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{{short description|City in Idlib, Syria}}
{{Short description|City in northwestern Syria}}
{{Infobox settlement
{{Infobox settlement
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<!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->
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<!-- Basic info -------------->
|official_name = Ma'arat al-Nu'man
|official_name = Maarat al-Numan
|native_name = {{lang|ar|معرة النعمان}}<!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
|native_name = {{lang|ar|مَعَرَّةُ النُّعْمَانِ}}<!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
|nickname=
|nickname=
|settlement_type = [[List of cities in Syria|City]]
|settlement_type = [[List of cities in Syria|City]]
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|subdivision_name1 = [[Idlib Governorate|Idlib]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Idlib Governorate|Idlib]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[Districts of Syria|District]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[Districts of Syria|District]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Maarrat al-Nu'man District|Maarrat al-Nu‘man]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Maarat al-Numan District|Maarat al-Numan]]
|subdivision_type3 = [[Nahiyah|Subdistrict]]
|subdivision_type3 = [[Subdistrict]]
|subdivision_name3 = [[Maarrat al-Nu'man Nahiyah|Maarrat al-Nu‘man]]
|subdivision_name3 = [[Maarat al-Numan Subdistrict|Maarat al-Numan]]
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|unit_pref = Metric <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired-->
|unit_pref = Metric <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired-->
<!-- Population ------------>
<!-- Population ------------>
|population_as_of = 2004
|population_as_of = 2009
|population_footnotes=
|population_footnotes=
|population_note=
|population_note=
|population_total = 58,008
|population_total = 87,742
|population_demonym= {{lang-ar|معري|Maʿarri}}
|population_demonym= {{lang-ar|معري|Maarri}}
<!-- General information ---->
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| timezone = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
|timezone=
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| timezone_DST = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]]
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| utc_offset_DST = +2
|blank_name = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
|blank_info = [[Semi-arid climate#Cold semi-arid climates|BSk]]
|coordinates={{coord|35|38|N|36|40|E|region:SY|display=inline}}
|coordinates={{coord|35|38|N|36|40|E|region:SY|display=inline}}
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⚫
[[File:Arabischer Maler um 1335 002.jpg|thumb|right|Abû Zayd pleads before the Qadi of Ma`arra (1334)]]


'''Ma'arrat al-Nu'man''' ({{lang-ar|مَعَرَّة النُّعْمَان|Maʿarrat al-Nuʿmān}}), also known as '''al-Ma'arra''', is a city in northwestern [[Syria]], {{convert|33|km|0|abbr=on}} south of [[Idlib]] and {{convert|57|km|0|abbr=on}} north of [[Hama]], with a population of about 58,008 before the [[Syrian Civil War|Civil War]] (2004 census). In 2017, it was estimated to have a population of 80,000, including several displaced by fighting in neighbouring towns.<ref name="Syrian Town’s Revolt"/> It is located on the highway between [[Aleppo]] and [[Hama]] and near the [[Dead Cities]] of [[Bara, Syria|Bara]] and [[Serjilla]].
'''Maarat al-Numan''' ({{lang-ar|مَعَرَّةُ النُّعْمَانِ|Maʿarrat an-Nuʿmān}}), also known as '''al-Ma'arra''', is a city in northwestern [[Syria]], {{convert|33|km|0|abbr=on}} south of [[Idlib]] and {{convert|57|km|0|abbr=on}} north of [[Hama]], with a population of about 58,008 before the [[Syrian Civil War|Civil War]] (2004 census). In 2017, it was estimated to have a population of 80,000, including several displaced by fighting in neighbouring towns.<ref name="Syrian Town’s Revolt"/> It is located on the highway between [[Aleppo]] and [[Hama]] and near the [[Dead Cities]] of [[Bara, Syria|Bara]] and [[Serjilla]].


==Name==
The city, known as Arra to the [[Greeks]], has its present-day name combined from the Aramaic word for cave and that of its first [[Muslim]] governor, [[Nu'man ibn Bashir al-Ansari]], a companion of [[Muhammad]], meaning “the Cave of Nu’man.” The [[Crusaders]] called it Marre. There are many towns throughout Syria with names that begin with the word Maarat, such as [[Ma'arrat Misrin]] and [[Maarat Saidnaya]].
The city, known as Arra to the [[Greeks]], has its present-day name combined from the Aramaic word for cave [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%DC%A1%DC%A5%DC%AA%DC%AC%DC%90 ܡܥܪܗ] (''mʿarā'') and that of its first [[Muslim]] governor, [[Nu'man ibn Bashir al-Ansari]], a companion of [[Muhammad]], meaning “the Cave of Nu’man.” The [[crusaders]] called it Marre. There are many towns throughout Syria with names that begin with the word Maarat, such as [[Maarrat Misrin]] and [[Maarat Saidnaya]].

⚫
Today the city has a museum with [[mosaic]]s from the [[Dead Cities]], a [[Great Mosque of Maarrat al-Numan|Friday mosque]], a ''[[madrassa]]'' built by Abu al-Farawis in 1199, and remains of the medieval [[citadel]]. The city is the birthplace of the poet [[Al-Maʿarri]] (973–1057).


