Editing Manama (section)

===Pre-modern history===
There is evidence of human settlement on the northern coastline of Bahrain dating back to the [[Bronze Age]]. The [[Dilmun]] civilisation inhabited the area in 3000&nbsp;BC, serving as a key regional trading hub between [[Mesopotamia]], [[Majan (civilization)|Magan]] and the [[Indus Valley Civilisation]].{{sfn|Al-Nabi|2012|p=17}}{{sfn|Dumper|Stanley|2007|p=243}} Approximately 100,000 [[Dilmun burial mounds]] were found across the north and central regions of the country, some originating 5,000 years ago. Despite the discovery of the mounds, there is no significant evidence to suggest heavy urbanisation took place during the [[Dilmun]] era.{{sfn|Ben Hamouche|2008|p=184}} It is believed that the majority of the population lived in rural areas, numbering several thousand. Evidence of an ancient large rural population was confirmed by one of [[Alexander the Great]]'s ship captains, during voyages in the [[Persian Gulf]]. A vast system of [[aqueduct (water supply)|aqueduct]]s in northern Bahrain helped facilitate ancient horticulture and agriculture.{{sfn|Al-Nabi|2012|p=19}} 
{{quote box
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|quote     = <poem><span style="font-size:2em; font-family:'Times New Roman',serif; font-weight:bold;"></span>"The capital of [[Awal]]... is a town well populated whose environs are fertile and produce corn and dates in abundance."<span style="font-size:2em; font-family:'Times New Roman',serif; font-weight:bold;"></span></poem>
{{pad|1.6em}}—[[Al-Idrisi]]{{sfn|Al-Nabi|2012|p=19}} 
}}
[[File:Khamis Mosque 1956.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Khamis Mosque]] in 1956]]

The commercial network of Dilmun lasted for almost 2,000 years, after which the [[Assyria]]ns took control of the island in 700&nbsp;BC for more than a century. This was followed by [[Babylonia]]n and [[Achaemenid]] rule, which later gave way to Greek influence during the time of [[Wars of Alexander the Great|Alexander the Great's conquests]].{{sfn|Rice|2005|p=128}} In the first century AD, the Roman writer [[Pliny the Elder]] wrote of [[Tylos]], the Hellenic name of Bahrain in the [[classical era]], and its [[pearl]]s and cotton fields.{{sfn|Dumper|Stanley|2007|p=243}} The island came under the control of the [[Parthian Empire|Parthian]] and [[Sassanid]] empires respectively, by which time [[Nestorian Christianity]] started to spread in Bahrain. By 410–420&nbsp;AD, a Nestorian [[Episcopal see|bishopric]] and [[monastery]] was established in [[Al Dair]], on the neighbouring island of [[Muharraq]].{{sfn|Dumper|Stanley|2007|p=243}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Al A'ali|first=Mohammed|title=Protecting Bahrain's Christian heritage...|url=http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=359780|access-date=31 August 2013|newspaper=[[Gulf Daily News]]|date=24 August 2013|archive-date=25 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130825003322/http://gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=359780|url-status=dead}}</ref> Following the conversion of Bahrain to [[Islam]] in 628&nbsp;AD, work on one of the earliest mosques in the region, the [[Khamis Mosque]], began as early as the seventh century AD. During this time, Bahrain was engaged in long distance marine trading, evident from the discovery of [[Ancient Chinese coinage|Chinese coins]] dating between 600 and 1200&nbsp;AD, in Manama.{{sfn|Dumper|Stanley|2007|p=243}}

[[File:Bahrain Fort overview.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Qal'at al-Bahrain|Portuguese Fort]], built by the [[Portuguese Empire]] while it ruled Bahrain from 1521 to 1602]]
In 1330, under the [[Jarwanid dynasty]], the island became a tributary of the [[Kingdom of Hormuz]]. The town of Manama was mentioned by name for the first time in a manuscript dating to 1345&nbsp;AD.{{sfn|Dumper|Stanley|2007|p=243}} Bahrain, particularly Manama and the nearby settlement of [[Bilad Al Qadeem]], became a centre of [[Shia]] scholarship and training for the [[ulema]], it would remain so for centuries. The ulema would help fund [[pearl hunting|pearling]] expeditions and finance grain production in the rural areas surrounding the city. In 1521, Bahrain fell to the expanding [[Portuguese Empire]] in the Persian Gulf, having already defeated Hormuz.{{sfn|Dumper|Stanley|2007|p=244}} The Portuguese consolidated their hold on the island by constructing the [[Bahrain Fort]], on the outskirts of Manama.{{sfn|Larsen|1983|p=68}} After numerous revolts and an expanding [[Safavid empire]] in Persia, the Portuguese were expelled from Bahrain and the Safavids took control in 1602.{{sfn|Larsen|1983|p=68}}