Rakka

Rakka is a city located along the Fırat and mentioned in sources from both Antiquity and the Islamic period. Over a wide time span, extending from the Roman border region to the Ottoman provincial organization, it has been the subject of various historical, geographical, and administrative records as a settlement connected to the western part of the Kurdish geography.

Sources from Antiquity

In sources from Antiquity, Rakka appears as part of the Roman sphere of influence extending along the Fırat line; according to Dio Cassius, the region from the Fırat to the borders of Corduene was occupied by Rome (Vol. 1, p. 35). The city's name also appears among the records mentioning the scholars of the period (Vol. 1, p. 125).

Geography of the Islamic Period

In the geographical literature of the Islamic period, Rakka is defined as the center of the Diyar-ı Mudar region, which forms the western part of el-Cezîre; the principal cities of this region are listed as Harran, er-Ruha (Urfa), Rakka, and Sumaysat (Vol. 2, p. 63). Geographers record that the main branch of the Belih Nehri flows into the Fırat near Rakka (Vol. 2, p. 86). The city is also mentioned within the region's trade network: it is written that small fish called tarhun were salted and exported to nearby places like Cezîre, Musul, Harran, and Rakka, as well as to more distant lands (Vol. 2, p. 96). Rakka's close connection with neighboring cities is also seen in the naming of one of the gates opening into Harran's walls as "Rakka Kapısı" (Vol. 2, p. 106).

Ottoman Administrative Order

During the Ottoman period, Rakka stands out in archival records as an administrative unit. In an icmal defter, the Rakka liva is mentioned along with the Siverek kaza and surrounding nahiyes (Vol. 3, p. 21); in the ahkâm defters affiliated with Halep, Rakka is recorded among the region's kazas (Vol. 3, p. 32). Rakka also appears in the list of sanjaks subject to the Diyarbekir vilayet (Vol. 3, p. 48). The city is mentioned as one of the Kurdish regions within the Ottoman defense and mobilization system; in a document, in the face of Russian and Austrian threats, more forces were requested from Rakka, along with Diyarbekir, Sayda, Musul, Revan, and Bayezid (Vol. 3, p. 42).