Madain

Madain, also known as Al-Mada'in, is a town and archaeological area in the Baghdad Governorate of Iraq. It lies on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, southeast of central Baghdad, and is best known for containing the ruins of the ancient city of Ctesiphon, the capital of the Parthian and later Sassanian Empires.

The core ruins include the royal palace precinct and the Taq Kasra, the Arch of Ctesiphon, a monumental brick arch that survives as one of the most prominent examples of Sassanian architecture. The site also contains remains of other administrative, religious, and residential buildings, spread across several mounds and debris fields.

During late antiquity, Ctesiphon served as a major political and cultural center linking Mesopotamia with the Iranian plateau and the wider Near East. After the Islamic conquests, the area remained inhabited and continued to hold strategic importance, though the ruins fell into disrepair over time. The modern settlement of Al-Mada'in grew nearby.

The name Al-Mada'in translates to “the cities” in Arabic, reflecting the site’s historic multiple urban centers. In recent decades, preservation of the ruins has faced challenges from urban development, climate effects, and armed conflict in the region. Archaeological surveys, documentation, and stabilization projects have been undertaken by Iraqi authorities and international partners, but much of the site remains fragile and only partially excavated.

See also: Ctesiphon, Taq Kasra, Mesopotamia, Parthian Empire, Sassanian Empire.