Shapur's siege of al-Hadra

نزول سابور الجنود على الحضر

al-Hadra (Hatra)

Shapur I's month-long investment of al-Dayzan's Hatra — broken only when the lovesick al-Nadira told him to track thrown straw up the Tharthar's hidden channel into the fortress; its king slain, Hadra razed, the tale became poetry 1.

Depth

At a glance

Era
Pre-Islamic Arabia
Region
Levant & Iraq
Review
Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it

Wars and campaignsBattles

Overview

Al-Mas'udi relates that Shapur camped with his troops at the fortress of al-Hadr, the fortress of al-Dayzan al-Tanukhi, and spent a month there without finding a way to take it. 1

The stratagem and the entry

Al-Nudayra, daughter of al-Dayzan, who had fallen in love with him, as al-Mas'udi relates, sent to him to scatter straw in the river al-Tharthar above the fortress and then follow it to see where it entered. He did so, and brought men in by that place. 1

The people of the fortress were not aware until Shapur's men were among them. Al-Dayzan and those with him were killed, and he ordered the fortress demolished. 1

Background

Al-Mas'udi says that al-Dayzan had many soldiers, was at peace with the Byzantines, and his men raided Iraq and the countryside. 1

The event involves Shapur ibn Ardashir and al-Dayzan ibn Mu'awiya, and takes place at al-Hadr. The date needs an additional source.

Connections

Explore the connections

Had participant
سابور بن أزدشير الوزير· al-Dayzan ibn Mu'awiya
Occurred at
al-Hadra (Hatra)

People and things also explored

Dar al-'Ilm of Baghdad (Sabur's library)· The Endowment of Dar al-Ilm in al-Karkh· The Defeat at Balanjar (32 AH)· The Conquest of Khaybar· The battle of Samura (327 AH)· The Battle of the Trench (al-Ahzab)· The Conquest of Mecca (Fath Makka)· The Battle of Dhat al-Sawari (31 AH)

Sources

  1. Muruj al-Dhahab — al-Masʼudi , p. 552-554
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Shapur's siege of al-Hadra”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/siege-of-hadra/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-16.

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Related

Dar al-'Ilm of Baghdad (Sabur's library)

A house of learning founded by Abu Nasr Sabur ibn Ardashir, vizier of Baha' al-Dawla. In 381 he bought a house between the two walls, brought into it books of every discipline, more than ten thousand volumes, and endowed it for students of knowledge. It stood for about seventy years, until it burned when Tughril Beg entered Baghdad in 450.