9 Intriguing Facts About Syria
By: Ani Karapetyan/Contributing Writer
Syria is a fascinating country with a long history. It is one of the cradles of civilization. There are countless intriguing facts about this ancient country. In this article, we select and introduce to the reader the nine of the most unexpected facts about Syria.
1. Damascus is the oldest capital in the world
The capital of Syria, Damascus, is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Estimates of its age vary from 4,000 to 10,000 years. Damascus is mentioned more than 15 times in the Bible and is recognized as the oldest living capital of the world. The city was first mentioned in 2500 BC.
Once in the old city, the traveler seems to plunge into a tangible history. Damascus was a part of Assyria, the state of Alexander the Great, the Roman Empire, Byzantium and the Arab Caliphate. Traces of these civilizations are visible everywhere, creating such a mysterious mixture of architectural styles that at some point you begin to feel yourself at the crossroads of epochs and civilizations.
2. Syria is where the language of Jesus is still alive
Syria is the cradle of Christianity. There are tens of thousands of Christians living in the country. One of these Christian communities is the Aramaic community. They speak the New Aramaic languages. Some sections of the books of the Bible are in Aramaic. It is also the language Jesus Christ and his followers spoke. These people profess predominantly to Christianity, and the Arameans were among the first who in the 1st century accepted this faith.
Mel Gibson’s movie, “Passion of the Christ” is entirely performed in Aramaic and Latin. The entire cast had to learn some Aramaic. Aramaic is a Semitic language and has similarities with Hebrew and Arabic. For instance, water is “moyeh” in Aramaic, “maim” in Hebrew, and “mayy” in Arabic.
In Syria, once the home of indigenous Christian Aramaic speakers, the language is still heard in the villages and towns neighboring Damascus. The center of Aramaic community is the city of Malula.
3. Syria is the center of the Alawite sect
Syria is the birthplace of many Christian, Muslims, and other religious sects. The Alawite branch is a sect of the Twelver branch of Shia Islam. Today, Alawites represent 11 percent of the Syrian population and are a significant minority in Turkey and northern Lebanon. The Assad family and current president belong to the Alawite sect.
4. Straight Street in Damascus is mentioned in the Bible
The Straight Street is mentioned in the Gospel is related to the life story of St. Paul the Apostle. The Biblical story tells us that Paul traveled to Damascus to continue the persecution of followers of Jesus Christ. However, in a place close to Damascus, Jesus appeared to Paul in a powerful stream of light from heaven. Blinded by the vision, Paul fell from his horse and lost his eyesight. He had to go to Damascus, where he stopped at Judas, who lived on Straight Street. There, the Lord sent his disciple Anania, who by putting his hands on Paul’s eyes, rescued him from blindness; Anania also baptized him. After that, Paul continued his travels around the world, spreading Christianity everywhere.
The length of Straight street is 1.5 km. Currently, Straight Street is divided into two branches: Midhat Pasha and Bab Sharki.
5. The oldest Christian church is in Syria
The Dura-Europos house church in Syria is the oldest Christian church. Initially, it was a house, then it has evolved into a place used for worship, sometime between 233 and 256.
Fortunately, after its excavation in the 1920s and 1930s by French and American teams, famous frescos of the church were removed and now are preserved at Yale University Art Gallery.
However, recently, after the occupation of ISIS, it is unknown whether the ruins of the building still stand or not.
6. Socialized medicine, free education, and natural resources
Syria for decades has provided socialized medicine and free education. Literacy is at 83% (before independence it was 10%), which is much higher than in Iraq and Egypt Additionally, Syria is a country which is self-sufficient in food production, and staple agricultural crops.
7. Syria is an ethnically and religiously diverse country
Although the majority of the population in Syria is Sunni Arabs, there are other ethnic and religious groups live in the country as well. The Muslim minority groups living in Syria are the Kurds, Alawites, Druzes, Ismailis, Iranian Twelver Shias, Turkmens, Sunni Circassians. Christian minority groups are the Maronites, Greek Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Assyrians, Syriacs, and Armenians. Also, some Jewish and Yazidi ethnic groups have lived in Syria.
It is interesting to know that the first president of Armenia in 1991, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, came from the Syrian city of Aleppo. His family was a survival of the Armenian genocide who took a refuge in Aleppo. Levon Ter-Petrosyan is fluent in Armenian, Arabic, Assyrian, Russian, French, English, and German.
8. The Umayyad Mosque, the burial place of John the Baptist
The Umayyad mosque was built after the Arab conquest of Damascus in 634. It was built on a site of a Christian basilica dedicated to John the Baptist. According to the legend, here is where the head of John the Baptist was buried. It’s the place where Muslims believe that Jesus will return at the End of Days.
Pope John Paul II took active steps to improve relations between Christians and Muslims. In 2001, he became the first pope to visit the mosque and pray there; it was in the Umayyad Mosque, located in the Syrian capital of Damascus. At the end of the prayer, John Paul II even kissed the Koran.
9. Syria is where the first murder in history took place
It is believed that the first murder in the history of mankind took place in the territory of modern Syria-this is where the biblical Cain killed his brother Abel. There is a mountain overlooking Damascus called Mount Qasioun, or Jabal Qasiyun in Arabic. It is said that the first human being, Adam, lived in one of its caves. According to the legends and the statements of medieval Arab historians, it is also the place where Cain killed his brother Abel. Because of the murder, that is believed to be the first one in the history of human-kind, that cave was called Magharat ad-Dam (The Cave of Blood). Some scholars believe that the name “Damascus” comes from the Aramaic “demashk”, which means “blood brother” or “innocent blood spilled.” However, this etymological explanation of the name of the city is not proven and is rejected by many scholars.
Everyone must see this country in a different light. Despite Syria’s crisis and reputation, it is still a fascinating country, a cradle of old civilizations and mysteries. Its history, people, character, culture, and traditions should be further explored and admired.