==History==
==History==
===Abbasids to Fatimids (891–1086)===
===Abbasids to Fatimids (891–1086)===
⚫
[[File:Arabischer Maler um 1335 002.jpg|thumb|right|Abû Zayd pleads before the Qadi of Ma`arra (1334)]]
In 891 [[Ya‘qubi]] described Maarrat al-Nu‘man as "an ancient city, now a ruin. It lies in the Hims province."<ref name=leStrange495>le Strange, 1890, p. [https://archive.org/stream/palestineundermo00lestuoft#page/495/mode/1up 495]</ref> By the time of [[Estakhri]] (951) the place had recovered, as he described the city "very full of good things, and very opulent". [[Common fig|Fig]]s, [[pistachio]]s and vines were cultivated.<ref name=leStrange495/> In 1047 [[Nasir Khusraw]] visited the city, and described it as a populous town with a stone wall. There was a Friday Mosque, on a height, in the middle of the town. The bazaars were full of traffic. Considerable areas of cultivated land surrounded the town, with plenty of fig-trees, [[olive]]s, pistachios, [[almond]]s and grapes.<ref name=leStrange495/><ref name=leStrange496>le Strange, 1890, p. [https://archive.org/stream/palestineundermo00lestuoft#page/496/mode/1up 496]</ref>
In 891 [[Ya‘qubi]] described Maarrat al-Nu‘man as "an ancient city, now a ruin. It lies in the Hims province."<ref name=leStrange495>le Strange, 1890, p. [https://archive.org/stream/palestineundermo00lestuoft#page/495/mode/1up 495]</ref> By the time of [[Estakhri]] (951) the place had recovered, as he described the city "very full of good things, and very opulent". [[Common fig|Fig]]s, [[pistachio]]s and vines were cultivated.<ref name=leStrange495/> In 1047 [[Nasir Khusraw]] visited the city, and described it as a populous town with a stone wall. There was a Friday Mosque, on a height, in the middle of the town. The bazaars were full of traffic. Considerable areas of cultivated land surrounded the town, with plenty of fig-trees, [[olive]]s, pistachios, [[almond]]s and grapes.<ref name=leStrange495/><ref name=leStrange496>le Strange, 1890, p. [https://archive.org/stream/palestineundermo00lestuoft#page/496/mode/1up 496]</ref>


===Crusader Ma‘arra massacre (1098)===
===Crusader Ma‘arra massacre (1098)===
{{main article|Siege of Ma'arra}}
{{main article|Siege of Ma'arra}}
The most infamous event from the city's history dates from late 1098, during the [[First Crusade]]. After the [[Crusade]]rs, led by [[Raymond IV of Toulouse|Raymond de Saint Gilles]] and [[Bohemund I of Antioch|Bohemond of Taranto]], successfully [[Siege of Antioch|besieged Antioch]] they found themselves with insufficient supplies of food. Their raids on the surrounding countryside during the winter months did not help the situation. By December 12 when they reached Ma‘arra, many of them were suffering from starvation and malnutrition. They managed to breach the city's walls and massacred about 8,000 inhabitants. However, this time, as they could not find enough food, they resorted to [[cannibalism]].<ref name="Malouf"/>
The most infamous event from the city's history dates from late 1098, during the [[First Crusade]]. After the crusaders, led by [[Raymond IV of Toulouse|Raymond de Saint Gilles]] and [[Bohemund I of Antioch|Bohemond of Taranto]], successfully [[Siege of Antioch|besieged Antioch]] they found themselves with insufficient supplies of food.
During or after the siege of Ma‘arra some of the starving crusaders therefore resorted to [[human cannibalism|cannibalism]], feeding on the bodies of Muslims. This fact itself is not seriously in doubt, as it is acknowledged by nearly a dozen Christian chronicles written during the twenty years after the Crusade, all of which are based at least to some degrees on eyewitness accounts.{{sfn|Rubenstein|2008|pp=526, 537}}
The crusaders' cannibalism is also briefly mentioned in an Arab source, which explains it as due to hunger.<ref name=Bourget-p269>{{cite journal |first1=Carine |last1=Bourget |url=https://newprairiepress.org/sttcl/vol30/iss2/3/ |title=The Rewriting of History in Amin Maalouf's ''The Crusades Through Arab Eyes'' |date=2006 |journal=Studies in 20th & 21st Century Literature |page=269 |doi=10.4148/2334-4415.1633 | volume=30 | issue=2, Article 3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719144055/http://newprairiepress.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1633&context=sttcl |archive-date=19 July 2018 |url-status=live |doi-access=free}}</ref>


There is conflicting evidence on when exactly and why the cannibalism happened. Some sources state that enemies were eaten during the siege, others (a slight majority) state that it happened after the city had been conquered.{{sfn|Rubenstein|2008|p=537}} Another source of tension exists regarding its motives – was it practised secretly due to famine and lack of food, as some sources suggest, or publicly in front of the enemies in order to shock and frighten them, as others imply?{{sfn|Rubenstein|2008|pp=533, 535, 541}}
One of the crusader commanders wrote to [[Pope Urban II]]: "''A terrible famine racked the army in Ma‘arra, and placed it in the cruel necessity of feeding itself upon the bodies of the [[Saracens]]''".<ref name="Malouf"/>


The earliest of the texts suggesting that the cannibalism occurred after the end of the siege and was entirely motivated by hunger is the ''[[Gesta Francorum]]''. It states that because of great deprivations after the siege, "Some cut the flesh of dead bodies into strips and cooked them for eating." [[Peter Tudebode]]'s chronicle gives a similar description, though adding that only Muslims were eaten.{{sfn|Rubenstein|2008|pp=530–531}} Several other works include similar accounts, likewise stating that only Muslims or "Turks" were consumed.{{sfn|Rubenstein|2008|pp=532–533}}
[[Radulph of Caen]], another chronicler, wrote: "In Ma‘arra our troops boiled pagan adults in cooking-pots; they impaled children on spits and devoured them grilled."<ref name="Malouf">Amin Maalouf, The Crusades Through Arab Eyes, trans. Jon Rothschild (News York: Schocken Books, 1984), 39.</ref>


Three other accounts, by [[Fulcher of Chartres]] (who was a participant of the Crusade though not personally present at Ma‘arra), [[Albert of Aix|Albert of Aachen]] and [[Ralph of Caen]] (both of whom based their accounts on interviews with participants) state that the cannibalism happened during the siege and suggest that it was a public spectacle rather than a shameful, hidden episode.{{sfn|Rubenstein|2008|pp=534–536}} Ralph states that "a lack of food compelled them to make a meal of human flesh, that adults were put in the stewpot, and that [children] were skewered on spits. Both were cooked and eaten."{{sfn|Rubenstein|2008|p=536}}
These events were also chronicled by [[Fulcher of Chartres]], who wrote: "I shudder to tell that many of our people, harassed by the madness of excessive hunger, cut pieces from the buttocks of the Saracens already dead there, which they cooked, but when it was not yet roasted enough by the fire, they devoured it with savage mouth."<ref>Edward Peters, The First Crusade: The Chronicle of Fulcher of Chartres and Other Source Materials (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1998), 84.</ref>


