該城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)北(bei)(bei)(bei)鄰(lin)泜河,三(san)面(mian)(mian)環崗(gang)(正南(nan)1.5公里為(wei)(wei)木(mu)花崗(gang),東南(nan)1.5公里為(wei)(wei)光泰(tai)崗(gang),西(xi)南(nan)2公里為(wei)(wei)馬棚崗(gang)),依山傍水,地(di)勢(shi)險要,向為(wei)(wei)歷代(dai)兵家必爭之地(di)。各(ge)崗(gang)上密布戰國、漢代(dai)古墓數千座。該城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)近方形,西(xi)北(bei)(bei)(bei)部(bu)(bu)為(wei)(wei)斜(xie)角。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)全長(chang)共(gong)8017米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi):其(qi)中(zhong)東城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)2225米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),南(nan)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)1915米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),西(xi)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)1451米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),北(bei)(bei)(bei)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)2426米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),占(zhan)地(di)面(mian)(mian)積4平(ping)方公里。東西(xi)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)的(de)南(nan)半部(bu)(bu)及(ji)南(nan)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)除部(bu)(bu)分地(di)段有不同程度的(de)破壞(huai)外,大部(bu)(bu)分輪廓清晰,保存(cun)完好,占(zhan)總(zong)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)的(de)五分之三(san),目前(qian)城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)平(ping)均殘高(gao)2—6米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)不等,高(gao)處7米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),基寬(kuan)(kuan)16.5米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),夯(hang)土筑就。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)夯(hang)土層為(wei)(wei)10厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)左右,每高(gao)60厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)鋪有一層栣木(mu),栣木(mu)間(jian)距為(wei)(wei)30至60厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)不等,其(qi)作用相當于現代(dai)建(jian)筑的(de)鋼筋。該城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)共(gong)九門:東、西(xi)各(ge)三(san)門,南(nan)二(er)門,北(bei)(bei)(bei)一門。城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)門寬(kuan)(kuan)約16.5米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),護城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)河距城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)10米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),河寬(kuan)(kuan)18米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi);中(zhong)心宮殿建(jian)筑區在城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)內中(zhong)北(bei)(bei)(bei)部(bu)(bu),南(nan)北(bei)(bei)(bei)寬(kuan)(kuan)300米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),東西(xi)長(chang)1400米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),占(zhan)地(di)面(mian)(mian)積42萬平(ping)方米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)。柏(bo)人城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)址是我國保存(cun)較好的(de)古代(dai)大城(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)(cheng)池之一。
