Aleppo, known as Halab, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, dating back to the 6th millennium BCE. Its strategic location between the Mediterranean Sea and Mesopotamia made it a crucial trading hub and a key city along the Silk Road, linking Central Asia with the Mediterranean. Below is a comprehensive timeline of Aleppo’s history:
Ancient Era
- 6th Millennium BCE: Early settlement in Aleppo begins, marking it as one of the oldest inhabited cities.
- 64 BCE: Conquered by Pompey and incorporated into the Roman Empire, administrated by Greek elites.
- 395 CE: After the Roman Empire split, Aleppo became part of the Byzantine Empire.
- 540 CE: Sasanian Persians led by King Khosrow I pillaged and burned the city.
- Early 7th Century: Briefly controlled by the Sasanians before reverting to Byzantine rule.
- 637 CE: Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarra (RH) invaded Aleppo.
During the Islamic conquest of Sham, Aleppo was governed by brothers Yuqanna and Yuhanna. When Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah invaded the city, Yuhanna & the inhabitants surrendered. This made Yuqanna angry and he killed hundreds of his own people and also killed his brother Yuhanna. It was reported that Yuhanna accepted Islam before he was killed.
Islamic Caliphates and Early Dynasties (637 – 1080)
- 637 – 750 CE: Under the rule of the Umayyad Caliphate.
- 750 – 944 CE: Controlled by the Abbasid Caliphate.
- 944 – 1024 CE: Ruled alternately by the Hamdanid Dynasty, Fatimids, and Byzantines.
- 1024 – 1080 CE: Governed by the Mirdasid Dynasty.
Seljuks, Crusaders, and Zengid Period (1080 – 1260)
- 1080 – 1128 CE: Under the Uqaylid Dynasty and Seljuk Empire.
- 1124 – 1126 CE: Besieged by the Crusaders, who failed to capture it.
- 1128 CE: Became the capital of the Zengid Dynasty under Zengi, who was the father of famous Imad al-Din Zengi.
- 1138 CE: Survived another Crusader attack but was devastated by a massive earthquake, killing 230,000 people—the 7th deadliest in history.
- 1183 – 1260 CE: Ruled by the Ayyubid Dynasty.
Mongols and Mamluks (1260 – 1516)
- January 1260: Captured by Hulagu Khan of the Mongols, who massacred Muslims and Jews, but Christians were spared as Frankish ruler Bohemond VI of Antioch helped him.
- September 1260: Mamluks reclaimed Aleppo after defeating the Mongols in the famous Battle of Ayn Jalut under Sultan Muzaffar Qutuz.
- 1260 – 1516 CE: Ruled by the Mamluk Sultanate.
- 1400 CE: Invasion and massacre by Timur (Tamerlane), who left the city in ruins.
Ottoman Era (1516 – 1918)
- 1516 CE: Conquered by Selim I of the Ottoman Empire after the Battle of Marj Dabiq.
- 1516 – 1918 CE: Aleppo thrived as the Ottoman Empire’s third-largest city after Istanbul and Cairo, becoming a significant commercial center on the Silk Road.
Modern Era (1918 – 1950)
- 1918 – 1920 CE: Controlled by the Arab Kingdom of Syria under Faisal I. Faisal I captured it with the support of Allied Forces in the World War I.
- 1920 – 1946 CE: Part of French Mandate Syria. Aleppo was part of French-administered Syria under the League of Nations mandate.
- 1946 CE: Became part of the independent Syrian Republic, marking its transition into the modern Syrian state.
This rich historical timeline highlights Aleppo’s pivotal role in regional politics, trade, and cultural development, withstanding centuries of invasions, conquests, and prosperity.