Several medieval interpretations of the cannibalism during the Crusade, by [[Guibert of Nogent]], [[William of Tyre]], and in the ''[[Chanson d'Antioche]]'', interpret it as an deliberate act of psychological warfare, "intended to strike fear in the enemy". This implies it must have happened during rather than after the siege, "while there were still Muslims alive to witness it and to feel the horror that was its intended by-product".{{sfn|Rubenstein|2008|pp=539–542}}
Among the European records of the incident was the French poem 'The Leaguer of Antioch', which contains such lines as,

Some chroniclers as well as various later sources blame the cannibalism at Ma'arra at the [[Tafurs]], a group of crusaders who followed strict oaths of poverty. One interpretation in this tradition is the French poem ''The Leaguer of Antioch'', which contains lines such as:


:''Then came to him the King Tafur, and with him fifty score''
:''Then came to him the King Tafur, and with him fifty score''
Line 94: Line 99:
:''But Peter answered, 'Out, ye drones, a helpless pack that cry,''
:''But Peter answered, 'Out, ye drones, a helpless pack that cry,''
:''While all unburied round about the slaughtered Paynim lie.''
:''While all unburied round about the slaughtered Paynim lie.''
:''A dainty dish is Paynim flesh, with salt and roasting due.''
:''A dainty dish is Paynim flesh, with salt and roasting due.''<ref name="Von Sybel">Von Sybel, ''History and Literature of the Crusades''; translated by Lady Duff Gordon.</ref>


In concluding his discussion of the various accounts of the cannibalism, historian Jay Rubenstein notes that the chroniclers clearly felt discomfort and tried to downplay what had happened, hence tending to give only part of the facts (but without agreeing on which part and interpretation to give).{{sfn|Rubenstein|2008|p=550}} He also notes that the fact that only Muslims were eaten is at odds with hunger as sole or primary motive – presumably, desperate starving people would not have cared much about the religion of those they consumed.{{sfn|Rubenstein|2008|p=529}} He concludes that the cannibalism at Ma‘arra likely went "beyond poor and hungry people eating from the dead" in secret, rather suggesting that "some of the soldiers must have recognized its potential utility [as a weapon of terror] and, hoping to drive the defenders into a quick surrender, made a spectacle of the eating, and made sure that Muslims were the only ones eaten."{{sfn|Rubenstein|2008|p=550}}
: From "The Leaguer of Antioch"<ref name="Von Sybel">Von Sybel; History and Literature of the Crusades; translated by Lady Duff Gordon</ref>
He notes, however, that the Tafurs were almost certainly "scapegoats" blamed for acts which were by no means particularly limited to them.{{sfn|Rubenstein|2008|p=551}}


Historian [[Thomas Asbridge]] states that, while the "cannibalism at Marrat is among the most infamous of all the atrocities perpetrated by the First Crusaders", it nevertheless had "some positive effects on the crusaders' short-term prospects". Reports and rumours of their brutality in Ma‘arra and Antioch convinced "many Muslim commanders and garrisons that the crusaders were bloodthirsty barbarians, invincible savages who could not be resisted". Accordingly, many of them decided to "accept costly and humiliating truces with the Franks rather than face them in battle".<ref>{{cite book |title=The First Crusade: A New History| first1=Thomas |last1=Asbridge |authorlink=Thomas Asbridge |isbn=978-0-19-517823-4 |year=2004 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |location=New York |pages=274–275 |url=https://archive.org/details/firstcrusadenewh00asbr |url-access = registration }}</ref>
Those events had a strong impact on the local inhabitants of [[Southwest Asia]]. The crusaders already had a reputation for cruelty and barbarism towards [[Muslim]]s, [[Jews]] and even local [[Christians]], Catholic and Orthodox alike (the Crusades began shortly after the [[East-West Schism|Great Schism of 1054]]).{{Citation needed|date=February 2008}}

The accuracy of the events described by the contemporary writers have been disputed. The famine and cannibalism are recognised but the torture and killing of Muslim captives for cannibalism by Radulph of Caen are very unlikely since there are no Arab or Muslim records of the events. Had they occurred, they would have undoubtedly been recorded. This has been noted by the BBC Timewatch series, the episode ''The Crusades: A Timewatch Guide'', which included the experts Dr Thomas Asbridge and Muslim Arab historian Dr Fozia Bora, who states Radulph of Caen's description does not appear in Muslim contemporary chronicles.,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/episode/dy7mgy/a-timewatch-guide--series-1---2-the-crusades-a-timewatch-guide|title=A Timewatch Guide|work=RadioTimes|access-date=20 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.co.uk/detail/2292268/114827766/the-crusades-a-timewatch-guide#.VrLFkYZQIow|title=The Crusades: A Timewatch Guide|work=TVGuide.co.uk|access-date=20 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-First-Crusade-New-History/dp/0743220846|title=The First Crusade: A New History: Amazon.co.uk: Thomas Asbridge: 9780743220842: Books|access-date=20 April 2016}}</ref>


