Nisibin

Nisibin, also known as Nisibis in classical sources, is a town in the Mardin Province of southeastern Turkey, near the border with Syria. It corresponds to the site of the ancient Mesopotamian city of Nisibis, a major frontier settlement on the Roman and Byzantine eastern frontier.

Historically, Nisibis was a strategic fortress and commercial hub on routes linking the Mediterranean world with the East. It was repeatedly contested during the Roman–Persian Wars, changing hands between the Roman/Byzantine Empire and the Sassanian Empire over several centuries. The city’s defenses and location made it a focal point in these frontier conflicts, and it played a role in military and administrative networks of successive empires.

In late antiquity, Nisibis developed as a center of Christian learning. The episcopal see of Nisibis was influential within the Church of the East, and the School of Nisibis became a leading center for Syriac language scholarship, theology, and biblical translation. The school and related institutions contributed to Syriac Christian literature and education, and after Persian conquest of the city, some activities and influence eventually moved to Edessa, where they continued to shape eastern Christian scholarship.

Today, the modern town of Nusaybin occupies much of the ancient site. It remains a border town with a long and diverse cultural history and has experienced periods of conflict and displacement in recent decades. The area preserves archaeological remains from antiquity and early Christian periods, contributing to the historical record of Mesopotamia.