Rhesaena

RHESAENA (Ῥέσαινα, Ptol. 5.18.13; Ῥέσινα, Steph. B. s. v.;Ammian. 32.5; Ressaina, Tab. Peut.; Rasin, Notit. Imp.: Eth. Ῥεσινάτης, Steph. B. s. v.), a town of considerable importance at the northern extremity of Mesopotamia; it was situated near the sources of the Chaboras (Kkabúr), on the great road which led from Carrhae to Nicephorium, about 88 miles from Nisibis and 40 from Dara. (Procop. B. P. 2.19, de Aedif. 2.2.) It was near this town that Gordian the Younger fell in a battle with the Persians. (Amm. Marc. l. c.) A coin exists of the emperor Decius, bearing the legend ΞΕΠ. ΚΟΛ. ΠΗΞΑΙΝΗΞΙΩΝ., which may in all probability be referred to this, town. In the Notit. Imp. the place is subject to the government of the Dux Osrhoenae (Notit. Dign. ed. Böoking, 1. p. 400), and a bishop of Resaina is mentioned among those who subscribed their names at the Council of Nicaea. Under Theodosius, the town appears to have been partially rebuilt, and to have received the title of THEODOSIOPOLIS(Hierocl. p. 793.) There can be no doubt that it is at present represented by Ras-al-Ain, a considerable entrepôt of commerce in the province of Diarbekr. It was nearly destroyed by the troops of Tímúr, in A.D. 1393. (D'Herbelot, Dict. Orient. 1. p. 140? 3. p. 112; Niebuhr, 2. p. 390.) COIN OF RHESAENA.