This section is from "The American Cyclopaedia", by George Ripley And Charles A. Dana. Also available from Amazon: The New American Cyclopędia. 16 volumes complete..
Hamadan , a town of Persia, in the province of Irak Ajemi, at the foot of Mt. Elwend, 175 m.W.S.W. of Teheran, on the site, it is generally supposed, of ancient Eebatana, but according to Rawlinson of one of two Median cities of that name ; pop. about 40,000. It occupies a large surface on sloping ground, and has numerous gardens, bazaars, baths, caravansaries, and mosques. Near one of the last is an edifice which contains the tomb of Avi-cenna, the celebrated Arabian physician, who lived there in the first half of the 11th century; another edifice is believed by the inhabitants to contain the tombs of Esther and Mordecai. There are also a synagogue and an Armenian church. The town is mostly decayed and unattractive; the tomb of Avi-cenna, however, draws numerous pilgrims. It has a hot mineral spring, some manufactures in silk fabrics and carpets, and a large trade with Bagdad and other cities of Persia. Hama-dan was conquered by the Arabs shortly after the death of Mohammed, was destroyed and rebuilt, and was taken by the Seljuks, and by the Mongols of Genghis Khan and Tamerlane.
 
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