# أقدم المدن السعودية في نقش بابلي - لؤي الشريف

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7wDJFRLIZk
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/t7wDJFRLIZk
Generated: 2025-07-22T06:36:48.667+00:00

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## Quick Overview

The oldest Saudi cities, including Tayma, Al-Ula (Dadan), Fadak, Khaybar, Al-Huwait (Yadi'), and Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah (Yathrib), are explicitly mentioned in the ancient Harran Inscription of Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon, dating back to 540 BC. This inscription details Nabonidus's journey and ten-year stay in these regions, highlighting their deep historical roots predating later prominent cities like Jeddah and Thuwal.

**Key Points:**
- Saudi Arabia has 46 cities, with 20 considered main, some dating back to pre-Christian times.
- The modern Arabic script evolved from the Nabataean script, which was derived from the Aramaic script, highlighting ancient Arabian linguistic contributions.
- The Harran Inscription, dating to 540 BC, is a key source for identifying the oldest Saudi cities.
- Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon, describes his ten-year journey through several cities in northern Arabia in the Harran Inscription.
- The cities mentioned in the Nabonidus inscription that are still present in Saudi Arabia are Tayma, Al-Ula (Dadan), Fadak, Khaybar, Al-Huwait (Yadi'), and Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah (Yathrib).
- Yathrib, now Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, was mentioned in the 6th century BC inscription, predating its mention in 7th-century AD prophetic traditions.

![Screenshot at 0:26: An aerial view of ancient rock-cut tombs and structures carved into a desert mountain, representing the ancient cities discussed.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/t7wDJFRLIZk/00-00-26.png)

**Context:** The video explores the ancient history of Saudi Arabia, emphasizing its deep civilizational roots that extend far beyond the Islamic era. It challenges the common perception that ancient civilizations were primarily confined to Mesopotamia and Egypt, highlighting the significant, yet often underappreciated, contributions and long-standing presence of civilizations within the Arabian Peninsula. The speaker focuses on how ancient inscriptions, particularly one from the Babylonian king Nabonidus, provide concrete evidence of cities in present-day Saudi Arabia that have existed for millennia, some even predating the birth of Christ.

## Detailed Analysis

Saudi Arabia possesses a rich and ancient civilizational history, with many cities dating back millennia, some even before the birth of Christ. While later cities like Jeddah (mentioned in prophetic traditions from the 7th century AD) and Thuwal (found in ancient Roman and Greek maps from the 1st century AD) are well-known, even older cities are documented in ancient inscriptions. The video highlights the Harran Inscription of Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon, which dates to 540 BC. This inscription is crucial as it details Nabonidus's personal account of leaving Babylon and traveling through several cities in the Arabian Peninsula. The inscription explicitly names five cities that are still inhabited in modern-day Saudi Arabia: Tayma (currently Tayma), Dadan (currently Al-Ula), Fadak (currently Fadak), Khaybar (currently Khaybar), Yadi' (currently Al-Huwait), and Yathrib (currently Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah). Nabonidus states he spent ten years wandering among these cities without returning to Babylon. This inscription provides concrete evidence of the deep historical roots and continuous habitation of these Saudi cities, showcasing a civilization that predates many commonly recognized historical periods in the region. The video also touches upon the evolution of the modern Arabic script from the Nabataean script, which itself developed from Aramaic, emphasizing the significant linguistic contributions of ancient Arabian civilizations.

### Saudi Arabia's Ancient Heritage

- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia boasts 46 cities, with 20 considered major, some dating back to pre-Christian eras
- Recent focus highlights the ancient civilizational depth of the Arabian Peninsula, not just Mesopotamia and Egypt
- The current Arabic script evolved from the Nabataean script, which was derived from Aramaic, showcasing the influence of ancient Arab civilizations.

### The Nabonidus Inscription

- The Harran Inscription, dating to 540 BC, is a key source for identifying ancient Saudi cities
- Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon, describes his journey and ten-year stay in northern Arabia in this inscription
- The inscription is written in the Akkadian language, specifically the Babylonian dialect.

### Identified Ancient Cities

- Nabonidus's inscription mentions his travels to Tayma, Dadan, Fadak, Khaybar, Yadi', and Yathrib
- These cities correspond to modern-day Tayma, Al-Ula, Fadak, Khaybar, Al-Huwait, and Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, respectively
- The inscription confirms the continuous existence of these cities for over 2,500 years.

### Historical Context and Significance

- Cities like Jeddah are mentioned in 7th-century AD prophetic traditions, and Thuwal in 1st-century AD Roman and Greek maps
- The Nabonidus inscription pushes the documented history of these Saudi cities back to the 6th century BC
- This highlights the rich, yet often overlooked, ancient history of the Arabian Peninsula and its indigenous civilizations.

![Screenshot at 0:00: A man in traditional Saudi attire speaks in front of a desert landscape with ancient rock-cut structures and a tree.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/t7wDJFRLIZk/00-00-00.png)
![Screenshot at 0:26: An aerial view of ancient rock-cut tombs and structures carved into a desert mountain, with a small tree in the foreground.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/t7wDJFRLIZk/00-00-26.png)
![Screenshot at 0:30: A close-up of ancient rock carvings and inscriptions on a large stone surface.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/t7wDJFRLIZk/00-00-30.png)
![Screenshot at 0:33: A close-up of ancient stone blocks with faint carvings, possibly depicting a horse.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/t7wDJFRLIZk/00-00-33.png)
![Screenshot at 0:38: A low-angle view of an ancient, circular brick structure with a narrow entrance, under a clear blue sky.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/t7wDJFRLIZk/00-00-38.png)
![Screenshot at 0:42: A tall, ancient stone tower with multiple window-like openings, seen from a low angle against a blue sky.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/t7wDJFRLIZk/00-00-42.png)
![Screenshot at 1:07: A statue of a winged human-headed lion \(Lamassu\), an ancient Mesopotamian protective deity, against a cloudy sky.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/t7wDJFRLIZk/00-01-07.png)
![Screenshot at 1:15: A view through an ancient Egyptian-style temple entrance, with golden statues of deities \(possibly Anubis and a pharaoh\) in the distance.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/t7wDJFRLIZk/00-01-15.png)
![Screenshot at 1:23: A wide shot of multiple rock-cut tombs and structures in a desert landscape, with a person walking in the distance.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/t7wDJFRLIZk/00-01-23.png)
![Screenshot at 3:17: A close-up of the Harran Inscription, showing ancient cuneiform script and a depiction of a figure, likely Nabonidus.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/t7wDJFRLIZk/00-03-17.png)