Birtha (Mesopotamia) Birtha (Mesopotamia) Birtha () was an ancient fortress on the river Tigris, which was said to have been built by Alexander the Great. It would seem, from the description of Ammianus, to have resembled a modern fortification, flanked by bastions, and with its approaches defended by out-works. Shapur II here closed his campaign in 360, and was compelled to retire with considerable loss. D'Anville and Edward Gibbon both identify Birtha as modern-day Tikrit, Iraq. The word "Birtha" in Syriac means a castle or fortress, and might be applied to many places. From the known position of Dura, it has been
History of Mesopotamia of Assur was still occupied until the 14th century, and Assyrians possibly still formed the majority in northern Mesopotamia until the Middle Ages. Assyrians retain Eastern Rite Christianity whereas the Mandaeans retain their ancient gnostic religion and Mesopotamian Aramaic as a mother tongue and written script to this day. Among these peoples, the giving of traditional Mesopotamian names is still common. History of Mesopotamia The history of Mesopotamia ranges from the earliest human occupation in the Lower Sumaya period up to the Late antiquity. This history is pieced together from evidence retrieved from archaeological excavations and, after the introduction of