Rey
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Rey is the capital of Rey County, Tehran Province, Iran, and is the oldest existing city in the province. Arrian[1] has mentioned it as Rhagae, A large city in the extreme north of Media, mentioned in the Book of Tobit. It was famous in the Middle Ages under the name of Rai. The ruins of Rai lie south-east of Teheran.
Variants of name
- Rai (Anabasis by Arrian, p. 182.)
- Rhăgae (Anabasis by Arrian, p. 182.)
- Rhaga
- Re
- Ray
- Rhages
- Rhagai
- Persian: شهر ری, Shahr-e-Ray, "City of Ray")
- Greek: Ῥάγαι,
- Latin: Rhagae or Rhaganae)
- Arsacia
Jat Gotras Namesake
- Rai = Rai = Rhăgae (Anabasis by Arrian, p. 182.)
- Ragi = Rhăgae (Anabasis by Arrian, p. 182.)
Location
Ray today has been absorbed into the Greater Tehran metropolitan area. Ray is connected via the Tehran Metro to the rest of Tehran.
History
A settlement began here c 6,000 BCE as part of the Central Plateau Culture. The settlement was used as a capital by the Medes called Rhaga. In Classical Roman geography it was called Rhagae. It is mentioned several times in the Apocrypha. Its name dates back to the pre-Median. Some historians attribute its building to ancient mythological monarchs, and some others believe that Ray was the seat of a dynasty of Zoroastrian leader.
There is also a shrine there, dedicated to commemorate Princess Shahr Banu, eldest daughter of the last ruler of the Sassanid Empire. She gave birth to Ali Zayn al Abidin, the fourth holy Imam of the Shia faith. This was through her marriage to Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. A nearby mountain is also named after her. However, some sources attribute the shrine to the goddess of water and fertility, Anahita, claiming it was renamed in Islamic times to protect it from any possible harm after the conversion of Iranians to Islam.
Ch. 20: March through the Caspian Gates (p.181-182)
Arrian[2] mentions Rai as a large city in the extreme north of Media.... Then taking the Companion cavalry, the light cavalry used for skirmishing, the Greek mercenary cavalry, under the command of Erigyius, the Macedonian phalanx, except the men who had been placed in charge of the money, the archers, and the Agrianians, he marched against Darius. In the forced march which he made, many of his soldiers were left behind, worn out with fatigue, and many of the horses died. He nevertheless pressed on, and on the eleventh day arrived at Rhagae.[1] This place is distant from the Caspian Gates one day's journey to one marching as Alexander did. But Darius had already passed through this defile before Alexander came up, though many of those who were his companions in flight deserted him on the way and retired to their own abodes. Many also surrendered to Alexander. The latter now gave up the hope of capturing Darius by close pursuit, and remained there five days to give his troops repose. He appointed Oxodates a Persian, who had the ill fortune to be arrested by Darius and shut up at Susa, to the office of viceroy of Media; for this treatment was an inducement to Alexander to rely on his fidelity. He then marched towards Parthia; and on the first day encamped near the Caspian Gates, which he passed through on the second day as far as the country was inhabited.[2] Hearing that the country further on was desert, he resolved to procure a stock of provisions from the place where he was encamped, and accordingly sent Coenus out on a foraging expedition with the cavalry and a small body of infantry.
1. A large city in the extreme north of Media, mentioned in the Book of Tobit. It was famous in the Middle Ages under the name of Rai. The ruins of Rai lie south-east of Teheran.
2. ἒστε generally means until. In its present use cf. ii. 11 supra, ἒστε μὲν φἀος ῆν.
External links
References
- ↑ Arrian:The Anabasis of Alexander/3b, Ch.20, f.n.1
- ↑ The Anabasis of Alexander/3b, p.181-182