Barbalissos
Encyclopedia
Barbalissos was a city rebuilt near the ruinous site of ancient Emar
in the Roman province of Mesopotamia
, now in Syria
.
Orientis, ed. Boecking, 88, 389).
In 253 it was the site of the Battle of Barbalissos
between the Sassanid Persians under Shapur I
and Roman troops.
Byzantine Emperor Justinian raised anew its walls (Procopius
, De Aedificiis II, 19; Malalas
, Chronographia, XVIII, in Jacques Paul Migne
, Pat. Gr. XCVII, 676).
(325); two other bishops, Aquilinus and Marinianus, are known between 431 and 451 (Lequien, II, 949). The see is still mentioned in the sixth century.
From 793 to 1042 five "Jacobite" bishops of the Syriac Orthodox Church
are known bearing this title (Revue de l'Orient chrétien 6, 191).
As of 1913, it remained a Roman Catholic titular bishopric in the former Roman province of Mesopotamia
.
), in modern Syria, on the road from Aleppo
to the site of Sura
, where the Euphrates
turns suddenly to the east. The spellings Barbarissos and Barbairissos in later Notitiae are wrong; so is Barbaricus campus in Procopius
's De bello Persico (II, 99). Michel Le Quien
(I, 407) wrongly gives Barbalissus as synonymous with Balbisse, another bishopric
in Cappadocia
, known only in 1143.
Emar
Emar was an ancient Amorite city on the great bend in the mid-Euphrates in northeastern Syria, now on the shoreline of the man-made Lake Assad. It has been the source of many cuneiform tablets, making it rank with Ugarit, Mari and Ebla among the most important archeological sites of Syria...
in the Roman province of Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
, now in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
.
History
It was a city in the province of Syria Euphratensis, where the Equites Dalmatae Illyriciani (a cavalry unit recruited in the Balkans) kept garrison (Notitia DignitatumNotitia Dignitatum
The Notitia Dignitatum is a unique document of the Roman imperial chanceries. One of the very few surviving documents of Roman government, it details the administrative organisation of the eastern and western empires, listing several thousand offices from the imperial court down to the provincial...
Orientis, ed. Boecking, 88, 389).
In 253 it was the site of the Battle of Barbalissos
Battle of Barbalissos
The Battle of Barbalissos was fought between the Sassanid Persians and Romans at Barbalissos. Shapur I used Roman incursions into Armenia as pretext and resumed hostilities with the Romans. The Romans and Sassanids clashed at Barbalissos...
between the Sassanid Persians under Shapur I
Shapur I
Shapur I or also known as Shapur I the Great was the second Sassanid King of the Second Persian Empire. The dates of his reign are commonly given as 240/42 - 270/72, but it is likely that he also reigned as co-regent prior to his father's death in 242 .-Early years:Shapur was the son of Ardashir I...
and Roman troops.
Byzantine Emperor Justinian raised anew its walls (Procopius
Procopius
Procopius of Caesarea was a prominent Byzantine scholar from Palestine. Accompanying the general Belisarius in the wars of the Emperor Justinian I, he became the principal historian of the 6th century, writing the Wars of Justinian, the Buildings of Justinian and the celebrated Secret History...
, De Aedificiis II, 19; Malalas
John Malalas
John Malalas or Ioannes Malalas was a Greek chronicler from Antioch. Malalas is probably a Syriac word for "rhetor", "orator"; it is first applied to him by John of Damascus .-Life:Malalas was educated in Antioch, and probably was a jurist there, but moved to...
, Chronographia, XVIII, in Jacques Paul Migne
Jacques Paul Migne
Jacques Paul Migne was a French priest who published inexpensive and widely-distributed editions of theological works, encyclopedias and the texts of the Church Fathers, with the goal of providing a universal library for the Catholic priesthood.He was born at Saint-Flour, Cantal and studied...
, Pat. Gr. XCVII, 676).
Ecclesiastical history
At an early date its bishop was a suffragan of Hierapolis Bambyce, a metropolis in the Patriarchate of Antioch. Its bishop Antonius was present at the First Council of NicaeaFirst Council of Nicaea
The First Council of Nicaea was a council of Christian bishops convened in Nicaea in Bithynia by the Roman Emperor Constantine I in AD 325...
(325); two other bishops, Aquilinus and Marinianus, are known between 431 and 451 (Lequien, II, 949). The see is still mentioned in the sixth century.
From 793 to 1042 five "Jacobite" bishops of the Syriac Orthodox Church
Syriac Orthodox Church
The Syriac Orthodox Church; is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Eastern Mediterranean, with members spread throughout the world. The Syriac Orthodox Church claims to derive its origin from one of the first Christian communities, established in Antioch by the Apostle St....
are known bearing this title (Revue de l'Orient chrétien 6, 191).
As of 1913, it remained a Roman Catholic titular bishopric in the former Roman province of Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
.
Ruins
Its site is marked by the ruins at Qala'at Balis, which partly retains the old name, south of Tell Meskene (the ancient EmarEmar
Emar was an ancient Amorite city on the great bend in the mid-Euphrates in northeastern Syria, now on the shoreline of the man-made Lake Assad. It has been the source of many cuneiform tablets, making it rank with Ugarit, Mari and Ebla among the most important archeological sites of Syria...
), in modern Syria, on the road from Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
to the site of Sura
Sura (city)
Sura was a city in the southern part of ancient Babylonia, located west of the Euphrates River. It was well-known for its agricultural produce, which included grapes, wheat, and barley...
, where the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
turns suddenly to the east. The spellings Barbarissos and Barbairissos in later Notitiae are wrong; so is Barbaricus campus in Procopius
Procopius
Procopius of Caesarea was a prominent Byzantine scholar from Palestine. Accompanying the general Belisarius in the wars of the Emperor Justinian I, he became the principal historian of the 6th century, writing the Wars of Justinian, the Buildings of Justinian and the celebrated Secret History...
's De bello Persico (II, 99). Michel Le Quien
Michel Le Quien
Michel Le Quien was a French historian and theologian. He studied at Plessis College, Paris, and at twenty entered the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, where he made his profession in 1682. Excepting occasional short absences he never left Paris...
(I, 407) wrongly gives Barbalissus as synonymous with Balbisse, another bishopric
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
in Cappadocia
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province.In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine...
, known only in 1143.