Nishapur

Description:

Located outside of the modern-day city of the same name, the site of ancient Nishapur belonged to a geographic area of Khorasan that had two district territories—inner and outer Khorasan—delineated by the mountains nearby. Cities like Nishapur and Tus were located west of these barriers and within the inner territory, while Marv and Nisa were to the east in the outer district. The region of Khorasan was one of the four Sasanian realms; Khorasan was considered to be a Parthian territory. The city of Nishapur was founded in the Sasanian era either by Shāpūr I (241-272 CE) or Shāpūr II (309-379 CE), although due to the inconsistency of historical sources the exact date is not known. Nishapur was the center of the province of Abaršahr, and its name is inscribed on Sasanian coins. The city served as a key mercantile and administrative center for Khorasan, and boasted a prime location on a major trade route called the Khorasan Highway. As a city, Nishapur was not self-sustainable; since it is not close to a body of water, the city could only sustain itself through qanats, and underground channeling systems that diverted water from the mountains nearby.

The region was in flux from the late 6th century until the Arab conquest due to a power struggle in the Khorasan region. Nishapur was captured by the Arab army around 651 CE. A princely family under Sasanian rule, the Ispahbadhān, in charge of territories in Tus and part of Nishapur, made a treaty with the Arabs in return for maintaining their power in the region. Subsequently, opposition and disputes over the governance of Khorasan and against the Arabs gave rise to several unsuccessful uprisings. This chaotic setting and negative attitude toward the Arabs provided the basis for the Abbasid revolution. Gradually some appointed governors, such as the Taherid, gained a measure of independence under the Abbasid reign. During the 9th and 10th centuries, Nishapur thrived and grew. It became the capital of the Tahirid dynasty (821–873 CE) and subsequently of the Saffārids (861–1003 CE). The population grew, along with extensive trading and production of material, and overall the city flourished until the Mongol invasions of the 13th century.

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