Nikolaos Metaxas - Hesham M. Hassan, “Khandax / al-Khandaq: A New Approach to The Toponym”, Κρητικά Χρονικά 42 (2022), Pp. 167-201.

The purpose of this paper is to present certain facts concerning the history, etymology and symbolic role attached to the toponym Rabaḍ al-Khandaq -ربض الخندق short form: al-Khandaq- الخندق - Χάνδαξ, marking an endeavour that will result in a thoroughly new interpretation of the Byzantine and Arabic sources, in an attempt for a deeper comprehension of the historical identity of the Emirate of Crete. This paper assumes that the study of toponyms and their respective etymology can play a decisive role (not as an exclusive source of completely new information, but as an aiding element) in constructing a complete overview of Cretan history during the period of the Arab-Andalusian dominion (824-961 CE). Thus, after examining the etymology, history and course of the word "khandaq" through the ages, we will present its religious symbolism and, as a working assumption, its potential influence on the naming of the Emirate of Crete’s capital. Afterwards, we will examine the word rabaḍ and, while demonstrating the erroneous until today translation of the toponym "Rabaḍ al-Khandaq", we will pass –in light of the information of the sources and the secondary bibliography– to a new interpretation, which we deem able to provide new information on the ideological and religious identity of the Emirate of Crete. Finally, based on this new approach, we will examine a potential link between the Arabic name of the Cretan Khandax –Rabaḍ al-Khandaq– and the revolt of the suburb of Shaqunda “Rabaḍ Shakunda” in Cordoba, which took place in 818 CE. Key words: Khandax, Crete, Rabaḍ al-Khandaq, Rabaḍ Shakunda本文旨在阐明与地名拉巴德·阿尔·坎达格（Rabaḍ al-Khandaq，原阿拉伯语拼写：ربض الخندق）相关的历史、词源与象征意蕴，其简称包括阿尔·坎达格（al-Khandaq，原阿拉伯语拼写：الخندق）与希腊语写法Χάνδαξ。本研究致力于对拜占庭与阿拉伯史料展开全新阐释，以期深入探析克里特埃米尔国的历史身份认同。本文认为，对地名及其词源的研究，在构建公元824年至961年阿拉伯-安达卢西亚统治时期克里特历史的完整图景时，可发挥决定性作用——其并非作为全新信息的独家来源，而是作为辅助性研究要素。据此，我们将首先回溯“坎达格（khandaq）”一词在不同时代的词源、历史演变与使用脉络，阐释其宗教象征意义，并基于工作假设探讨其对克里特埃米尔国首都命名的潜在影响。随后，我们将对“拉巴德（rabaḍ）”一词展开研究，在指出学界至今对“拉巴德·阿尔·坎达格”这一地名的误译之后，结合一手史料与二手研究文献，提出全新的解读路径——我们认为该视角可为克里特埃米尔国的意识形态与宗教身份提供新的研究线索。最后，基于这一新的研究路径，我们将探讨克里特的阿拉伯语地名坎达克斯（Khandax）——拉巴德·阿尔·坎达格——与公元818年发生在科尔多瓦郊区沙昆达（Shaqunda，又称“拉巴德·沙昆达（Rabaḍ Shakunda）”）的起义之间的潜在关联。 关键词：坎达克斯（Khandax）、克里特、拉巴德·阿尔·坎达格、拉巴德·沙昆达（Rabaḍ Shakunda）