據(ju)舊(jiu)志記載:“春秋周(zhou)襄(xiang)王17年(nian),衛侯毀滅(mie)邢、并于衛,遂屬衛。28年(nian)晉文(wen)公伐衛取邢,又屬晉邑,乃為(wei)柏(bo)人(ren)(ren)(ren)。”由(you)此,柏(bo)人(ren)(ren)(ren)城(cheng)(cheng)似晉文(wen)公時所(suo)建(jian)。到戰國,趙(zhao)王遷元(yuan)年(nian)又予以重修。該城(cheng)(cheng)歷史久遠,相(xiang)傳此地是帝堯(yao)建(jian)都(dou)的地方(fang),在(zai)后來的一(yi)(yi)些(xie)史籍上(shang)(shang)曾說它是“柏(bo)人(ren)(ren)(ren)城(cheng)(cheng),堯(yao)之都(dou)也”。據(ju)北齊《顏氏家訓》記載,在(zai)柏(bo)人(ren)(ren)(ren)城(cheng)(cheng)西門內有(you)一(yi)(yi)漢桓(huan)帝時柏(bo)人(ren)(ren)(ren)縣(xian)民為(wei)縣(xian)令徐整碑,石碑上(shang)(shang)銘文(wen)曰:“山有(you)巏嵍,王喬所(suo)仙。”《全唐詩(shi)話》中(zhong)還有(you)馬郁贈給(gei)韓定(ding)辭的一(yi)(yi)首(shou)詩(shi):“邃(sui)林(lin)芳(fang)草綿綿思(si),盡日相(xiang)攜陟麗譙。別后宣務(wu)山上(shang)(shang)望,羨君時復見(jian)王喬。”可(ke)見(jian)這里是傳說中(zhong)的柏(bo)人(ren)(ren)(ren)令王子喬駕鶴(he)升(sheng)天(tian)之地。
據隆(long)堯(yao)縣(xian)(xian)1999年(nian)(nian)修訂出版的《唐山縣(xian)(xian)志(zhi)》(注(zhu):金(jin)太宗完顏晟時期(qi),隆(long)堯(yao)稱唐山)記:《帝王(wang)世紀》、《城(cheng)(cheng)冢(zhong)記》、《大明(ming)一統志(zhi)》皆云:“柏(bo)仁(人)城(cheng)(cheng),堯(yao)封唐侯所都之(zhi)地(di)”,《唐山縣(xian)(xian)志(zhi)》記柏(bo)人城(cheng)(cheng):“春秋襄(xiang)王(wang)十(shi)七年(nian)(nian),紀侯毀于(yu)邢,并于(yu)紀,遂屬紀。”“二十(shi)八年(nian)(nian)晉文公伐紀取邢,又(you)屬晉邑,乃(nai)為柏(bo)人。”
柏(bo)人城(cheng)周圍崗(gang)上遍布(bu)戰國及漢代古墓(mu),該城(cheng)歷年出土遺物有陶器(qi)、瓷器(qi)、金屬器(qi)等(deng),代表器(qi)物有該城(cheng)在戰國時期(qi)所鑄“白人”刀幣和刻有“柏(bo)人”的(de)銘(ming)文戈。當時趙國只有邯鄲和柏(bo)人兩(liang)地(di)鑄造(zao)錢幣,足見當時柏(bo)人城(cheng)歷史地(di)位之重(zhong)要。
柏(bo)人(ren)(ren)城(cheng)由(you)夯(hang)土(tu)建筑,北(bei)鄰(lin)泜(zhī)水,三(san)面環崗(gang),依山(shan)傍水,形勢險要,向來(lai)為歷(li)代兵(bing)家所看重。邢臺(tai)通史(shi)上“邢地春秋古城(cheng)遺址(zhi)”一節,記(ji)載了“柏(bo)人(ren)(ren)城(cheng)系晉(jin)文公(gong)時(shi)(shi)初建”。戰(zhan)(zhan)國時(shi)(shi)期(qi),柏(bo)人(ren)(ren)城(cheng)已發(fa)展(zhan)(zhan)成(cheng)為北(bei)方趙國的一個(ge)比較繁榮昌盛的軍事重鎮,那時(shi)(shi)候人(ren)(ren)口聚居,經(jing)濟得到大(da)發(fa)展(zhan)(zhan)。這里遺有(you)商周時(shi)(shi)期(qi)的陶(tao)窯和(he)大(da)量陶(tao)器,城(cheng)四周有(you)眾(zhong)多(duo)戰(zhan)(zhan)國及(ji)漢(han)代古墓,從墓葬(zang)中曾經(jing)挖(wa)掘出不少(shao)陶(tao)罐銅(tong)(tong)鏡,銅(tong)(tong)帶勾(gou)、青銅(tong)(tong)劍、鐵劍以及(ji)戰(zhan)(zhan)國時(shi)(shi)期(qi)的錯金銅(tong)(tong)帶勾(gou)玉璧、瑪瑙飾件等。近年,在柏(bo)人(ren)(ren)城(cheng)址(zhi)還發(fa)現了戰(zhan)(zhan)國時(shi)(shi)流行的銅(tong)(tong)質“刀幣”,刀幣上鑄有(you)“白(通柏(bo))人(ren)(ren)”字樣(yang)。據專家考證,當時(shi)(shi)趙國只有(you)邯鄲和(he)柏(bo)人(ren)(ren)兩個(ge)地方鑄銅(tong)(tong)錢。這是戰(zhan)(zhan)國時(shi)(shi)柏(bo)人(ren)(ren)城(cheng)經(jing)濟繁榮、商業發(fa)達的重要標志。
古柏(bo)(bo)(bo)人(ren)(ren)一(yi)帶,歷史上(shang)曾發生(sheng)過數次戰(zhan)爭。據史料記(ji)載:公(gong)元前(qian)491年,晉(jin)卿趙(zhao)氏(shi)與中行氏(shi)、范(fan)氏(shi)等發生(sheng)內(nei)戰(zhan),中行文(wen)子曾逃至柏(bo)(bo)(bo)人(ren)(ren),趙(zhao)簡子遂圍柏(bo)(bo)(bo)人(ren)(ren)。漢(han)高(gao)祖8年(公(gong)元前(qian)199年),劉(liu)邦過柏(bo)(bo)(bo)人(ren)(ren),怕被(bei)人(ren)(ren)行刺,未留宿西(xi)去,使(shi)趙(zhao)相(xiang)貫(guan)高(gao)等人(ren)(ren)的陰(yin)謀未能得(de)逞。公(gong)元24年,后(hou)漢(han)光武(wu)帝劉(liu)秀創業時,曾在柏(bo)(bo)(bo)人(ren)(ren)城外大敗王郎大獎李育。柏(bo)(bo)(bo)人(ren)(ren)城成為漢(han)武(wu)帝在河北(bei)一(yi)帶的重要軍事堡(bao)壘。西(xi)晉(jin)末年,羯族(匈奴的一(yi)個分支(zhi))人(ren)(ren)石勒率兵襲晉(jin)將王浚(jun)占(zhan)領柏(bo)(bo)(bo)人(ren)(ren)城,大破(po)晉(jin)軍。此役為爾后(hou)石勒在古襄國(邢臺(tai)市)稱(cheng)帝奠定了基礎(chu)。
西(xi)漢(han)時(shi)柏人城(cheng)為(wei)縣(xian)級行政首府,北魏時(shi)曾易名“柏仁(ren)”城(cheng)。唐(tang)天寶元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(742年(nian)(nian)),因遭(zao)水(shui)患,城(cheng)被水(shui)淹,縣(xian)治(zhi)東遷(qian)堯(yao)城(cheng)鎮,遂(sui)更名為(wei)堯(yao)山縣(xian),歷(li)時(shi)948年(nian)(nian)的(de)古(gu)柏仁(ren)城(cheng)廢,始稱亦城(cheng)。時(shi)隔千余載,古(gu)柏城(cheng)雖(sui)廢,但它的(de)遺(yi)跡(ji)猶存,昔日(ri)古(gu)城(cheng)垣依稀可見,眾多(duo)出土文物仍指點(dian)人們去(qu)追溯古(gu)城(cheng)的(de)歷(li)史足跡(ji)。