===Late medieval period===
===Late medieval period===
[[Shams al-Din Muhammad ibn al-Muqaddam|Ibn al-Muqaddam]] received lands in Maarat al-Nuʿman in 1179 as part of his compensation for yielding [[Baalbek]] to [[Saladin]]'s brother [[Turan Shah]]. [[Ibn Jubayr]] passed by the town in 1185, and wrote that "Everywhere around the town are gardens... It is one of the most fertile and richest lands in the world".<ref name=leStrange496/> [[Ibn Battuta]] visited in 1355, and described the town as small. The figs and pistachios of the town were exported to [[Damascus]].<ref name=leStrange497>le Strange, 1890, p. [https://archive.org/stream/palestineundermo00lestuoft#page/497/mode/1up 497]</ref>
[[Shams al-Din Muhammad ibn al-Muqaddam|Ibn al-Muqaddam]] received lands in Maarat al-Nuʿman in 1179 as part of his compensation for yielding [[Baalbek]] to [[Saladin]]'s brother [[Turan Shah]]. [[Ibn Jubayr]] passed by the town in 1185, and wrote that "Everywhere around the town are gardens... It is one of the most fertile and richest lands in the world".<ref name=leStrange496/> [[Ibn Battuta]] visited in 1355, and described the town as small. The figs and pistachios of the town were exported to [[Damascus]].<ref name=leStrange497>le Strange, 1890, p. [https://archive.org/stream/palestineundermo00lestuoft#page/497/mode/1up 497]</ref>


===Syrian Civil War (2011–ongoing)===
===Syrian Civil War===
The town was the focus of intense protests against the government of President [[Bashar al-Assad]] on 2 June 2011. On 25 October 2011, clashes occurred between loyalists and defected soldiers at a roadblock on the edge of the town. The defectors launched an assault on the government held roadblock in retaliation for a raid on their positions the previous night.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/10/25/idINIndia-60114220111025 | work=Reuters | title=Assad forces fight deserters at northwestern town | date=25 October 2011}}</ref> The [[Free Syrian Army]] took control in December 2011–January 2012. The regime recaptured it at a later date. On 10 June 2012, the FSA took it back, but the military recaptured it in August.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/55206/World/Region/Syria-sends-extra-troops-after-rebels-seize-Idlib-.aspx |title=Syria sends extra troops after rebels seize Idlib: NGO |publisher=English.ahram.org.eg |date=2012-10-10}}</ref> Finally the FSA captured the town again in October after the [[Battle of Maarrat al-Nu'man]].
The town was the focus of intense protests against the government of President [[Bashar al-Assad]] on 2 June 2011. On 25 October 2011, clashes occurred between loyalists and defected soldiers at a roadblock on the edge of the town. The defectors launched an assault on the government held roadblock in retaliation for a raid on their positions the previous night.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-60114220111025 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201135119/http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-60114220111025 | url-status=dead | archive-date=February 1, 2016 | work=Reuters | title=Assad forces fight deserters at northwestern town | date=25 October 2011}}</ref> The [[Free Syrian Army]] took control in December 2011–January 2012. The regime recaptured it at a later date. On 10 June 2012, the FSA took it back, but the military recaptured it in August.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/55206/World/Region/Syria-sends-extra-troops-after-rebels-seize-Idlib-.aspx |title=Syria sends extra troops after rebels seize Idlib: NGO |publisher=English.ahram.org.eg |date=2012-10-10}}</ref> Finally the FSA captured the town again in October after the [[Battle of Maarat al-Numan (2012)]].


As the [[Syrian Civil War]] followed, the town's strategic position on the road between [[Damascus]] and [[Aleppo]] made it a significant prize. Starting on 8 October 2012, the [[Battle of Maarrat al-Nu'man]] was fought between the FSA and the government, causing numerous civilian casualties and severe material damage. The town was home to the [[13th Division (Syrian rebel group)|FSA Division 13]].<ref name="Syrian Town’s Revolt"/>
As the [[Syrian Civil War]] followed, the town's strategic position on the road between [[Damascus]] and [[Aleppo]] made it a significant prize. Starting on 8 October 2012, the [[Battle of Maarat al-Numan (2012)]] was fought between the FSA and the government, causing numerous civilian casualties and severe material damage. The town was home to the [[13th Division (Syrian rebel group)|FSA Division 13]].<ref name="Syrian Town’s Revolt"/>


