year 83, the Moslems settled in Ṭurandah[1] and built their houses in it. This Ṭurandah is three days' journey from Malaṭyah and lies in the interior of the Byzantine Empire. Malaṭyah at this time was in ruins and inhabited by only a few Armenian dhimmis and others. In summer, a detachment of troops from Mesopotamia would come and stay in it until the rain and snow began to fall, at which time they would return. When ʿUmar ibn-ʿAbd-al-ʿAzîz became caliph, he made the inhabitants of Ṭurandah, against their will, evacuate it, because he feared a raid of the enemy upon them. As they left, they carried away everything on their backs, leaving nothing behind and breaking even the jars of oil and vinegar. ʿUmar settled them in Malaṭyah and destroyed Ṭurandah, making Jaʿwanah ibn-al-Ḥârith of the banu-ʿÂmir ibn-Ṣaʿṣaʿah the governor of Malaṭyah.
The Greeks descend upon Malaṭyah. In the year 123, some 20,000 Greeks made a descent on Malaṭyah. Its inhabitants closed the gates; and the women appeared on the wall with turbans on their heads and took part in the fight. The people of Malaṭyah then sent a messenger to appeal for help. He rode on a post-mule and came to Hishâm ibn-ʿAbd-al-Malik who was then at ar-Ruṣâfah. Hishâm summoned the Moslems to the help of Malaṭyah, but hearing that the Greeks had withdrawn from it, he communicated the news to the messenger and sent him with horsemen to remain at the frontier in readiness for the enemy. Hishâm led an expedition in person, after which he alighted in Malaṭyah where he lay encamped until it was built. On his way, he passed through ar-Raḳḳah which he entered with his sword at his side. This was the first time in his rule in which he carried his sword.
It is reported by al-Wâḳidi that in the year 133, Constan-
- ↑ Yâḳût, vol. iii. p. 534.
