Veh-Ardashir


Veh-Ardashir, was an ancient Sasanian city in present-day Iraq, and formed a suburb of their capital, Ctesiphon.

History

Originally known as Seleucia, the city was rebuilt and renamed in 230 by the founder of the Sasanian Empire, king Ardashir I. The city was known as Mahoza by the Jews, Kokhe by the Christians, and Behrasir by the Arabs. Veh-Ardashir was populated by many wealthy Jews, and was the seat of the church of the Nestorian patriarch.
The city was walled and was circular by design.
A governor marzban is known to have resided in a fortress in the northern part of this city in ca. 420. During the mid-5th century, a flooding occurred in Veh-Ardashir, which divided the city in two. This resulted in a decline of the city, and the abandonment of many parts of the city. During the reign of king Khosrau II, a palace was constructed near a garden named Bagh-i Hinduvan. In 636, Veh-Ardashir was captured by the Arab general Khalid ibn Urfuta during the Muslim conquest of Persia.