A hospital in Maarrat al-Nu'man was struck by missiles on 15 February 2016.<ref name=spon>{{cite web|url=http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/syrien-krankenhaus-von-aerzte-ohne-grenzen-bombardiert-a-1077414.html|title=Syrien: Ärzte-ohne-Grenzen-Krankenhaus bombardiert - ein gezielter Angriff?|author=((SPIEGEL ONLINE, Hamburg, Germany))|date=15 February 2016|work=SPIEGEL ONLINE|access-date=20 April 2016}}</ref><ref name=ici>{{cite web|url=http://ici.radio-canada.ca/breve/45482/un-hopital-msf-en-syrie-touche-par-frappes-aerienn|title=Un hôpital de MSF en Syrie touché par des frappes aériennes|work=Radio-Canada.ca|access-date=20 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title = MSF-backed hospital in Syria destroyed by air strikes: statement|url = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-msf-idUSKCN0VO11J|newspaper = Reuters|date = 2016-02-15|access-date = 2016-02-15}}</ref> The hospital was targeted again by Syrian government and Russian planes in April 2017,<ref>Diana Al Rifai [http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/04/air-strike-destroys-hospital-idlib-maaret-al-numan-170403061730771.html Air strike destroys hospital in Idlib's Maaret al-Numan], Al-Jazeera, 3 Apr 2017</ref> on 19 September 2017<ref>Kristin Helberg [http://en.qantara.de/content/civil-war-in-syria-fighting-the-jihadists-with-unusual-weapons Fighting the jihadists with unusual weapons], Qantara, 06.01.2018</ref> and in early January 2018.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-france/syrian-government-defends-idlib-campaign-condemns-france-idUSKBN1F0120 Syrian government defends Idlib campaign, condemns France], Reuters, 11 January 2018.</ref> On 19 April 2016, at least 37 people were reportedly killed when the Syrian government launched air strikes on markets. Dozens more were also injured during the attack.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36084848 |title= Syria conflict: Air strikes on Idlib markets 'kill dozens'. }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-idlib/air-strike-on-market-kills-around-40-in-opposition-held-northwest-syria-idUSKCN0XG1XT |title= Air strike on market kills around 40 in opposition-held northwest Syria. }}</ref> In 2016, the town [[Battle of Maarrat al-Nu'man (2016)|came under the control]] of [[Tahrir al-Sham|HTS]], but was also the site of significant civil society protests against HTS in 2016 and 2017.<ref name="Syrian Town’s Revolt">[https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/06/15/a-small-syrian-towns-revolt-against-al-qaida A Small Syrian Town’s Revolt Against Al-Qaida], News Deeply, 15 June 2017</ref> The town's market was bombed in October 2017.<ref>AFP, [http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/least-11-dead-syria-market-air-strike-monitor-1494249216 At least 11 dead in Syria market air strike: Monitor], Middle East Eye, 9 October 2017</ref> The [[Syrian Liberation Front]] took the town from HTS (Al-Qaeda) on 21 February 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://syriadirect.org/news/two-of-the-largest-factions-in-syria%e2%80%99s-northwest-merge-challenge-hts-dominance/|title=Two of the largest factions in Syria’s northwest merge, challenge HTS dominance|publisher=Syria Direct|date=22 February 2018|access-date=22 February 2018}}</ref>
A hospital in Maarrat al-Nu'man was struck by missiles on 15 February 2016.<ref name=spon>{{cite web|url=http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/syrien-krankenhaus-von-aerzte-ohne-grenzen-bombardiert-a-1077414.html|title=Syrien: Ärzte-ohne-Grenzen-Krankenhaus bombardiert - ein gezielter Angriff?|author=((SPIEGEL ONLINE, Hamburg, Germany))|date=15 February 2016|work=SPIEGEL ONLINE|access-date=20 April 2016}}</ref><ref name=ici>{{cite web|url=http://ici.radio-canada.ca/breve/45482/un-hopital-msf-en-syrie-touche-par-frappes-aerienn|title=Un hôpital de MSF en Syrie touché par des frappes aériennes|work=Radio-Canada.ca|access-date=20 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title = MSF-backed hospital in Syria destroyed by air strikes: statement|url = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-msf-idUSKCN0VO11J|newspaper = Reuters|date = 2016-02-15|access-date = 2016-02-15}}</ref> The hospital was targeted again by Syrian government and Russian planes in April 2017,<ref>Diana Al Rifai [http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/04/air-strike-destroys-hospital-idlib-maaret-al-numan-170403061730771.html Air strike destroys hospital in Idlib's Maaret al-Numan], Al-Jazeera, 3 Apr 2017</ref> on 19 September 2017<ref>Kristin Helberg [http://en.qantara.de/content/civil-war-in-syria-fighting-the-jihadists-with-unusual-weapons Fighting the jihadists with unusual weapons], Qantara, 06.01.2018</ref> and in early January 2018.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-france/syrian-government-defends-idlib-campaign-condemns-france-idUSKBN1F0120 Syrian government defends Idlib campaign, condemns France], Reuters, 11 January 2018.</ref> On 19 April 2016, at least 37 people were reportedly killed when the Syrian government launched air strikes on markets. Dozens more were also injured during the attack.<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36084848 |title= Syria conflict: Air strikes on Idlib markets 'kill dozens'. |work= BBC News |date= 19 April 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-idlib/air-strike-on-market-kills-around-40-in-opposition-held-northwest-syria-idUSKCN0XG1XT |title= Air strike on market kills around 40 in opposition-held northwest Syria. |newspaper= Reuters |date= 19 April 2016 }}</ref> In 2016, the town [[Battle of Maarrat al-Nu'man (2016)|came under the control]] of [[Tahrir al-Sham|HTS]], but was also the site of significant civil society protests against HTS in 2016 and 2017.<ref name="Syrian Town’s Revolt">[https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2017/06/15/a-small-syrian-towns-revolt-against-al-qaida A Small Syrian Town’s Revolt Against Al-Qaida], News Deeply, 15 June 2017</ref> The town's market was bombed in October 2017.<ref>AFP, [http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/least-11-dead-syria-market-air-strike-monitor-1494249216 At least 11 dead in Syria market air strike: Monitor], Middle East Eye, 9 October 2017</ref> The [[Syrian Liberation Front]] took the town from HTS (Al-Qaeda) on 21 February 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://syriadirect.org/news/two-of-the-largest-factions-in-syria%e2%80%99s-northwest-merge-challenge-hts-dominance/|title=Two of the largest factions in Syria's northwest merge, challenge HTS dominance|publisher=Syria Direct|date=22 February 2018|access-date=22 February 2018}}</ref>


The [[Ma'arrat al-Numan market bombing]] was perpetrated on 22 July 2019.<ref>{{cite news|last=Chulov| first=Martin| work=Guardian| title=Russia and Syria step up airstrikes against civilians in Idlib| url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2019/07/air-raid-busy-market-northwest-syria-kills-190722090158010.html| date=23 July 2019| access-date=3 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| work=Al Jazeera| title='Boundless criminality': Dozens killed in Idlib market bombing| url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/22/russia-and-syria-step-up-airstrikes-against-civilians-in-idlib| date=22 July 2019| access-date=3 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| work= [[BBC News]]| title=Syria war: Air strikes on town in rebel-held Idlib 'kill 31' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-49074091|date=22 July 2019| access-date=3 March 2020}}</ref> It killed 43 [[civilian]]s, and injured another 109 people.<ref>{{cite news| publisher=UN News| title=As children freeze to death in Syria, aid officials call for major cross-border delivery boost |url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/03/1058451 |date=2 March 2020| access-date=5 March 2020}}</ref>
The [[Ma'arrat al-Numan market bombing]] was perpetrated on 22 July 2019.<ref>{{cite news|last=Chulov| first=Martin| work=Guardian| title=Russia and Syria step up airstrikes against civilians in Idlib| url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2019/07/air-raid-busy-market-northwest-syria-kills-190722090158010.html| date=23 July 2019| access-date=3 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| work=Al Jazeera| title='Boundless criminality': Dozens killed in Idlib market bombing| url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/22/russia-and-syria-step-up-airstrikes-against-civilians-in-idlib| date=22 July 2019| access-date=3 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| work= [[BBC News]]| title=Syria war: Air strikes on town in rebel-held Idlib 'kill 31' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-49074091|date=22 July 2019| access-date=3 March 2020}}</ref> It killed 43 [[civilian]]s, and injured another 109 people.<ref>{{cite news| publisher=UN News| title=As children freeze to death in Syria, aid officials call for major cross-border delivery boost |url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/03/1058451 |date=2 March 2020| access-date=5 March 2020}}</ref>


