Edessa

• Edessa was located in the modern city of Urfa, also known as Sanliurfa, in Turkey.
• It was an important centre of early Christianity and had its own Bishop. It was in Upper Mesopotamia.

History

• Edessa became a Greek city under the Seleucid Empire (312-63 BCE), then Capital of the Kingdom of Osrhoene, and continued to flourish under the Roman and Byzantine Empires.
• In 217 CE Caracalla, considered to have been the Roman Empire’s most tyrannical Emperor, was assassinated on the road between Edessa and Carrhae.

Battle of Edessa (260 CE).

• In 260 CE, Edessa was the site of the Battle between the Persian King Shapur I and the Roman Emperor Valerian.
• The Romans lost the battle and the entire Roman army of 60,000, including the Roman Emperor, were taken into captivity and never returned.

Mandylion of Edessa

• The Mandylion Icon of Edessa was a shroud that was believed to hold the image of Jesus.

Museums

• Sanliurfa Archeology and Mosaic Museum
  • Located at Haleplibahce caddesi, Sanliurfa, it is an archeological museum in two sections:
    • The Mosaic section
      • which includes the Mosaic of Orpheus (184 CE).
    • The Archeology section
      • which includes Finds from all periods of history including nearby Gobekli Tepe and Harran (Carrhae).

Edessa