wân ibn-Muḥammad and destroyed it. Al-Manṣûr built it again and it was once more torn into pieces by the Greeks. It was then rebuilt by ar-Rashîd under the supervision of Muḥammad ibn-Ibrâhîm who stationed a garrison in it. When al-Maʾmûn became caliph, the Greeks made another descent on it and tore it into pieces, after which they made a raid on the pasturing cattle of its holders and carried away some cattle. Al-Maʾmûn gave orders for repairing and fortifying it. In the year 210, the deputies of the Greek "tyrant" came asking for peace, which al-Maʾmûn refused. In pursuance of his orders, his ʿâmils [lieutenants] in the frontier fortresses made tours in Asia Minor where they wrought heavy slaughter, subdued the land and won many brilliant victories. One misfortune was the loss of the life of Yaḳẓân ibn-ʿAbd-al-Aʿla ibn-Aḥmad ibn-Yazîd ibn-Asîd as-Sulami.
In the days of al-Muʿtaṣim-Billâh abu-Isḥâḳ ibn-ar-Rashîd, the Greeks made a sally against Zibaṭrah[1] in the course of which they killed the men, captured the women and destroyed the city. This greatly aroused the anger of al-Muʿtaṣim who chased them as far as ʿAmmûriyah, destroying many forts on the way. He camped against ʿAmmûriyah until he reduced it, putting its fighters to death and carrying off the women and children as prisoners. He then destroyed ʿAmmûriyah, and ordered that Zibaṭrah be rebuilt. He also fortified and garrisoned it. The Greeks after that tried to reduce it but failed.
Ḥiṣn Manṣûr. According to abu-ʿAmr al-Bâhili and others the Manṣûr fort was named after Manṣûr ibn-Jaʿwanah ibn-al-Ḥârith al-ʿÂmiri of Ḳais who had charge of building and repairing it, and who occupied it in the days of Marwân with a large host of the troops of Syria and Mesopotamia in order to repulse the enemy.
- ↑ Yâḳût, vol. ii, p. 914.