On 28 January 2020, Ma'arrat al-Nu'man was successfully captured by [[Syrian Arab Army|government forces]] during the [[Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–March 2020)|5th Northwestern Syria offensive]].<ref>[https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/pro-government-forces-enter-syrian-rebel-town-maaret-al-numan Middle East Eye]</ref>
On 28 January 2020, Ma'arrat al-Nu'man was successfully captured by [[Syrian Arab Army|government forces]] during the [[Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–March 2020)|5th Northwestern Syria offensive]].<ref>[https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/pro-government-forces-enter-syrian-rebel-town-maaret-al-numan Middle East Eye]</ref>

==Landmarks==
⚫
Today the city has a museum with [[mosaic]]s from the [[Dead Cities]], a [[Great Mosque of Maarrat al-Numan|Friday mosque]], a ''[[madrassa]]'' built by Abu al-Farawis in 1199, and remains of the medieval [[citadel]]. The city is the birthplace of the poet [[Al-Maʿarri]] (973–1057).


==Climate==
==Climate==
Ma'arrat al-Nu'man has a [[hot-summer Mediterranean climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]]: Csa).
Maarat al-Numan has a [[hot-summer Mediterranean climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]]: Csa).
{{Weather box
{{Weather box
|width = auto
|width = auto
Line 185: Line 192:


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Great Mosque of Maarrat al-Numan]]
*[[Great Mosque of Maarat al-Numan]]


==References==
==References==
=== Notes ===
{{reflist|2}}
{{reflist|2}}


;Sources
=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
{{refbegin}}
* Amin Maalouf, [[The Crusades Through Arab Eyes]]. Schocken, 1989, {{ISBN|0-8052-0898-4}}
* Amin Maalouf, [[The Crusades Through Arab Eyes]]. Schocken, 1989, {{ISBN|0-8052-0898-4}}
*{{Citation|title=Palestine Under the Moslems: A Description of Syria and the Holy Land from A.D. 650 to 1500|url=https://archive.org/details/palestineundermo00lestuoft |first1=Guy|last1=le Strange|year=1890|publisher=Committee of the [[Palestine Exploration Fund]]}}
* {{Citation|title=Palestine Under the Moslems: A Description of Syria and the Holy Land from A.D. 650 to 1500|url=https://archive.org/details/palestineundermo00lestuoft |first1=Guy|last1=le Strange|year=1890|publisher=Committee of the [[Palestine Exploration Fund]]}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Rubenstein |first1=Jay |author-link1=Jay Rubenstein |title=Cannibals and Crusaders |journal=French Historical Studies |date=2008 |volume=31 |issue=4 |pages=525–552 |doi=10.1215/00161071-2008-005}}
{{refend}}
{{refend}}
{{commons category|Ma'arrat al-Numan}}
{{commons category|Ma'arrat al-Numan}}
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[[Category:Cities in Syria]]
[[Category:Cities in Syria]]
[[Category:Populated places in Maarrat al-Nu'man District| ]]
[[Category:Populated places in Maarat al-Numan District| ]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Idlib Governorate]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Idlib Governorate]]

Latest revision as of 21:58, 12 September 2024

Maarat al-Numan
مَعَرَّةُ النُّعْمَانِ
City
A collage of Maarat al-Numan landmarks
A collage of Maarat al-Numan landmarks
Maarat al-Numan is located in Syria
Maarat al-Numan
Maarat al-Numan
Location within Syria
Coordinates: 35°38′N 36°40′E / 35.633°N 36.667°E / 35.633; 36.667
Country Syria
GovernorateIdlib
DistrictMaarat al-Numan
SubdistrictMaarat al-Numan
Elevation
522 m (1,713 ft)
Population
 (2009)
 • Total87,742
Demonym(s)Arabic: معري, romanized: Maarri
Time zoneUTC+3 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (EEST)
GeocodeC3985
ClimateBSk

Maarat al-Numan (Arabic: مَعَرَّةُ النُّعْمَانِ, romanized: Maʿarrat an-Nuʿmān), also known as al-Ma'arra, is a city in northwestern Syria, 33 km (21 mi) south of Idlib and 57 km (35 mi) north of Hama, with a population of about 58,008 before the Civil War (2004 census). In 2017, it was estimated to have a population of 80,000, including several displaced by fighting in neighbouring towns.[1] It is located on the highway between Aleppo and Hama and near the Dead Cities of Bara and Serjilla.

Name

[edit]

The city, known as Arra to the Greeks, has its present-day name combined from the Aramaic word for cave ܡܥܪܗ (mʿarā) and that of its first Muslim governor, Nu'man ibn Bashir al-Ansari, a companion of Muhammad, meaning “the Cave of Nu’man.” The crusaders called it Marre. There are many towns throughout Syria with names that begin with the word Maarat, such as Maarrat Misrin and Maarat Saidnaya.

