Definition: Ctesiphon is the name of a very old city at the confluence of the Tigris and Diyala rivers near Baghdad in what is now Iraq. The earliest urban occupations at the site may represent the Akkadian town of Opis, the capital city of the Babylonian by the 14th century BC. Opis was the site of a battle between the Babylonian King Nabonidus and the Persians (539 BC), and the site of the European revolt against Alexander the Great (324 BC).
Ctesiphon was built on the site of Opis in the second century BC by the Parthians, who used it as their western capital. The Sasanian King Khusrau II (AD 591-628) built a large palace complex at Ctesiphon.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Sources for the term include the references listed on the front page of the Dictionary, and the websites listed in the sidebar. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Sources for the term include the references listed on the front page of the Dictionary, and the websites listed in the sidebar. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
Also Known As: Opis, Tusbun or Taysafun
