HIRA  , the

capital of an Arabian kingdom, founded in the 2nd century A.D., on the western edge of Irak, was situated at 32° N., 44° 20' E., about 4 M . S.E. of modern Nejef, by the Sa'ade canal, on the shore of the Bahr Nejef or Assyrium Stagnum . Its kings governed the western shore of the lower Euphrates and of the Persian Gulf, their kingdom extending inland to the con-fines of the Nejd . This Lakhmid kingdom was more or less dependent, during the four centuries of its existence, on the Sassanian empire, to which it formed a sort of buffer state towards Arabia . After the battle of Kadesiya and the founding of Kufa by the Arabs, Hira lost its importance and fell into decay . The ruin mounds covering the ancient site, while extensive, are insignificant in appearance and give no indications of the existence of important buildings .