Dara

The ancient city of Dara is located in the village of Oguz, 30 kilometers southeast of Mardin. It is one of the most important settlements of Upper Mesopotamia in history. It was founded as a military garrison city in 505 AD with the initiatives of Emperor Anastasius (491-518 AD) to protect the eastern borders of the Eastern Roman Empire against the Sasanians. The ancient city of Dara, which consisted of rock-cut structures spread over a wide area, was protected by a 4-kilometer-long wall, and the inner castle was built in the north of the city and on the upper plain on a 50-meter-high hill, and the ruins of churches, palaces, and markets can still be seen. Dungeons, armories and a water dam in the city, in addition, there are cave houses dating back to the late Roman period around the village.