Tell Mannas Explained

Official Name:Tell Mannas
Native Name:بلدة تلمنس
Pushpin Map:Syria
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Mapsize:300
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Syria
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Governorate
Subdivision Name1:Idlib Governorate
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Maarrat al-Nu'man
Unit Pref:Metric
Population As Of:2004
Population Total:11,359
Population Blank1 Title:Ethnicities
Population Blank2 Title:Religions
Coordinates:35.6411°N 36.735°W

Tell Mannas (Arabic: بلدة تلمنس), sometimes spelled Telminnes, Tal Minnis, Talmanis, Talmanes or Telmans, is a village 5km (03miles) east of Maarrat al-Nu'man. The village is administratively a part of the Maarrat al-Nu'man District in the Idlib Governorate.[1] According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Tell Mannas had a population of 11,359 in the 2004 census.[2]

History

During the late Umayyad period, the olive groves of Tall Mannas were used by the troops of Caliph Marwan II to ambush the rebel Umayyad prince Sulayman ibn Hisham as he passed through the area.[3] In the early 9th century, Tall Mannas was controlled by the Tanukhids under their chieftain al-Hawari ibn Hittin, during their rebellion against the Abbasid princely family, the Banu Salih.[4] Tall Mannas was used a residence by the Abbasid caliph al-Mutawakkil when he visited the area in 858.[5] It was described by local geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi as a fortress near Ma'arrat al-Nu'man.[5]

In 1079, the Tutush I of Damascus besieged but failed to capture Tall Mannas during his campaign in northern Syria.[6] Later, in 1098/97 Tall Mannas was inhabited by Christian community of Oriental Orthodox Syriacs and its inhabitants gave safe haven and assistance to the Crusaders under Raymond Pilet of Antioch during their failed siege of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man.[6] [7] Some months later, Ma'arrat al-Nu'man was captured and its entire population massacred by the Crusaders.[6]

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. News: Talmenes - Wikimapia. Wikimapia.
  2. Web site: General Census of Population 2004.. 2015-12-09.
  3. Al-Tabari, ed. Williams 1985, p. 22.
  4. Cobb 2001, p. 94.
  5. le Strange 1890, p. 544.
  6. Honigman 1934, p. 60.
  7. Riley-Smith 1993, p. 110.