Homs

Homs or Hims (, Homs or Ḥims; previously Greek: Ἔμεσα, Emesa) is a ceety in wastren Sirie an the caipital o the Homs Govrenorate. It is 501 metres (1,644 ft abuin sea level an is locatit 162 kilometres (101 mi) north o Damascus. Locatit on the Orontes River, Homs is an aa the central link atween the interior ceeties an the Mediterranean coast.

Homs did no emerge intae the licht o history till the 1st century BC at the time o Seleucids. It later became the caipital o a kinrick ruled bi the Emesani dynasty who gae the ceety its name. Oreeginally a pagan centre o worship for the Sun god El-Gabal, it later gained importance in Christianity unner the Byzantines. It wis conquered bi the Muslims in the 7t century an made caipital o a destrict that bore its current name. Throughoot the Islamic era, Muslim dynasties contendin for control o Sirie sought efter Homs due tae the ceety's strategic poseetion in the aurie. It began tae decline unner the Ottomans an anerlie in the 19t century did the ceety regain its economic importance when its cotton industry boomed.

The day, Homs is a major industrial centre in Sirie, an wi a population o 1,500,000, it is the third lairgest ceety in the kintra. Its population reflects Sirie's general releegious diversity, componed maistly o Arabic-speakin Sunni Muslims, wi a Christian minority. The ceety boasts a nummer o historic mosques an kirks an is near the Krak des Chevaliers, a Warld Heritage Steid.

Etymology
"Emesa" is a compund o "Ham-Es", wi the Es representin an assemblage o the locally-revered sun god in (El-Gabal) in auncient times. The name "Emesa" or "Hemesa" is an aa attributit tae "Emesenoi", the name o the Arab tribe that ruled the aurie afore its incorporation intae the Roman Empire.Ball, 2000, pp. 34–35. When the name o the tribe became attached tae the ceety is indiscernible, but is generally thocht tae hae been uised unner the Romans.Dumper, 2007, p. 171.

"Emesa" wis shorten tae "Homs" or "Hims" bi its Arab indwallers, mony o whom settled thare prior tae the Muslim conquest o Sirie.Gibbon and Ockley, 1870, p.177. This name haes been preserved throughoot the period o Islamic rule continuin tae the present day. It wis kent as "la Chamelle" bi the Crusaders, awtho thay niver ruled the ceety. A seicont possibility aboot the oreegin o the ceety's modren name is that it is an Arabic form o the ceety's Laitin name "Emesus", derived frae the Greek "Emesa" or "Emesos".Room, 2006, p.167.

Sister ceeties
  Belo Horizonte, Brazil (2001)
  Kayseri, Turkey
  Yazd, Iran

References

Citit soorces
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Category:Populatit places established in the 3rd millennium BC

Category:Roman touns an ceeties in Sirie