Editing Anbar (town) (section)

=== Sasanian period ===
The town was originally known as '''Misiche''' ([[Koine Greek|Greek]]: {{lang|grc|Μισιχή}}), '''Mesiche''' ({{lang|grc|Μεσιχή}}), or '''Massice''' ({{langx|pal|𐭬𐭱{{lrm}}𐭩{{lrm}}𐭪{{lrm}}{{lrm}}{{lrm}}{{lrm}}}} mšyk; {{langx|xpr|𐭌{{lrm}}𐭔{{lrm}}𐭉{{lrm}}𐭊{{lrm}}}} mšyk).{{Sfn|Brunner|1975|p=759}}{{Sfn|Frye|1983|p=125}} As a major crossing point of the Euphrates, and occupying the northernmost point of the complex irrigation network of the [[Sawad]], the town was of considerable strategic significance.{{sfn|Streck|Duri|1960|p=484}} As the western gate to central Mesopotamia, it was fortified by the [[Sasanian]] ruler [[Shapur I]] ({{reign|241|272}}) to shield his capital, [[Ctesiphon]], from the [[Roman Empire]].{{sfn|Streck|Duri|1960|p=484}} After his decisive victory over the [[Roman emperor]] [[Gordian III]] at the [[Battle of Misiche]] in 244, Shapur renamed the town to '''Peroz-Shapur''' (''Pērōz-Šāpūr'' or ''Pērōz-Šābuhr'', from {{langx|pal|𐭯𐭥𐭩𐭥𐭦𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩}}, meaning "victorious Shapur"; in {{langx|xpr|𐭐𐭓𐭂𐭅𐭆𐭔𐭇𐭐𐭅𐭇𐭓|prgwzšhypwhr}}; in {{langx|arc|פירוז שבור}}).{{Sfn|Brunner|1975|p=759}}{{Sfn|Frye|1983|p=125}} It became known as '''Pirisapora''' or '''Bersabora''' ({{langx|grc|Βηρσαβῶρα}}) to the Greeks and Romans.{{sfn|Streck|Duri|1960|p=484}}

The city was fortified by a double wall, possibly through the use of Roman prisoner labour; it was [[Siege of Pirisabora|sacked and burned]] after an agreement with its garrison in March 363 by the Roman emperor [[Julian (emperor)|Julian]] during [[Julian's Persian expedition|his invasion of the Sasanian Empire]].{{Sfn|Brunner|1975|p=759}}{{sfn|ODLA|loc="Peroz-Shapur" (J. Wienand), p. 1159}} It was rebuilt by [[Shapur II]].{{sfn|ODLA|loc="Peroz-Shapur" (J. Wienand), p. 1159}} By 420, it is attested as a bishopric,{{Sfn|Brunner|1975|p=759}} both for the [[Church of the East]] and for the [[Syriac Orthodox Church]].{{sfn|Streck|Duri|1960|p=484}} The town's garrison was Persian, but it also contained sizeable Arab and Jewish populations.{{sfn|Streck|Duri|1960|p=484}} Anbar was adjacent or identical to the [[History of the Jews in Iraq#Babylonia as the center of Judaism|Babylonian Jewish]] center of [[Nehardea]] ({{langx|arc|נהרדעא}}), and lies a short distance from the present-day town of [[Fallujah]], formerly the [[History of the Jews in Iraq#Babylonia as the center of Judaism|Babylonian Jewish]] center of [[Pumbedita]] ({{langx|arc|פומבדיתא}}).