History

[edit]

Abbasids to Fatimids (891–1086)

[edit]
Abû Zayd pleads before the Qadi of Ma`arra (1334)

In 891 Ya‘qubi described Maarrat al-Nu‘man as "an ancient city, now a ruin. It lies in the Hims province."[2] By the time of Estakhri (951) the place had recovered, as he described the city "very full of good things, and very opulent". Figs, pistachios and vines were cultivated.[2] In 1047 Nasir Khusraw visited the city, and described it as a populous town with a stone wall. There was a Friday Mosque, on a height, in the middle of the town. The bazaars were full of traffic. Considerable areas of cultivated land surrounded the town, with plenty of fig-trees, olives, pistachios, almonds and grapes.[2][3]

Crusader Ma‘arra massacre (1098)

[edit]
Main article: Siege of Ma'arra

The most infamous event from the city's history dates from late 1098, during the First Crusade. After the crusaders, led by Raymond de Saint Gilles and Bohemond of Taranto, successfully besieged Antioch they found themselves with insufficient supplies of food. During or after the siege of Ma‘arra some of the starving crusaders therefore resorted to cannibalism, feeding on the bodies of Muslims. This fact itself is not seriously in doubt, as it is acknowledged by nearly a dozen Christian chronicles written during the twenty years after the Crusade, all of which are based at least to some degrees on eyewitness accounts.[4] The crusaders' cannibalism is also briefly mentioned in an Arab source, which explains it as due to hunger.[5]

There is conflicting evidence on when exactly and why the cannibalism happened. Some sources state that enemies were eaten during the siege, others (a slight majority) state that it happened after the city had been conquered.[6] Another source of tension exists regarding its motives – was it practised secretly due to famine and lack of food, as some sources suggest, or publicly in front of the enemies in order to shock and frighten them, as others imply?[7]

The earliest of the texts suggesting that the cannibalism occurred after the end of the siege and was entirely motivated by hunger is the Gesta Francorum. It states that because of great deprivations after the siege, "Some cut the flesh of dead bodies into strips and cooked them for eating." Peter Tudebode's chronicle gives a similar description, though adding that only Muslims were eaten.[8] Several other works include similar accounts, likewise stating that only Muslims or "Turks" were consumed.[9]

Three other accounts, by Fulcher of Chartres (who was a participant of the Crusade though not personally present at Ma‘arra), Albert of Aachen and Ralph of Caen (both of whom based their accounts on interviews with participants) state that the cannibalism happened during the siege and suggest that it was a public spectacle rather than a shameful, hidden episode.[10] Ralph states that "a lack of food compelled them to make a meal of human flesh, that adults were put in the stewpot, and that [children] were skewered on spits. Both were cooked and eaten."[11]

Several medieval interpretations of the cannibalism during the Crusade, by Guibert of Nogent, William of Tyre, and in the Chanson d'Antioche, interpret it as an deliberate act of psychological warfare, "intended to strike fear in the enemy". This implies it must have happened during rather than after the siege, "while there were still Muslims alive to witness it and to feel the horror that was its intended by-product".[12]

Some chroniclers as well as various later sources blame the cannibalism at Ma'arra at the Tafurs, a group of crusaders who followed strict oaths of poverty. One interpretation in this tradition is the French poem The Leaguer of Antioch, which contains lines such as:

Then came to him the King Tafur, and with him fifty score
Of men-at-arms, not one of them but hunger gnawed him sore.
Thou holy Hermit, counsel us, and help us at our need;
Help, for God's grace, these starving men with wherewithal to feed.
But Peter answered, 'Out, ye drones, a helpless pack that cry,
While all unburied round about the slaughtered Paynim lie.
A dainty dish is Paynim flesh, with salt and roasting due.[13]

In concluding his discussion of the various accounts of the cannibalism, historian Jay Rubenstein notes that the chroniclers clearly felt discomfort and tried to downplay what had happened, hence tending to give only part of the facts (but without agreeing on which part and interpretation to give).[14] He also notes that the fact that only Muslims were eaten is at odds with hunger as sole or primary motive – presumably, desperate starving people would not have cared much about the religion of those they consumed.[15] He concludes that the cannibalism at Ma‘arra likely went "beyond poor and hungry people eating from the dead" in secret, rather suggesting that "some of the soldiers must have recognized its potential utility [as a weapon of terror] and, hoping to drive the defenders into a quick surrender, made a spectacle of the eating, and made sure that Muslims were the only ones eaten."[14] He notes, however, that the Tafurs were almost certainly "scapegoats" blamed for acts which were by no means particularly limited to them.[16]

Historian Thomas Asbridge states that, while the "cannibalism at Marrat is among the most infamous of all the atrocities perpetrated by the First Crusaders", it nevertheless had "some positive effects on the crusaders' short-term prospects". Reports and rumours of their brutality in Ma‘arra and Antioch convinced "many Muslim commanders and garrisons that the crusaders were bloodthirsty barbarians, invincible savages who could not be resisted". Accordingly, many of them decided to "accept costly and humiliating truces with the Franks rather than face them in battle".[17]

Late medieval period

[edit]

Ibn al-Muqaddam received lands in Maarat al-Nuʿman in 1179 as part of his compensation for yielding Baalbek to Saladin's brother Turan Shah. Ibn Jubayr passed by the town in 1185, and wrote that "Everywhere around the town are gardens... It is one of the most fertile and richest lands in the world".[3] Ibn Battuta visited in 1355, and described the town as small. The figs and pistachios of the town were exported to Damascus.[18]

Syrian Civil War

[edit]

The town was the focus of intense protests against the government of President Bashar al-Assad on 2 June 2011. On 25 October 2011, clashes occurred between loyalists and defected soldiers at a roadblock on the edge of the town. The defectors launched an assault on the government held roadblock in retaliation for a raid on their positions the previous night.[19] The Free Syrian Army took control in December 2011–January 2012. The regime recaptured it at a later date. On 10 June 2012, the FSA took it back, but the military recaptured it in August.[20] Finally the FSA captured the town again in October after the Battle of Maarat al-Numan (2012).

