Editing Ctesiphon (section)

===Downfall of the Sasanians and the Islamic conquests===
{{Further|Siege of Ctesiphon (637)}}

In the mid-630s, the [[Muslim conquest of Persia|Muslim Arabs]], who had invaded the territories of the Sasanian Empire, defeated them during a great battle known as the [[Battle of al-Qādisiyyah]].{{sfn|Morony|2009}} The Arabs then attacked Ctesiphon, and occupied it in [[Siege of Ctesiphon (637)|early 637]].

The Muslim military officer [[Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas]] quickly seized [[Valashabad]] and made a peace treaty with the inhabitants of Veh-Antiok-Xusrō and [[Veh-Ardashir]]. The terms of the treaty were that the inhabitants of Veh-Antiok-Xusrō were allowed to leave if they wanted to, but if they did not, they were forced to acknowledge Muslim authority, and also pay tribute (''[[jizya]]''). Later on, when the Muslims arrived at Ctesiphon, it was completely desolated, due to flight of the [[Sasanian family tree|Sasanian royal family]], [[nobility|nobles]], and troops. However, the Muslims had managed to take some of troops captive, and many riches were seized from the Sasanian treasury and were given to the Muslim troops.{{sfn|Morony|2009}} Furthermore, the throne hall in [[Taq Kasra]] was briefly used as a mosque.<ref>Reade, Julian (1999). Scarre, Chris, ed. ''The Seventy Wonders of the Ancient World: The Great Monuments and How they were Built''. Thames & Hudson. pp. 185–186. {{ISBN|0-500-05096-1}}</ref>

Still, as political and economic fortune had passed elsewhere, the city went into a rapid decline, especially after the founding of the [[Abbasid]] capital at [[Baghdad]] in the 760s, and soon became a [[ghost town]]. [[al-Mansur|Caliph Al-Mansur]] took much of the required material for the construction of Baghdad from the ruins of Ctesiphon. He also attempted to demolish the palace and reuse its bricks for his own palace, but he desisted only when the undertaking proved too vast.<ref>Bier, L. (1993). "The Sassanian Palaces and their Influence in Early Islam". ''Ars Orientalis'', 23, 62–62.</ref> Al-Mansur also used the [[al-Rumiya]] town as the Abbasid capital city for a few months.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland |title=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland |date=1895 |publisher=Cambridge University Press for the Royal Asiatic Society |page=40 |language=en}}</ref>

It is believed to be the basis for the city of [[Isbanir]] in ''[[One Thousand and One Nights]]''.{{By whom|date=February 2025}}