Cenmar

Cenmar or Cinimmar (pronounced "Sanimar" in Arabic: سنمار) was a Byzantine[1][2] architect who was requested by the Lakhmid king Al-Nu'man I ibn Imru al-Qays to build the most beautiful palace of the Sasanian Empire.

11th-century illustration of Nu'man throwing Sinnimar from the roof of the palace Khawarnaq.

After 20 years, Cenmar finished building the palace, named Khawarnaq (Arabic: الخورنق), and invited the king to see it. It was a real piece of art. After a small discussion between the two, Cenmar told the king two things: the first was about a brick within the palace that would cause the whole construction to collapse if moved, and that he was the only one to know where it lies; the second was that he could build a palace that moved with the sunlight wherever it went. The king, who became afraid of Cenmar's knowledge of the brick and jealous he might build a bigger and more beautiful palace for another king, ordered his guardians to kill Cenmar by throwing him off the palace down to the ground.

"Cenmar's compensation" is used proverbially in Persian and Arabic.


References
  1. Shahîd, Irfan (1995). Byzantium and the Arabs in the Sixth Century. Dumbarton Oaks. ISBN 9780884022848.
  2. Meisami, Julie Scott; Starkey, Paul (1998). Encyclopedia of Arabic Literature. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780415185721.
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