Hadjar in the 2nd to the 7th Century

Abstract

This study is an attempt to re-construct the history of the town of Hadjar, probably identical with antique Gerra / Gerrha, in Sasanid times. The history of ancient Gerra / Gerrha ended in the second half of the 2nd century, when its inhabitants were driven away by the Arabic tribes of Tanūkh. Sasanids established their rule over Hadjar in the 1st half of the 3rd century and kept it till the late 5th century. The advance of King Abkarib As‘ad of Himyar and Saba to the north in the mid-5th century affected Hadjar and probably resulted in a clash with Sasanid forces, which was reflected in Arabic legends as his victory over Iran. However, Hadjar seems to have remained under the Sasanid power. Then, from the late 5th through the end of the 6th century Hadjar passed from Sasanids and their vassals, the Lakhmid kings of al-Ḥīra, to Banū Kinda and back. It was finally recovered by the Sasanids at the end of the 6th century, following the migration of Banū Kinda from the Baḥrayn region. The Sasanids re-constructed and fortified Hadjar. By the beginning of the 7th century Hadjar was an enough strong fortress to be selected as the place of the attack on Banū Tamīm. Like al-Ḥīra, Hadjar hosted then two governors, one Persian and one Arab. Economically, in the late 6th through the early 7th century Hadjar was an important centre of trade. In the 6th century and later on, a Christian community headed by a bishop was present in Hadjar.