Cities of Khazaria. Kromos Estatium
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The khazar cities here include not only those cities that were built by the khazar architects, but also those that were built before the arrival of the khazars, were used by the khazars for their needs and tasks for a long time.
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Sarashin in the Caspian sea **
This is a turkic name. Also, perhaps it was Samandar or Semender.
It is considered a major city of the Khazar Khaganate. Historians identify it to the annalistic Semender, although it seems that it is Sarashen.
The name of this city among the khazars meant the White house, an Important Palace. Names of settlements of this type were popular in Khazaria.
In the Turkic languages, the word «sam» meant not only white, but also nobility, the highest quality. On the contrary, kara-khazar meant a black bone, a subordinate position.
According to the explanation of the historian and chronicler M.Agha, the karaites considered Samandar the capital of Khazaria in the period from the middle of the 7th century to the end of the 8th century. The karaites located this city on the banks of the Terek river. They also derive the name of this city from the word «saman». This could mean the Saman city, a city with dwellings made of huts, unburned bricks from clay soil with an admixture of thatch.
In arabic sources, this city is mentioned under the name al-Bayda, which also means White Palace. Although historians attribute this name to another city with a similar naming Sarashin.
In 750, according to Kevin Brook, the main capital of the khazars was moved from Sarkel to the city of Itil on the outskirts of the Volga.
Around 770, the khazars moved their other capital from Balanjar to Samandar, which was located on the river bank in the North Caucasus. This city was noted by an ancient chronicler for its beautiful gardens and vineyards.
Samandar was the second by its economic importance to the city that the turks knew as Sarashin. It was located somewhere within present-day Northern Dagestan.
One time, in the first third of the 8th century, Samandar-Sarashin was one of the capitals of the khazars. This was in the period after the capture of Balanjar by the forces of al-Jarrah and before the campaign of Mervan in 737.
During these important events in the history of Khazaria, and after them, Samandar-Sarashin retains its economic and political significance.
After the conquest of the Arab Caliphate of Syria Patrick Armeniacus gathered many troops against an arab muslim. His army also joined the troops of the alans, abhazs, samandars and sarashins of the khazars, reported al-Balazuri in his book «Conquest».
In 969, according to Ibn Haukal and Novoseltsev, the Russian army expelled all citizens from the city of Samandar-Sarashin, destroying their craft and fortress.
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