The Iraqi city of Baghdad was not only the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate and the metropolis of the world, but its land, within its administrative borders today, was the capital of 4 great empires that ruled the ancient world.

Al-Fahdawi considered that Akkarkov's ziggurat is one of the important archaeological sites in Iraq (Al-Jazeera Net)

Akkarkov (the role of Kurekalzo)

The city of (Dur Kurikalzu), or what is known as (Akkarkov), is one of the oldest imperial capitals that sprang from the land of Baghdad. It is located near the confluence of the Tigris and Diyala rivers, west of the center of Baghdad. It was founded by the Kassite king (Kurikalzu I) in the 14th century BC.

The researcher interested in archeology and anthropology, Hamid Sabbar Al-Fahdawi, says that Ziggurat Akkarkov is one of the important archaeological sites in Iraq, which was built before Christ and is located 15 kilometers west of Baghdad, and was the capital of the Kassite Empire.

In his speech to Al-Jazeera Net, he shows that this capital ruled for 4 centuries, and was named by this name in relation to the Kish king, and the ziggurat of Kish is considered one of the largest archaeological towers present today, with a height of 57 meters.

He explains that (Kurikalzu) is the 17th king of the Babylonian dynasty, where he inherited the rule from his father (Kadshman Harbi I) and ruled in the period of 1375 BC. M. He built the city of Akerkov, which was known in archaeological texts as (Dur Kurikalzu) after him, and he also built Akkarkov's ziggurat in the same city.

Al-Fahdawi defines the Kassites as an ancient dynasty that ruled Iraq from Babylon after the collapse of the first Babylonian state during 1531 BC.

Al-Muhammadi: The choice of Seleucia was not arbitrary, but rather because it was the site of ancient Babylon (Al-Jazeera Net)

Cities (Seleucia)

Seleucia is located in Al-Mada’in, 40 km southeast of Baghdad. It was built by the founder of the ruling family of the Greek Seleucid state, (Seleucus I Nicator), one of the leaders of Alexander’s army in Seleucia in 312 BC. The family ruled the region of Western Asia during the third and second centuries B.C. The birth, and extended from Thrace (in Europe) in the west to India in the east, and the Seleucids had a great role in the interaction of the Greek and Eastern civilizations.

Professor of ancient Iraq history, Dr. Ziyad al-Muhammadi, points out that King Seleucus managed, after settling down, to establish a large number of Seleucid cities or Greek cities in Asia, and among these cities was the city of Seleucia on the Tigris River, where he settled in the Antioch region in Syria.

He instructed, after expanding the borders of his state, to divide the empire into two parts, a division headed by him, which is Western, and its center was Antioch, and the second part, which is Eastern, with its capital Seleucia, and made his son Antiochus a leader over it.

He believes that the choice of Seleucia was not arbitrary, but rather because it was the site of ancient Babylon, and it was a link for the trade routes between the western and eastern regions, so it flourished as a trading station.

Al-Muhammadi notes that Seleucus, despite being a military leader, was known as a seasoned politician, and was able to eliminate most of his opponents, and he tried to highlight the city of Seleucia and cover it with an eastern and western character, especially since he followed the policy that Alexander the Great relies on in integrating the West and the East, which is what is known as the Hellenistic civilization.

As for the most prominent monuments of the Seleucid capital, it was represented by the residential neighborhood, the commercial site and the temples that included the city, in addition to the royal palace, but its features were not clear, due to the establishment of a later state over its ruins.

The Arch of Ctesiphon, known as Taq Chosro, in Old Ctesiphon (French)

Ctesiphon (Salman Pak)

The city of Ctesiphon - the capital of the Sassanids and the Parthians - was built on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, specifically near the Salman Pak area, which is located southeast of Baghdad, and one of its most important monuments is (Taq Khosra).

Professor of ancient history, Dr. Ahmed Hussein Al-Jumaili, says that the city of Ctesiphon or Taq Khosrau was built by the Parthians (Arshaqis) of the Persians, then the Muslim Arabs called it Al-Mada’in;

Because it is made up of several adjacent cities.

Al-Jumaili stressed the importance of the historical city of Ctesiphon and its distinguished strategic location (Al-Jazeera Net)

Al-Jumaili shows to Al-Jazeera Net that the Parthians ruled after the Seleucids, who took control of Iraq within 140 BC, and built Ctesiphon as their new capital opposite Seleucia on the eastern bank of the Tigris River.

Al-Jumaili confirms the historical importance of the city of Ctesiphon, which had abundant water, fertile land, and the density of palm trees, as well as its strategic location leading to southern Iraq and the waters of the Arabian Gulf.

He notes that the Ctesiphon region, whose temporal and geographical area extends back nearly 3,000 years, was of political and strategic importance, as it took a center from which military operations were launched, and became the winter capital of the Sassanids.

Al-Mustansiriya School is one of the most prominent landmarks of the Abbasid state in Baghdad (Al-Jazeera Net)

Dar AISalaam

The Abbasid Caliph Abu Jaafar al-Mansur chose the site of Baghdad on a high patch of land on the western side of the Tigris River, and work began on its construction in the year 145 AH / between the years 762 - 763 AD, and it was completed in the year 149 AH / between the years 766 - 767 AD, as the professor of history shows. Islamic Dr. Othman Abdel Aziz Saleh.

Speaking to Al-Jazeera Net, Al-Muhammadi refers to the importance of its military position, as the Caliph Al-Mansour called the owner of Baghdad to ask him about its old location, and he said to him: "You are between the Tigris and the Euphrates, and no one comes to you from the East and the West but needs to cross, and you are close to land, sea and mountain."

Saleh adds that the location of Baghdad is economically important, as it is located at the crossroads of land and water trade routes, in addition to the surrounding agricultural lands.

He points out that the capital, Baghdad, turned into a cultural, commercial and intellectual center during the rule of the Abbasids. It also included a number of scientific academic institutions such as the House of Wisdom and others. The city became globally famous and became a destination for students of science.

The rule of the Abbasid state continued - according to Saleh - for more than 5 centuries, during which the Abbasid state lived a period of prosperity in various aspects of life, cultural, social and economic, and the Abbasid era was called the golden age of Islam, and Baghdad remained the capital of the Abbasid Empire that ruled the countries of Egypt, the Levant, the Islamic Maghreb and the countries India, Persia, and other countries.

Saleh: It can return to Baghdad its joy in the event of proper planning by preparing services and advancing its reality (Al-Jazeera Net)

Baghdad symbolism

In turn, the researcher in the history of Iraq, Dr. Jamal Hashim Al-Dhaib, believes that Al-Mansur's choice of the location of the city of Baghdad was accurate and correct, because this great city has been the Qiblah of the world for hundreds of years until the present time.

He points out that Baghdad was targeted by major countries in the region, which were keen to seize Baghdad because it was a great symbol in that period.

In his speech to Al-Jazeera Net, Al-Dhueb expresses his regret, because Baghdad is no longer that important and strong, especially after the US invasion in 2003, as Baghdad weakened as well as Iraq in general.

For his part, Dr. Othman Saleh stressed the need to prepare a new strategic vision to rebuild and rehabilitate Baghdad within the recent demographic, social and economic changes.

He added that Baghdad can regain its joy in the event of proper planning by preparing services and reviving its reality again, provided that the decision-makers in the country adopt a major national campaign to demonstrate the greatness of the history of this city since its foundation, so that it remains in the memory of people, especially the young generation of them.