DIARBEKIR was one of the most flourishing and wealthy cities of Asia, and formerly contained about 40,000 families. It had very extensive manufactures, and an active trade with Baghdad in Indian, and with Aleppo in European produce. The plain was cultivated in every part, and covered with villages; and within three miles of the gates were several villages, each containing from 400 to 500 houses. The number of houses or families in the city are now only about 8000 (of which 1500 are Armenian, 85 Catholic, 70 Greek, 50 Jewish, and 6300 Turkish). The trade with Baghdad is annihilated, and that with Aleppo is reduced to insignificance. There are but few merchants, and those not wealthy; the people have few means of occupation; and not a village remains in the plain. The climate, though excessively hot in summer, cannot be said to be unhealthy; and in winter the temperature is delightful. The situation of Diarbekir admirably adapts it for a great commercial city, and nothing appears necessary to revive its ancient importance but a removal of the causes which have occasioned its decline, namely insecurity to trade from the attacks of the Kurds. The Tigris is not used as a channel of transport so high up as Diarbekir; but rafts of timber are sometimes floated down from the mountains above the town.
From the circumstance of the walls and buildings of this city being constructed almost wholly of black stone, it is called by the Turks Kara Amid, or the Black Amid. Its ancient name was Amida; the name of Diarbekir is used chiefly by the Arabs, as the name of Amid is still used by the Turks in all their public writings. Amida was successively taken, retaken, and destroyed, in the ancient wars between the Persians and Romans. It was pillaged by Tamerlane in the year 1393; and was successively taken and retaken by the Persian kings, until it was conquered by Selim, the first sultan of the Osmanli Turks, in the year 1515. In 1605 it again fell under the power of Persia; but it was afterwards retaken by the Turks, under whose dominion it has since continued.