Carrhae
/ˈkær.iː/noun
The ancient Roman name for Harran, a city in southeastern Anatolia famous for Rome’s defeat by the Parthians in 53 BCE.
Did you know?Carrhae was the site of the 53 BCE battle where the Parthians defeated Rome and captured its standards, a humiliation that haunted Roman politics for decades.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Near East
Akkadian
Harrānu
“A road, route, or journey; often proposed as the older source of the city’s name, though the connection is not certain.”
1st Millennium BCE
Aramaic
Ḥarrān
“The name of the important northern Mesopotamian city later known as Harran.”
Classical Greek
Greek
Karrhai
“Greek form of the city name, used for Harran.”
Classical Latin
Latin
Carrhae
“Roman form of the name, especially associated with the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BCE.”
53 BCE
Latin
proelium Carrhārum
“The Battle of Carrhae, in which the Parthians defeated the Roman army under Marcus Licinius Crassus.”
Modern English
English
Carrhae
“A historical name for ancient Harran, chiefly encountered in accounts of Roman and Parthian history.”