Batman is a provincial capital in southeastern Turkey, situated along the Batman River near the ancient city of Hasankeyf and the vast Dicle (Tigris) River valley. Known for its oil industry heritage and proximity to extraordinary archaeological sites spanning 12,000 years of continuous human settlement, Batman offers travelers an authentic off-the-beaten-path experience of Mesopotamian history and Kurdish culture.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Batman.
-
1
10,000–6,000 BCE
Neolithic settlement at Hasankeyf; cave dwellings in limestone cliffs along the Tigris River
-
2
3,000–2,000 BCE
Bronze Age; the region under Akkadian and later Assyrian influence; copper working documented
-
3
9th–7th century BCE
Neo-Assyrian period; area under direct Assyrian Empire control
-
4
1st–4th century CE
Roman period; Hasankeyf (Cepha) becomes a fortified Roman border city; stone bridge built across Tigris
-
5
7th century CE
Arab Muslim conquest; city enters the Islamic period; becomes part of the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates
-
6
1100–1232 CE
Ayyubid dynasty rule; golden age of Hasankeyf; construction of palace, mosques, and city fortifications
-
7
13th–16th century
Artukid and later Aq Qoyunlu Turkmen rule; Zeynel Bey Mausoleum built 1474 CE
-
8
16th–20th century
Ottoman Empire; region remains relatively autonomous; agricultural economy
-
9
1940s
Oil discovered in Batman region; modern city of Batman founded as an oil industry center
-
10
2019
Ilisu Dam fills; lower town of Hasankeyf submerged; key monuments relocated to higher ground before inundation
Historical sites
Places where Batman's past comes alive.