A. Sutherland – AncientPages.com – Hatra called the “City of the Sun” (139 BC – 226 AD) stands in the flat area of southern Jazirah, on the west bank of Wadi Tharthar and in the desert between the middle Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Iraq.
The sovereign is represented dressed in a long, beautifully embroidered tunic, from beneath which protrude baggy trousers. The female clothing consists of two or three-layered garments, a high headdress with veil, while princesses are decorated with plenty of jewelry. Image credit: Iraq Museum
The city of Hatra played an important role in the trade routes as a major caravan city. Hatra was once the religious, military, and trading center of the Parthian Empire. The ruined city lies 180 miles (290 km) northwest of Baghdad and 68 miles (110 km) southwest of Mosul.
The city very likely evolved from an earlier temporary shelter. Strategically located at the center of a small independent state in the Parthia, Hatra flourished between the rival powers of Rome and Parthia from the beginning of the 1st century AD, when they divided the legacy of the Seleucid kings (from 312 BC to 63 BC), successors of Alexander the Great, through the 3rd century.
The tough city withstood invasions by the Romans in A.D. 116 and 198 thanks to its high, thick walls reinforced by towers. Today, the remains of the city, especially the temples where Hellenistic and Roman architecture together with Eastern decorative details, attest to the Hatra’s greatness.
Source: AncientPages.com – Read rest of the article here