DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36287#0121
PALMYRA AND THE REGION OF THE HAURAN
95
"Amanum, the mountain of cedars," is the Amanus range, known by that name in
classical times and to-day as well/
If we can accept without question the identification of "Ursu" by Jensen,^ it is the
modern Arsus or Arsuz, not far southwest along the coast from Iskenderun.
Again, Paton says the mountain of "Ibla is the classical Pieria, the first mountain chain
to the south of Amanum." " As may be seen by a glance at the map of Syria, there are
two groups of mountains which run north and south below the Amanus range. One is
west of the Orontes river and is given two names—Djcbel il-Kosair in the north and
Djebel Nusairiyeh in the south. The latter reaches south to the valley that stretches
eastward from the Mediterranean to the city of Homs. Across this valley from
Djebel Nusairiyeh the Lebanon rises abruptly. Thus there is a nearly continuous
line of hills from Asia Minor southward to the desert below Palestine.
The other group of mountains is to the east of the Orontes, and follows a line
parallel to the Nusairiyeh group as far as the valley referred to. This chain is not
continuous, but breaks into valleys here and there. To the south of this chain rises
the Anti-Lebanon, which runs parallel to the Lebanon.
It would seem that the western range was not, in the early Christian centuries, so
thickly settled as the eastern one, for few ruins have been discovered there. If this
is true it is probably because these mountains were less fertile than the eastern range.
It is likely, however, that they were both covered with forests, and that the people
from the distant east and from the mountains immediately to the east of the Orontes
used them both freely.
Jensen also identifies "Shamanu" as Mons Casius or the modern Djebel il-Akra',
near the coast of the Mediterranean. This peak is about the highest point in this
region.
The "land of Minu" is thought to be the north Syrian region Menus mentioned
in the later Egyptian records.
Subsalla* is, according to Jensen, Mount Lebanon; Martu is Syria;" Tidanum is
the Anti-Lebanon;" Kagalad-(ki), the mountain of Kimash, is Mount Hermon;^ and
the land of Melukhkha is western Arabia."
i Paton adds to this: " the modern Taurus chain between
Syria and Cilicia." The Amanus mountains lie between
Syria and Cilicia, but it seems to the writer, from an exam-
ination of the best maps obtainable and from such personal
observation as he was able to make while near them, that it
is not another name for the Taurus chain, but is rather the
name for a spur of these higher, snow-capped mountains
which extends south and drops abruptly into the plain of
Antioch and the lower Orontes. See also Radau, p. 190 ; and
Smith's Dictionary, Vol. 1, p. 1:4.
BZeitschriftfiir Assyriologie, Vol. X, p. 361.
^ On his map, as well as in this statement, Paton places
"Ibla" on the northern side of the Orontes after the river
bends toward the west. This is probably inaccurate; there
is no mountain chain at that point distinct from the Amanus
mountains. The end of Amanus, however, where it juts out
into the sea, may have had this name. This would seem to
be the view of Smith (Dictionary, Vol. II, p. 630).
4 Or Kasalla (Radau, p. 190).
s According to Radau, p. 190, and others, Martu is the
" country of the Amorites " or the " western country," em-
bracing Phenicia and Palestine.
"Dedan, close to Moab (Radau, p. 190).
?(AW., note 4).
S0r northwestern Arabia (AW.).
95
"Amanum, the mountain of cedars," is the Amanus range, known by that name in
classical times and to-day as well/
If we can accept without question the identification of "Ursu" by Jensen,^ it is the
modern Arsus or Arsuz, not far southwest along the coast from Iskenderun.
Again, Paton says the mountain of "Ibla is the classical Pieria, the first mountain chain
to the south of Amanum." " As may be seen by a glance at the map of Syria, there are
two groups of mountains which run north and south below the Amanus range. One is
west of the Orontes river and is given two names—Djcbel il-Kosair in the north and
Djebel Nusairiyeh in the south. The latter reaches south to the valley that stretches
eastward from the Mediterranean to the city of Homs. Across this valley from
Djebel Nusairiyeh the Lebanon rises abruptly. Thus there is a nearly continuous
line of hills from Asia Minor southward to the desert below Palestine.
The other group of mountains is to the east of the Orontes, and follows a line
parallel to the Nusairiyeh group as far as the valley referred to. This chain is not
continuous, but breaks into valleys here and there. To the south of this chain rises
the Anti-Lebanon, which runs parallel to the Lebanon.
It would seem that the western range was not, in the early Christian centuries, so
thickly settled as the eastern one, for few ruins have been discovered there. If this
is true it is probably because these mountains were less fertile than the eastern range.
It is likely, however, that they were both covered with forests, and that the people
from the distant east and from the mountains immediately to the east of the Orontes
used them both freely.
Jensen also identifies "Shamanu" as Mons Casius or the modern Djebel il-Akra',
near the coast of the Mediterranean. This peak is about the highest point in this
region.
The "land of Minu" is thought to be the north Syrian region Menus mentioned
in the later Egyptian records.
Subsalla* is, according to Jensen, Mount Lebanon; Martu is Syria;" Tidanum is
the Anti-Lebanon;" Kagalad-(ki), the mountain of Kimash, is Mount Hermon;^ and
the land of Melukhkha is western Arabia."
i Paton adds to this: " the modern Taurus chain between
Syria and Cilicia." The Amanus mountains lie between
Syria and Cilicia, but it seems to the writer, from an exam-
ination of the best maps obtainable and from such personal
observation as he was able to make while near them, that it
is not another name for the Taurus chain, but is rather the
name for a spur of these higher, snow-capped mountains
which extends south and drops abruptly into the plain of
Antioch and the lower Orontes. See also Radau, p. 190 ; and
Smith's Dictionary, Vol. 1, p. 1:4.
BZeitschriftfiir Assyriologie, Vol. X, p. 361.
^ On his map, as well as in this statement, Paton places
"Ibla" on the northern side of the Orontes after the river
bends toward the west. This is probably inaccurate; there
is no mountain chain at that point distinct from the Amanus
mountains. The end of Amanus, however, where it juts out
into the sea, may have had this name. This would seem to
be the view of Smith (Dictionary, Vol. II, p. 630).
4 Or Kasalla (Radau, p. 190).
s According to Radau, p. 190, and others, Martu is the
" country of the Amorites " or the " western country," em-
bracing Phenicia and Palestine.
"Dedan, close to Moab (Radau, p. 190).
?(AW., note 4).
S0r northwestern Arabia (AW.).