instructed him to do the same thing, which Yazîd did. All the governors used to do the same.
The same authority says, "I read in the book of Maghâzi Muʿâwiyah [Muʿâwiyah's campaigns] that Muʿâwiyah in the year 31 led an invasion setting out from near al-Maṣṣîṣah and penetrating as far as Daraulîyah. On his return, he destroyed all the fortresses [belonging to the Greeks] between the latter place and Antioch.
Al-Maṣṣîṣah. Muḥammad ibn-Saʿd from al-Wâḳidi and others:—In the year 84, ʿAbdallâh ibn-ʿAbd-al-Malik ibn-Marwân led the summer campaign, entered through the Darb Anṭâkiyah and reached al-Maṣṣîṣah [Mopsuestia], where he rebuilt the fort on its old foundations. In this city, he caused troops to settle, among whom were 300 chosen from those known to be among the most valorous and strong. The Moslems had never lived in this town before. He also built a mosque in it over Tall al-Ḥiṣn [the hill of the fort], and then led his army to the invasion of Sinân fort, which he reduced. He then sent Yazîd ibn-Ḥunain aṭ-Ṭâʾi-l-Anṭâki who led an incursion and returned.
Abu-l-Khaṭṭâb al-Azdi holds that the first Moslem to build the fort of al-Maṣṣîṣah[1] was ʿAbd-al-Malik ibn-Marwân through his son ʿAbdallâh in the year 84 on its old foundation. Its building and manning were completed in the year 85. In this fortified town stood a church which was converted into a granary. The troops [Ar. ṭawâliʿ] from Antioch, numbering 1,500–2,000, used to go up to it every year and spend the winter in it, at the end of which they would leave.
When ʿUmar ibn-ʿAbd-al-ʿAzîz came to the granary of al-Maṣṣîṣah, he wanted to destroy the town together with the forts that lay between it and Antioch saying, "I hate
- ↑ Hamadhâni, p. 112.
