Wasit
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Wasit (, ) was an early Islamic city in Iraq. It was founded in the 8th century by the Umayyad viceroy of Iraq, al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, to serve as the region's seat and as the garrison of the Syrian troops who enforced Umayyad rule there. It was situated between the two traditional administrative centers and garrisons of Iraq, Kufa and Basra, hence its name Wasit (). The city was abandoned centuries later and its ruins are located in the eponymous Wasit Governorate, southeast of Kut in southeastern Iraq.
Key facts
- Ancient site.name
- Wasit
- Ancient site.image
- مدينة واسط الاثرية.jpg
- Ancient site.caption
- Gate of Sharabai School in Wasit
- Ancient site.map_type
- Iraq
- Ancient site.map_size
- 250
- Ancient site.location
- Iraq
- Ancient site.region
- Wasit Governorate
- Ancient site.cultures
- Islamic Caliphate (Islamic Golden Age)
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Image
- مدينة واسط الاثرية.jpg
via Wikidata · CC0
~3 min read
Article
3 sectionsContents
- History
- World Heritage status
- References
Wasit (, ) was an early Islamic city in Iraq. It was founded in the 8th century by the Umayyad viceroy of Iraq, al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, to serve as the region's seat and as the garrison of the Syrian troops who enforced Umayyad rule there. It was situated between the two traditional administrative centers and garrisons of Iraq, Kufa and Basra, hence its name Wasit (). The city was abandoned centuries later and its ruins are located in the eponymous Wasit Governorate, southeast of Kut in southeastern Iraq.
==History== The city was built by al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf in c. 702 CE on the west bank of the Tigris across from the historical city of Kashkar. Al-Hajjaj is said to have taken the doors for the citadel and the main mosque from Zanzaward. Al-Hajjaj died in Wasit in 714.
On the map
2 mapped locations