.3000-323 BC, Marc van der Mieroop (Blackwell Publishing, 2004, 2007), from Historical Atlas of the Ancient World, 4,000,000 to 500 BC, John Heywood (Barnes & Noble, 2000), from Mesopotamia: Assyrians, Sumerians, Babylonians, Enrico Ascalone (Dictionaries of Civilizations 1, University of California Press, 2007), from Early Mesopotamia: Society and Economy at the Dawn of History, J N Postgate (Routledge, 1994), from The First Empires, J N Postgate (Oxford 1977), from Mesopotamia, Chris Scarre (Ed, Past Worlds - The Times Atlas of Archaeology, Guild Publishing, London 1989), and from External Links: Ancient Worlds, and Ancient History, Anthony Michael Love ('List 3' of Sumerian rulers at Sarissa.org).)

c.2400 BC

Iblul-Il of Mari is credited with conquering Ebla (and its subject city of Harran). Between this approximate date and about 2250 BC, Ebla reaches its peak of achievement and development. The Eblaites elect a local as their new ruler, and it is presumably this new ruler who sends a daughter to be married to Harran's ruler.

fl c.2400 BC

Unnamed ruler of Harran.

fl c.2400 BC

Eblaite princess who married Harran's ruler.

c.2334 - 1900 BC

Ebla is devastated by the Akkadian empire, probably under Sargon (who later states that he passes through Mari and uses it as his base of operations in his campaign to the west). Egyptian pottery seals which list Pepi I are among the debris.

Ebla's uncertain archaeology makes it hard to pin this on Sargon though, or even his immediate successors. The city of Ebla retains local rule, presumably along with controlling governance in Harran.

This rock crystal cylinder seal of the 'Early Dynastic I' period in Mesopotamia (dating to about 2800 BC) shows two ibex, a gazelle, an animal's leg and a fly

c.1800 - 1761 BC

The powerful city state of Mari under Yahdun-Lim conquers Harran. He has sent troops north towards the Mediterranean, to join those of Yamkhad in fighting against several previously subject tribal states, which apparently include Harran and Tuttul.

The enemy armies are defeated and their towns are attacked. Possibly included in this attack, the Yaminites are also pursued as far west as the Lebanon mountains. Subsequently, early Assyrian influences make Harran a centre for the moon god Sin. This god retains its hold in the city well into the Christian era.

fl c.1800 BC

Unnamed. Defeated by Mari and made a vassal.

fl c.1775 - 1750 BC

Vassal of Mari.

c.1750 BC

Semitic-speaking Israelite groups which are following Terah from Ur temporarily settle in Harran before moving southwards into Canaan. The city of Harran on the approximate border between Syria and the lands of the Hatti in Anatolia. Progress any farther north is unlikely as the Hatti are currently being overwhelmed by the recently-arrived Hittites.

c.1750s - 1600 BC

Harran is controlled by various Akkadian groups.

c.1650 BC

Jacob of the Israelites spends some years in Harran, where he meets his wives. As he returns them and his large family to Hebron, Jacob stops off at the Canaanite city of Shechem where his daughter is attacked, so Jacob's sons slay all the males within the city walls. Upon his return home, Jacob succeeds Isaac as the leader of his people, with his twelve sons forming the basis of the later tribes of Israel.

The Israelites are presumed to descend into Egypt to escape famine just as Lower Egypt is being invaded and governed by the Hyksos. This fact probably makes Israelite entrance and acceptance easier. They settle in the region of modern Cairo, at first as welcomed guests but later enduring worsening conditions and eventually slavery.

More recent theories have diverted away from the idea that it is Hyksos Egypt which the Israelites enter. Some scholars place the early Israelites even earlier, by as much as four centuries, with them interacting with 'Twelfth Dynasty' Egypt.

Another school of thought prefers a much earlier period, Third Dynasty Egypt under Zoser, based on the idea that early Egyptian dating is still incorrect, with Menes being placed up to seven hundred years too early.

c.1600 BC

Aramaean groups secure the city of Harran and create an Aramaean state by the name of Aram-Nahara'im.