634 battle between the Muslim Arabs under Khalid b. Walid and the Christian Ghassanid Arabs
An early Rashidun advance into Byzantine-held Syria, this skirmish at Marj Rahit preceded the Muslim Arab conquest of Damascus in 634.
Key Facts
- Date
- April 634 CE
- Rashidun army size
- 9000 troops soldiers
- Distance from Damascus
- Approximately 20 miles miles
- Pass elevation
- 2000 feet above surrounding countryside feet
- Pass renamed
- Saniyyat-ul-Uqab (Pass of the Eagle)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following the Battle of Huwwarin, Khalid ibn Walid continued his campaign northward toward Damascus. The Ghassanid Arabs, Christian allies of the Byzantine Empire, occupied the region around Marj Rahit, a large meadow near present-day Adra, placing them in the path of the advancing Rashidun army.
In April 634, the Rashidun army of approximately 9,000 men under Khalid ibn Walid engaged the Ghassanid Arab defenders at Marj Rahit. En route, Khalid halted at a mountain pass in the Jabal-ush-Sharq range and planted his eagle standard, thereafter naming the pass Saniyyat-ul-Uqab. The engagement at Marj Rahit was described as a minor conflict.
The Rashidun forces overcame Ghassanid resistance at Marj Rahit, clearing the approach to Damascus. This skirmish contributed to the broader Muslim Arab advance into Byzantine Syria, which culminated in the fall of Damascus later in 634 and the eventual collapse of Byzantine and Ghassanid control over the Levant.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Khalid ibn Walid.
Side B
1 belligerent