Help Required For Medieval Arabic/Persian Place Names

**Space_Ed** · October 24, 2009, 01:54 PM

As it stands the areas where Arabic/Persian was the commonly spoken language the province and settlement names will be in transliterated modern Arabic/Persian. Although this is fine it contradicts the naming pattern of Europe as the provinces are in their 1080 form e.g. Cornwall is Cornwealas. Can anyone provide information on the names of cities in their medieval Arabic/Persian forms? The same applies to provinces in North Africa, Arabia, modern Iraq and Seljuk Persia. Also wanted are names of the cities featured in-game, as can be seen on the interactive map, that are not owned at the start date by Arabic speakers in medieval Arabic. This is so that if Arabs take these cities, the name can change to what they called it. Note that I already have all this information in modern Arabic and Persian and that it is the medieval versions that are proving difficult to ascertain.

Even if you can't help much if you know the medieval Arabic/Persian of just a few cities and/or provinces that would be great. A very simple one would be what is the medieval Arabic for Arabia? If you want to know which cities are featured in the game have a look on the interactive map which can be found in the 'sticky' threads in this forum. Thanks in advance.

**Hax** · October 24, 2009, 03:46 PM

Arabia? Probably Al-Jazaïr (refering to the Continent).

**Space_Ed** · October 24, 2009, 03:56 PM

Has to be definately. I'm happy to stick with the current names because I know they are right for now. I'd rather it was correct for now than just incorrect.

**Hekhemut** · October 26, 2009, 11:19 AM

maybe i can help.i'm Persian and live in Iran and know the history of Persia/Islam history and can easily access to things u seek.after Arabs conquest in Persia many names of cities were changed like "Ctesiphon" to an arabic name "Kufah".names of the cities were always changed in Arabs dynasties too.so u must tell me the correct of dates and i will search them for you.and sorry for my bad english.

**Space_Ed** · October 26, 2009, 03:53 PM

Excellent. I've sent you a long and complicated private message.

**motiv-8** · November 02, 2009, 11:21 PM

Hi, I am a history degree holder with a specialization in Islamic history, and I have a few maps describing the Arab settlements in the Near East as well as the transliteration of cities that they conquered. I might be able to help with the project.

**Subuatai de Bodemloze** · November 05, 2009, 12:19 PM

Great motiv-8! Ed should be contacting you soon

**Ozzmosis** · November 20, 2009, 07:04 PM

You said Seljuk Persia. Im no expert on the seljuks but i am turkish and I was wondering, will the persian cities have arabic, persian or turkish names?(or were they same for all?)

**Space_Ed** · November 21, 2009, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by Ozzmosis

You said Seljuk Persia. Im no expert on the seljuks but i am turkish and I was wondering, will the persian cities have arabic, persian or turkish names?(or were they same for all?)

The Seljuq settlements and provinces are in Persian because the Seljuqs were Persianised.

**Space_Ed** · November 21, 2009, 11:12 AM

Current naming plan for the islamic world.:

Moors

149, 188, Marrakech / Marrakesh (A) / Al-Atlas al-Sageer

150, 190, Rabat / Ar Rabat (A) / Barghawata

151, 187, Fes / Fas (A) / Sebal al-Atlas

152, 189, Ceuta / Sebta (A) / Maqrib Shemalia

153, 194, Tlemclen / Tlmecan (A) / Ifriqiya al-Qarbi

154, 195, Algiers / Jazayr (A) / Shemal Qarb Ifriqiya

North African Rebels

155, 193, Tunis / Tunis (A) / Ifriqiya al-Shemali

156, 191, Sfax / Safaqis (A) / Ifriqiya al-Shemali

157, 192, Tripoli / Tarabulus (A) / Tripoli (I) / Ifriqiya al-Qarbi

158, 196, Benghazi / Benghazi (A) / Al-Jabal al-Akhdar

Fatimid Caliphate

159, 199, Alexandria / Eskindria (A) / Shemal Qarb Masr

160, 197, Fustat Misr / Fustat Misr (A) / Nahar Nile

161, 198, Dumyat / Domiat (A) / Delta Nile

162, 181, Aqaba / Aqaba (A) / Sina

163, 172, Jidda / Jeddah (A) / Jazeera al-Arab al-Qarbi

Middle Eastern Rebels

164, 173, Aden / Aden (A) / Jazeera al-Arab al-Sanobi

165, 174, Riyadh / Riyadh (A) / Arabi

166, 179, Basra / Basrah (A) / Iraq al-Sanobi

167, 186, Najaf / Al Najaf (A) / Iraq al-Qarbi

168, 151, Baghdad / Baghdad / Iraq al-Sharqi

Syria

169, 150, Mosul / Mosul (A) / Curdistan

170, 146, Aleppo / Halab (A) / Alep (F) / Aleppo (I) / Suriya

Sultinate of Rum

171, 158, Izmir / Smyrna / Izmir (1270) / Samos

172, 161, Alasehir / Philadelpheia / Alasehir (1280) / Thrakision

173, 157, Iznik / Nikaia / Iznik (1275) / Opsikίοn

174, 159, Konya / Ikónion / Konya (1277) / Anatolikon

Turkish Rebel

175, 164, Adana / Adana / Kilikia

Seljuks

176, 165, Kayseri / Kaisariyah (Se) / Charisanόn

177, 167, Ani / Ani (Se) / Hayastan

178, 148, Tabriz / Tabriz (Se) / Azerbaijan

179, 175, Isfahan / Isfahan (Se) / Iran

180, 176, Shiraz / Shiraz (Se) / Fars

181, 180, Hormuz / Hormuz (Se) / Makran

182, 178, Nishapur / Neyshapur (Se) / Nisapur (A) / Khorasan

183, 177, Urgench / Gorganch (Se) / Khorezm

184, 154, Damascus / Shaam (Se) / Damashq (A) / Damasco (I/S/P) / Damaskos (B) / Damaskus (G) / Damaszek (R) / Damas (F) /

185, 147, Acre / Akko (Se) / Akka (A/P) / Saint-Jean-d’Acre (F) / Acre (E/S/P) / Giovanni d’Acri (I) / Akkon (G) / Akra (B) / Galilee

186, 156, Tyre / Sur (Se /A) / Tyr (F/P) / Tyre (E) / Tyros (G) / Tiro (S/I/P) / Turos (B) /

187, 155, Jerusalem / Al-Quds (Se/A) / Solyme (F) / Jerusalem (E/G) / Jerusalén (S) / Gerusalemme (I) / Ierousalím (B) / Jerozolima (R) / Jerusalém (P) / Eretz Yisrael

188, 153, Ashkelon / Ashkelon (Se/E) / Ascalon (A/F) / Aschkelon (G) / Ascalón (S) / Ascalona (I) / Aszkelon (P) / Ascalão (P) /

**sumskilz** · November 21, 2009, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by Space_Ed

The Seljuq settlements and provinces are in Persian because the Seljuqs were Persianised.

To elaborate on what Ed said. The Seljuks continued to speak their Turkic dialect among themselves, but Persian was the administrative language of their empire.

As you can see by Ed's list, settlements will change name depending on factional/cultural ownership.

**Hax** · November 21, 2009, 05:52 PM

Adding on Space_Ed!

Sultinate of Rum

171, 158, Izmir / Smyrna / Izmir (1270) / Yazmir (A) / Samos

172, 161, Alasehir / Philadelpheia / Alasehir (1280) / Maghnisiyah (A) / Thrakision

173, 157, Iznik / Nikaia / Iznik (1275) / Yaznik* (A) / Opsikίοn

174, 159, Konya / Ikónion / Konya (1277) / Anatolikon

Turkish Rebel

175, 164, Adana / Adana / Antiocheia (G) / Uru Adaniya (A) Kilikia

159, 199, Alexandria / Eskanderiyah (A) / Shemal Qarb Masr

*Yaznik; this is how the city was called by Ibn-Battutah, who travelled the world in 1310.

**Ozzmosis** · November 21, 2009, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by sumskilz

To elaborate on what Ed said. The Seljuks continued to speak their Turkic dialect among themselves, but Persian was the administrative language of their empire.

As you can see by Ed's list, settlements will change name depending on factional/cultural ownership.

yeah, Persian seemed to be the "lingua franca" of most turkic peoples, from the ottomans to the timurids