HARRAN

harran, haran or charran (sept. [greek: charrhran] or [greek: charrha]: strabo, [greek: karrhai]: pliny, _carrae_ or _carrhae_; arab. _harran_), in biblical history the place where terah halted after leaving ur, and apparently the birthplace of abraham, a town on the stream jullab, some nine hours' journey from edessa in syria. at this point the road from damascus joins the highway between nineveh and carchemish, and haran had thus considerable military and commercial value. as a strategic position it is mentioned in inscriptions as early as the time of tiglath pileser