As-Suwayda

As-Suwayda السويداء
The Roman amphitheatre
As-Suwayda Location in Syria
Coordinates: 32°42′N 36°34′E / 32.700°N 36.567°E / 32.700; 36.567
Country	Syria
Governorate	As Suwayda Governorate
District	As-Suwayda District
Population (2004 census[1])
• City	73,641
• Metro	138,822
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	+3 (UTC)
Area code(s)	16

As-Suwayda (Arabic: السويداء‎ / ALA-LC: as-Suwaydā’), also spelled Sweida, is a mainly Druze city located in southwestern Syria, close to the border with Jordan.

It is the capital of As-Suwayda Governorate, one of Syria's 14 governorates, bordering Jordan in the South and the governorates of Daraa in the West and Rif Dimashq in the North and East.

Demographics and population

The inhabitants of the city are mainly Druze with a prominent Greek Orthodox Christians minority.

The population of the city is 73,641 (2004 census).

History

Sweida's town square

The city was founded by the Nabataeans as Suada. It became known as Dionysias (Greek: Διονύσιας) in the Hellenistic and Roman times, for Dionysus the god of wine - the city is situated in a famous ancient wine-producing region.

The name Dionysias replaced the former Nabatean name of Suada in 149 AD after the Nabataean influence decreased and then concentrated towards the south, as a result of the accelerating Hellenization of Coele-Syria at that time.

Dionysias was a part of the Roman province of Arabia Petraea, and received the rights of civitas under the reign of Commodus between 180–185.

Dionysus was worshipped in the same Nabatean temple dedicated for Dushara. This practice of associating the worship of local and Hellenic gods was common in Hellenistic Syria.

This name remained in use during the Byzantine period, when the town was under the influence of Ghassanids, Dionysias then was a Diocese as a suffragan of Bosra. It was mentioned in the Synecdemus of Hierocles. After the Arab conquests it became a titular see.^[2]

Yaqut al-Hamawi noted in the 1220s that As Suwaida was "a village of the Hauran Province".^[3]

In recent times Dionysias was firstly identified as Sweida by William Henry Waddington.

Archaeology

Many archeological sites could be found in the old part of the city:

• Temple of Dionysus-Dushara: eight well-decorated columns are still standing from the temple.
• Saint Sergius Basilica: was built in the fifth century A.D. It has Byzantine architecture elements, with an abbey surrounding it. The basilica was dedicated to Saint Sergius.

The arch of the lesser church

• The arch of the lesser church: the church itself is ruined. An arch is still standing there known locally as Al Mashnaqa (English: The Gallow) with grape motif decorations.
• The amphitheatre: was recently discovered, south of the Agora.

The city has many ancient reservoirs, towers and old Roman houses that are still inhabited by locals.

Many parts of the old city are still to be excavated like the Roman aqueduct, a conical reservoir, and a larger Roman amphitheatre.

References

1. ↑ http://www.cbssyr.org/new%20web%20site/General_census/census_2004/NH/TAB13-1-2004.htm
2. ↑ "Catholic Encyclopedia: Dionysias". Newadvent.org. 1909-05-01. Retrieved 2014-06-20. 
3. ↑ quoted in le Strange, 1890, p. 540

Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to As-Suwayda.

