Archaeological evidences have revealed that ‘defensive forts’ appeared for the first time in the Arabian Gulf after the invasion of Alexander the Great at its extreme northern parts during the fourth century BC, which were called by the Greek Larissa (Kuwait main land) and Ikaros (Failka Island).
Greek historians such as Strabo and Arian Alexander called the latter Failka for it resembles to Ikaros Island in shape and located in the Aegean Sea. In this island, Ikaros, the Greeks built the first defensive fort and two temples.
On the other hand, Nearchus, who was part of Alexander’s command to discover the Arabian Gulf waters, docked in Bahrain Island and he named the Island Tylos.
Archaeological excavations took place at a site located in the northern parts of the Island suggested the existence of a fort attributed to the Seleucid Empire (ca. 2-3 centuries BC).
As archaeological activities extended over the entire western shore of the Arabian Gulf, forts that are more defensive were found. Among them is the fort which was unearthed by an Iraqi team in 1974 and located off shore of Umm Al Qawain Emirate in UAE. This was dated to Seleucid Empire as well.
Ever since then, forts, castles and towers, began to spread over certain locations in inland and on shores of the Arabian Gulf down to modern times. Among them, for example, is an Islamic fort found in the northern part of Bahrain Island, and locally known as Bahrain Fort or Portugal Fort. According to historical and archaeological evidences, the fort was built in the sixteenth century and measures 700m x 400m and 8m in height.
Excavations, which took place during the second half of the fifties of the last century around the fort revealed six layers of habitation. Since each layer represented certain span of time, therefore it was called by the archaeologists City.
The first City appeared to have been established near the seashore in the beginning of the third millennium BC. Cultural remains on the other hand proved the trade and cultural links between City One and Mesopotamia. As excavations continued archaeologists found that, the numerous architectural remains of City Two covered the entire area of the former city.
In addition, City Two people seemed to be the main constructors of burial mounds located in the middle areas of the Island during the last three centuries of the third millennium BC.
According to the archaeological remains City Three seemed to have corresponded with the Kassite Dynasty established in Mesopotamia between 1550-1100 BC. Luckily, most of its buildings discovered during excavations appeared in good shape and good number of antiquities attributed to this era were found. Among them was a copper bullhead, which executed in naturalistic manner.
The ruins of City Four on the other hand proved to be more prominent than the others. A gate of more than three meters in height and other important architectural features were found. Studies revealed that this City was contemporary with the Neo- Assyrian Dynasty in Mesopotamia 900-600 BC.
The remains of City Five appeared right over the ruins of City Four. Unfortunately, the remaining ruins of this layer were few, consisting of houses located outside the northern side of the City. The discovery of the Greek and Roman pottery ware and terracotta figurines suggested the trade links between Tylos (Bahrain), and the Greeks, and the Romans (ca.300 BC to early centuries AD). City Six clearly appeared to be dated 1100-1400 AD. Architectural remains of the city represented by small walled building, and antiquities attributed to the afro mentioned date. Undoubtedly, more excavations at Bahrain Fort will reveal more information concerning not only the history of Bahrain but also the history of the entire Arabian Gulf.
The Peninsula
