Iraq Regions

Iraq Regions

The West Syriac or Syriac Orthodox communities in Iraq had three major centers that played their own role in preserving the Syriac heritage. These centers were Takrit where the Maphrian of the East resided until the end of 12th century, the city of Mosul, and Dayro d'Mor Mattai. This is a partial list of the centers and their towns and villages that were under the jurisdiction of the Maphrianate of the East. Only communities in current day Iraq are included in the list below

• Alqosh

• 'Anah: a town in Iraq, west of the Euphrates and southeast of Dayr al-Zur.

• Apamriya: Today is called Abu Mariya, near Sinjar in northern Iraq

• 'Aqra

• Aqula: Near Kufa in southern Iraq; no longer in existence.

• Arbil or Beth Nuhadra: a town about two day journey southeast of Mosul.

• 'Ayn Barqi

• 'Ayn Qadisho

• 'Ayn Qani

• 'Ayn Qiro

• 'Ayn Sefni

• Ba'bera

• Badanial, Upper: A village above Dayro d'Mor Daniel on the same mountain

• Badiya: A town near Takrit 

• Badusho

• Bafkhari

• Balad (Aski Mosul): An ancient ruined village north of Mosul

• Baghdad

• Bahrin: A town near Takrit

• Bahshiqa

• Bahnohoyo

• Bahzani

• Bakilbo

• Bamerdni

• Banuhadra: A town north of Mosul, now called Duhuk.

• Bani Taghlib  

• Baqarto

• Baremmän, Beth Remmän (Barumma): a village on the Tigris, now in ruins, five hours journey northeast of Mosul.

• Barqoto

• Barttuli

• Barumana (or Rumana): an ancient town in Karkar (in Iraq).

• Basakhra: A village on the step of Dayro d'Mor Daniel mountain

• Bashbitho

• Bashusho

• Bashumneyo

• Beshien (or Bashnaya)

• Bemariam

• Beth 'Adri

• Beth 'Aenotho

• Beth 'Arbaya: A small territory between Nisibin and Sinjar.

• Beth Arsham: An extinct town south of Baghdad, near Ctesiphon. Another possible location is near Jabal Makhul north of Takrit.

• Beth Akouri

• Beth Asa

• Beth Bnai 

• Beth Bori

• Beth Bozai

• Beth Daniel, Lower: A village near Mosul

• Beth Daqle

• Beth Deto (Qaraqosh)

• Beth Edri

• Beth Germai: A territory between the Tigris River and the Lower Zab River

• Beth Gubrin

• Beth Habo

• Beth Kyono

• Beth Maloudh

• Beth Qiq 

• Beth Royo

• Beth Saida: A center near Erbil. In 1277, a bishop called Basilius Abraham was assigned to it's dioceses.

• Beth Shahaq: An ancient town in the province of Mosul, had famous school

• Beth Sharonayi

• Beth Soti

• Beth Taklitho

• Beth Takshur 

• Beth Tarle

• Beth Thoni

• Beth ‘Urbo

• Beth Waziq 

• Beth Ziewo

• Bir Qawm

• Ctesiphon (al-Mada-in): The capital of the Sassanian Empire

• Furat Mishan: A town was close to city of Basra, Iraq

• Gomal and Marga (Marj): An area northeast of Mosul. Bishops attested between 7th and 10th centuries

• Hanitha: A town close to Amadia in northern Iraq

• Harbat Kalal: A town east of Kirkuk, Iraq

• Hassasa, Upper: A village north of Takrit

• Hassasa, Lower: A village north of Takrit or maybe in  southern Iraq, near Qasr Ibn Hubayra, in the vicinity of al-Kufa.

• Hazay: A region east of the River Tigris

• Hira: an ancient city, three miles from Kufa and east of al-Najaf.

• Kafar 'Aozil

• Kafar Zomar

• Kafo Somoto

• Karam Lesho: Present day village of Karamlais

• Karma: A town opposite Takrit on the Tigris river

• Karkho d-beth Slukh: Present city of Kirkuk, in Iraq.

• Kashkar: A town on Al-Hay river in Central Iraq. Today is called Waset

• Kornasha: a village in the district of Ba'arbaya adjacent to the Izla Mountain.

• Knushiya: A town near Balad, west of Mosul. Today is called Gonaysiya

• Kumit: A settlement for the Tanukh tribe in southern Iraq

• Kurum

• Jabarah

• Ma'ad: A settlement for the Maʻadayé tribe in southern Iraq

• Maghara

• Mahozi d-Aryon

• Mairge

• Ma'ltha

• Marayba

• Mashhad Kuhayl: Kuhayl was a big city on the Tigris between the two Zabs, above Takrit, going southwards but it doesn't exist anymore. Kuhayl was the birthplace of the Syriac learned man, Moses Bar Kepha (d. 903).

• Mnasoubion: A settelment in southern Iraq

• Nahr Zawar

• Najran: A settlement near near Kufa, where the tribes expelled from Najran in Yamen lived

• Narsibad: perhaps Naryan or al-Nars, or possibly another location, a territory between al-Kufa and Wasit in southern Iraq.

• Nineveh

• Peroz-Shapur (Al-Anbar) or Fishkhabor

• Qayyara

• Qob

• Quronta: A town on the east bank of the Tigris, near Takrit

• Qusair

• Rahaliya

• Seleucia-Ctesiphon: two connected cities. They were the capital of the Sassanids, situated about six hours journey south of Baghdad. Both these cities were destroyed at the beginning of the Arab conquest. Near their site is the present village of Salman Pak.

• Al-Sin

• Sinjar: a town situated at the foot of the Sinjar mountain, three days' journey from Mosul.

• Shahrqara: A town east of Kirkuk

• Shahrzur: A town in the northwester Iraq

• Shawarzaq: A village near Beth Nuhadra (Dohuk) and the birth place of Mor Marutha of Takrit

• Shero Malkotho

• Sumel

• Tahal: A village in Beth Garmai, near Kirkuk, Iraq where Mor Pheloxinus Of Mabbug was born

• Takrit: A city west of the Tigris, between Baghdad and Mosul. In the golden age of the Syriacs, it was the seat of the Maphrianate of the East from 628 until the end of the twelfth century.

• Tell 'Afro (Talla'far)

• Tell d'Zello

• Tell Museifneh

• Tell Salmo

• Tell Wabllo

• Tell Yamtho

• Tell Ya'ro

• Tell Zqifo (Tellskof)

• Terhan

• Tobzowo

• 'Ukbara

• Zangana

Sources

1. Behnam, Severus Paulus (1948,1949), West Syriac Churches in Iraq, in Lisan Al-Mashriq monthly magazine