External links

• Map of the town, Google Maps

Coordinates: 32°42′0″N 36°34′0″E / 32.70000°N 36.56667°E / 32.70000; 36.56667

Cities and towns of Syria Governorate centres Aleppo Damascus Daraa Deir ez-Zor Hama al-Hasakah Homs Idlib Latakia Quneitra Ar-Raqqah Rif Dimashq al-Suwayda Tartus District centres Abu Kamal Afrin Arihah Atarib Ayn al-Arab Azaz al-Bab Baniyas Darayya Dayr Hafir Douma Duraykish Fiq al-Haffah Harem Izra' Jableh Jarabulus Jisr ash-Shugur Maarat al-Numaan al-Malikiyah Manbij Masyaf Mayadin Mhardeh al-Mukharram al-Foqani an-Nabk Palmyra Qamishli Qardaha Qatana Qudsaya al-Qusayr al-Qutayfah Ra's al-'Ayn al-Rastan as-Safira Safita Salamiyah Salkhad al-Sanamayn Shahba ash-Shaykh Badr al-Suqaylabiyah Talkalakh al-Tall Tell Abyad al-Thawrah Yabrud Zabadani Sub-district centres Abu Qilqil Abu al-Thuhur Akhtarin Amuda Arbeen Arima al-Ariqah al-Arishah Armanaz Arwad al-Asharah Assal al-Ward Awj Ayn al-Fijah Ayn Halaqim Ayn Issa Ayn al-Nasr Babbila Banan Barri Sharqi Beit Jinn Binnish Bir al-Helu Bosra Bulbul Busayrah Da'el al-Dana Darat Izza Darkush al-Darbasiyah Deir Atiyah al-Dimas al-Dumayr Furqlus Ghabaghib al-Ghandurah al-Ghariyah al-Ghizlaniyah al-Hader Hadidah al-Hajar al-Aswad al-Hajib Hajin al-Hamidiyah al-Hamraa Harasta Harbnafsah Harran al-Awamid al-Hirak Hish Hisyah al-Hawl Huraytan al-Huwash Ibbin Samaan Ihsim Jayrud al-Jalaa al-Janudiyah Jaramana al-Jarniyah Jasim al-Jawadiyah Jubb al-Jarrah Jubb Ramlah Jindires al-Jiza al-Qabu Kafr Batna Kafr Nabl Kafr Takharim Kafr Zita al-Karamah al-Kasrah Kessab al-Khafsah Khan Shaykhun Khasham Kirnaz Kuwayris Sharqi Khanaser Khirbet Ghazaleh Khirbet al-Tin Mahmoud al-Kiswah Ma'arrat Misrin Maabatli Maadan Ma'loula Madaya Mahin Malah al-Malihah al-Mansurah Mare' Markadah Mashta al-Helu Maskanah al-Masmiyah al-Mazraa Muhambal Muhasan al-Musayfirah al-Mushannaf Muzayrib al-Nashabiyah al-Nasirah Nawa Nubl al-Qadmus al-Qahtaniyah Qalaat al-Madiq Qarah al-Qaryatayn al-Qurayya Qurqania Rajo Rankus Rasm Harmil al-Imam al-Rayi al-Riqama al-Ruhaybah al-Saan Saasaa Sabburah al-Sabe' Biyar al-Sabkhah Sadad Sahnaya Saidnaya Salqin Saraqib Sarmin Sarrin Sawran Sebei al-Shaddadah al-Shajara Shaqqa Sharran Shathah Shaykh al-Hadid al-Shaykh Maskin Shayukh Tahtani Shin Sinjar Sirghaya Slinfah Suluk al-Sur al-Surah al-Saghirah Suran al-Susah al-Sukhnah al-Tabni Talbiseh Taldou al-Tamanah Tasil Tell al-Daman Tell Hamis Tell Rifaat Tell Salhab Tell Tamer Tedef Thiban Uqayribat Urum al-Kubra Wadi al-Oyun al-Yaarubiyah al-Zurbah az-Ziyarah

Al-Suwayda Governorate Capital: Al-Suwayda   Shahba District Shahba Amrah al-Ariqah al-Buthainah Dama Harran al-Hayyat Hit al-Junayneh Khalkhalah Lahitha Majadel, Syria Mardak Nimreh Shaqqa al-Surah al-Saghirah Umm Haratayn Umm al-Zaytun   Al-Suwayda District Al-Suwayda 'Ara 'Atil Hibran al-Kafr Mafaalah al-Majdal Masad al-Mazraa Miyamas al-Mujaymer al-Mushannaf Najran Qanawat Rasas al-Ruha Sahwat Bilata Sahwat al-Khudr Salim Tarba al-Thaalah   Salkhad District Salkhad al-Afinah Orman Baka al-Ghariyah Hout al-Huwayya Imtan Malah Umm al-Rumman al-Qurayya Thaybin