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Zeugma

Zeugma (Greek: Ζεύγμα) is an ancient city of Commagene; currently located in the Gaziantep Province of Turkey (coordinates 37°03.5′N, 37°51.95′E). It is a historical settlement which is considered among the four most important settlement areas under the reign of the kingdom of Commagene. It was named for the bridge of boats, or zeugma, which crossed the Euphrates there.

Historical background The ancient city of Zeugma was originally founded, as a Greek settlement by Seleucus I Nicator, one of the generals of the Alexander the Great, in 300 BC. King Seleucus almost certainly named the city Seleucia after himself; whether this city is, or can be, the city known as Seleucia on the Euphrates or Seleucia at the Zeugma is disputed. The population in the city was approximately 80,000.

In 64 BC Zeugma was conquered and ruled by the Roman Empire and with this shift the name of the city was changed into Zeugma, meaning "bridge-passage" or "bridge of boats". During the Roman rule, the city became one of the attractions in the region, due to its commercial potential originating from its geo-strategic location because the city was on the Silk Road connecting Antioch to China with a quay or pontoon bridge across the river Euphrates.

In 256, Zeugma experienced an invasion and it was fully destroyed by the Sassanid king, Shapur I. The invasion was so dramatic that Zeugma was not able to recover for a long time. To make the situation even worse, a violent earthquake buried the city beneath rubble. Indeed, the city never gained the prosperity once achieved during the Roman rule.

In the 4th century, Zeugma and environs became a Late Roman territory. During the 5th and 6th centuries the city was ruled over by the Early Byzantium domination. As a result of the ongoing Arab raids the city was abandoned once again. Later on, in the 10th and 12th centuries a small Abbasid residence settled in Zeugma.

Finally a village called Belkis was founded in the 17th century. Later on Belkis/Zeugma became one of the four major attractions of the Kingdom of Commagene.