The Vale of Tharbad, North of Gondor

Tharbad was a city in Middle Earth on the southern border of Eriador. Tharbad was located between the North-kingdom of Arnor and the South-kingdom of Gondor. The North-South Road connecting Gondor and Arnor ran through Tharbad.

Tharbad was originally founded by the Men of Numenor under the leadership of the mariner Aldarion. The Numenoreans came up the Greyflood seeking timber from the great forests on either side of the river. Aldarion visited Tharbad sometime after he became King of Numenor in 883 of the Second Age, and there he met Galadriel who lived in the nearby Elven-realm of Eregion.

In 1700, during the War of the Elves and Sauron, Sauron's forces captured the Crossing of Tharbad, which had been lightly guarded. But in 1701, Sauron's forces were defeated in the Battle of the Gwathlo (Greyflood) and he was driven out of Eriador.