As the Syrian Civil War followed, the town's strategic position on the road between Damascus and Aleppo made it a significant prize. Starting on 8 October 2012, the Battle of Maarat al-Numan (2012) was fought between the FSA and the government, causing numerous civilian casualties and severe material damage. The town was home to the FSA Division 13.[1]

A hospital in Maarrat al-Nu'man was struck by missiles on 15 February 2016.[21][22][23] The hospital was targeted again by Syrian government and Russian planes in April 2017,[24] on 19 September 2017[25] and in early January 2018.[26] On 19 April 2016, at least 37 people were reportedly killed when the Syrian government launched air strikes on markets. Dozens more were also injured during the attack.[27][28] In 2016, the town came under the control of HTS, but was also the site of significant civil society protests against HTS in 2016 and 2017.[1] The town's market was bombed in October 2017.[29] The Syrian Liberation Front took the town from HTS (Al-Qaeda) on 21 February 2018.[30]

The Ma'arrat al-Numan market bombing was perpetrated on 22 July 2019.[31][32][33] It killed 43 civilians, and injured another 109 people.[34]

On 28 January 2020, Ma'arrat al-Nu'man was successfully captured by government forces during the 5th Northwestern Syria offensive.[35]

Landmarks

[edit]

Today the city has a museum with mosaics from the Dead Cities, a Friday mosque, a madrassa built by Abu al-Farawis in 1199, and remains of the medieval citadel. The city is the birthplace of the poet Al-Maʿarri (973–1057).

Climate

[edit]

Maarat al-Numan has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa).

Climate data for Ma'arat al-Nu'man
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 8.8
(47.8) 		11.4
(52.5) 		16.1
(61.0) 		21.8
(71.2) 		28.3
(82.9) 		32.8
(91.0) 		35.1
(95.2) 		35.6
(96.1) 		31.8
(89.2) 		26.2
(79.2) 		18.1
(64.6) 		11.5
(52.7) 		23.1
(73.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 4.9
(40.8) 		6.7
(44.1) 		10.6
(51.1) 		15.1
(59.2) 		20.7
(69.3) 		25.3
(77.5) 		28.0
(82.4) 		28.3
(82.9) 		24.1
(75.4) 		18.9
(66.0) 		12.0
(53.6) 		7.3
(45.1) 		16.8
(62.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 1.0
(33.8) 		2.1
(35.8) 		5.1
(41.2) 		8.4
(47.1) 		13.2
(55.8) 		17.8
(64.0) 		21.0
(69.8) 		21.0
(69.8) 		16.4
(61.5) 		11.7
(53.1) 		6.0
(42.8) 		3.1
(37.6) 		10.6
(51.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 87
(3.4) 		73
(2.9) 		55
(2.2) 		34
(1.3) 		19
(0.7) 		6
(0.2) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		5
(0.2) 		21
(0.8) 		35
(1.4) 		84
(3.3) 		419
(16.4)
Source: Climate-Data.org[36]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c A Small Syrian Town’s Revolt Against Al-Qaida, News Deeply, 15 June 2017
  2. ^ a b c le Strange, 1890, p. 495
  3. ^ a b le Strange, 1890, p. 496
  4. ^ Rubenstein 2008, pp. 526, 537.
  5. ^ Bourget, Carine (2006). "The Rewriting of History in Amin Maalouf's The Crusades Through Arab Eyes". Studies in 20th & 21st Century Literature. 30 (2, Article 3): 269. doi:10.4148/2334-4415.1633. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018.
  6. ^ Rubenstein 2008, p. 537.
  7. ^ Rubenstein 2008, pp. 533, 535, 541.
  8. ^ Rubenstein 2008, pp. 530–531.
  9. ^ Rubenstein 2008, pp. 532–533.
  10. ^ Rubenstein 2008, pp. 534–536.
  11. ^ Rubenstein 2008, p. 536.
  12. ^ Rubenstein 2008, pp. 539–542.
  13. ^ Von Sybel, History and Literature of the Crusades; translated by Lady Duff Gordon.
  14. ^ a b Rubenstein 2008, p. 550.
  15. ^ Rubenstein 2008, p. 529.
  16. ^ Rubenstein 2008, p. 551.
  17. ^ Asbridge, Thomas (2004). The First Crusade: A New History. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 274–275. ISBN 978-0-19-517823-4.
  18. ^ le Strange, 1890, p. 497
  19. ^ "Assad forces fight deserters at northwestern town". Reuters. 25 October 2011. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016.
  20. ^ "Syria sends extra troops after rebels seize Idlib: NGO". English.ahram.org.eg. 2012-10-10.
  21. ^ SPIEGEL ONLINE, Hamburg, Germany (15 February 2016). "Syrien: Ärzte-ohne-Grenzen-Krankenhaus bombardiert - ein gezielter Angriff?". SPIEGEL ONLINE. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  22. ^ "Un hôpital de MSF en Syrie touché par des frappes aériennes". Radio-Canada.ca. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  23. ^ "MSF-backed hospital in Syria destroyed by air strikes: statement". Reuters. 2016-02-15. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  24. ^ Diana Al Rifai Air strike destroys hospital in Idlib's Maaret al-Numan, Al-Jazeera, 3 Apr 2017
  25. ^ Kristin Helberg Fighting the jihadists with unusual weapons, Qantara, 06.01.2018
  26. ^ Syrian government defends Idlib campaign, condemns France, Reuters, 11 January 2018.
  27. ^ "Syria conflict: Air strikes on Idlib markets 'kill dozens'". BBC News. 19 April 2016.
  28. ^ "Air strike on market kills around 40 in opposition-held northwest Syria". Reuters. 19 April 2016.
  29. ^ AFP, At least 11 dead in Syria market air strike: Monitor, Middle East Eye, 9 October 2017
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  33. ^ "Syria war: Air strikes on town in rebel-held Idlib 'kill 31'". BBC News. 22 July 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
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Sources

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35°38′19″N 36°40′18″E / 35.63861°N 36.67167°E / 35.63861; 36.67167

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