Karrhai
/ˈkærhaɪ/noun
An ancient Greek name for Carrhae, the Mesopotamian city now generally identified with modern Harran in southeastern Turkey.
Did you know?Karrhai’s temple of the Moon god Sin at Harran remained an important pagan religious center for centuries, surviving the rise of Christianity and later Islam.
Etymological Timeline
2nd millennium BCE
Akkadian
Ḫarrānu
“A proposed ancient name connected with the Mesopotamian settlement; its precise etymology remains debated.”
Iron Age
Aramaic
Ḥarrān
“The regional name for the settlement later identified with Harran.”
Classical Antiquity
Greek
Κάρραι (Karrhai)
“Greek name for the city of Carrhae in northern Mesopotamia.”
53 BCE
Latin
Carrhae
“Roman name for the city where the Parthians defeated Crassus and captured the Roman standards.”
Medieval period
Arabic
Ḥarrān
“The continuing Arabic name of the city, renowned for its ancient lunar cult and scholarly traditions.”
Modern English
English
Harran
“The modern English form for the ancient city and archaeological site in southeastern Turkey.”