Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, located on the bank of Chenab River. Multan is one of the five largest urban centres of Pakistan in 2023, with an estimated population of 2.2 million, and is the major cultural, religious and economic centre of Southern Punjab. Multan is known for rich ancient heritage and historic landmarks. The city is one of the oldest and continuously inhabited cities of Asia, with a history stretching deep into antiquity. A historic capital and cultural centre of Punjab and a significant centre of Indus Valley civilization. Multan region was centre of many civilizations throughout its 5 millenia old history.
Multan was part of Achaemenid Empire ruled by Darius the Great of Iran in 500 BC era. The city was besieged by Alexander the Great during the Mallian Campaign. It was conquered by the Umayyad military commander Muhammad bin Qasim in 712 CE after the conquest of Sindh. Multan reached height of its splendour during the Arab rule of 9th and 10th century when it was made a separate state of Emirate of Multan thereby ruling large parts of Punjab and Kashmir.
Later the region came under the rule of empires such as the Ghaznavids, the Ghaurids and the Mamluks. In 1445, it became capital of the Langah Sultanate. Multan province was one of the largest provinces of Mughal Empire. Afterwards, Multan became part of the Durrani and Sikh empires successively. In 1848, it was conquered by the British Empire and became part of British Punjab.
Multan was among the largest cities of the world in early medieval era. The city was among most important trading centres and a great centre of knowledge and learning in the medieval Islamic Indian subcontinent, and attracted a multitude of Sufi mystics in the 11th and 12th centuries becoming a great centre of spirituality in entire South Asia, earning the city the sobriquet "City of Saints." The city, along with the nearby city of Uch, is renowned for its large number of Sufi shrines dating from that era.
Etymology
The origin of Multan's name is unclear. An ancient known name of the city was Malli-istan; Malli was the name of a tribe that inhabited the region and city. Some have suggested the name derives from the Old Persian word mulastāna, 'frontier land'. Hukm Chand in the 19th century suggested that the city was named after an ancient Hindu tribe called Malli or Mulu.
History
Origin
Multan was founded by the great grandson of Prophet Noah according to the Persian historian Firishta. Founded before 3000 BC era, Multan was home to ancient Aryan civilization of ethnic Iranian descent. The region has been the site of much warfare because of its location on a major invasion route between South and Central Asia. The region is home to numerous archaeological sites dating to the era of the Early Harappan period of the Indus Valley civilization from 3000 BCE until 2800 BCE.
According to Hindu religious texts, Multan was founded by the Hindu sage Kashyapa. These texts also assert that Multan was the capital of the Trigarta Kingdom ruled by the Katoch dynasty during the Kurukshetra War that is central to the Hindu epic poem, the Mahabharata.
Famous Hindu festival of Holi is generally assumed to have originated from Multan. The city was visited by Greek Admiral Skylax, who passed through the area in 515 BCE on behest of Iran's Darius the great. The city is also mentioned to be explored by the Greek historian Herodotus in 400 BC. Kaspatyrus or Kashyapura (an old name of Multan) was a Gandharan city when conquered by Darius's army of Achaemenid empire, and it was included in the Province of Arachosia in 500 BCE era.
Greek Invasion
Multan is believed to have been the Malli capital that was conquered by Alexander the Great in 326 BCE as part of the Mallian Campaign. The Malli tribe, together with nearby tribes, gathered an army of 90,000 personnel to fight against an army of 50,000 Greeks. This was the largest army faced by Greeks in the entire subcontinent. During the siege of the city's citadel, Alexander reputedly leaped into the inner area of the citadel, where he faced the Mallians leader. Alexander was wounded by an arrow that had penetrated his lung, leaving him severely injured. After a fierce battle at the site of 'Khooni Burj' the Mallian army eventually surrendered, preventing further bloodshed. During Alexander's era, Multan was located on an island in the Ravi river, which has since shifted course numerous times throughout the centuries.
In the mid-5th century CE, the city was attacked by White Huns, a group of Barbarian Hephthalite nomads led by Toramana. After a fierce fight they conquered Multan, but did not stay long.