Miscellaneous News

Charax Spasinou City

February 25 , 2026 2 hrs 0 min 20 0

Charax Spasinou was an ancient city in southern Mesopotamia, near the Tigris River in present-day Iraq, recently rediscovered using advanced archaeological technology.
The city was founded in 324 BCE during the final years of Alexander the Great and was originally named Alexandria to secure control over key trade routes.
It was later rebuilt and renamed Charax Spasinou, possibly under Seleucid or Characene rule, after floods and political instability damaged the original settlement.
The city served as a major trade hub connecting riverine and overland routes, facilitating commerce between Arabia, Persia, and the Mediterranean region.
Modern researchers used non-invasive tools such as drones and magnetometers to digitally map over 500 square kilometres, revealing buried walls and structures without large-scale excavation.
The rediscovery highlights the importance of Hellenistic urban centres in Mesopotamia and reshapes understanding of post-Alexandrian trade and administration in the region.