THE CLIMATE of Syria greatly resembles that of Palestine. The summits of Hermon and Lebanon are crowned with perpetual snow, and the high altitudes along these ranges are as cool as the south of England ; but on the other hand the low marshy plains of the interior are very hot. The seabord being much exposed to the sun's rays, and sheltered by the mountains behind, is generally sultry and subject to fevers; but there are a few places—such as Sidon, Beyrout, and Suweidiyeh— where the soil is dry and the air pure. Rain is more abundant than in Palestine, and even during summer light showers occasionally fall in the moun tains.
HISTORY.—Syria was colonised by two distinct sections of the human family, the Canaanites and Arameans. The former settled on the coast and on the heights of Lebanon, and had one inland station at Hamath. The latter occupied Damascus and spread over the remaining portions of the country (Gen. x.) In the time of King David Syria appears to have been divided into a number of independent kingdoms, of which Damascus and Zobah were the chief [ARA3,1]. On the conquest of the former by Tiglath-Pileser, Syria became a province of the great Assyrian empire.
Immediately after the battle of Issus, Syria passed into the hands of a different dynasty and a different race. Alexander the Great became its ruler. On his death (u.c. 323), the fortunes of war threw it into the power of Seleucus Nicator, the founder of the dynasty of the Seleueidce. This prince built Antioch and made it his capital. Many other cities were erected by him and his successors on the throne ; and their splendid ruins still exist as memorials of wealth and taste, long since departed from this unhappy land. From the commence ment of the reign of the Seleucidm till the year B.C. 114, Antioch remained sole capital. But at this period Antiochus Cyzicenus, brother of the reigning monarch, established a new sovereignty at Damascus. Disorder henceforth rei,gned in every section of the country, and did not cease until Syria was captured by the Romans under Pompey in B.C.
65. The dynasty of the Seleucidm ruled Syria for a period of 247 years.
While a portion of Syria was placed directly under the Roman governors, several cities with territories attached to them were made free. They had their own rulers and their own laws, though subject to the imperial government, and paying ,egular taxes. Two of these, Abilene and Damas cus, are mentioned in the N. T. Scaurus was the first of the Roman governors of Syria, He was styled Qucestor pro Prcetore ; his two successors were Pro-Pradors ; then followed a Proconsul, a Quastor, a Proconsul, a Protor, and a Proconsul ; but in the year A.D. 41 Antony gave the govern ment to his general D. Saxa, with the title of Le gate, which was henceforth borne by all the go vernors (Appian, Syr.) The country remained under Roman and Byzantine rule till A.D. 634, when it was overrun by the Mohammedans under Khaled. Sixteen years Iater Damascus was made the capital of the Mohammedan empire. The subsequent history of Syria has no connection with Biblical literature. In the ith century the Cru saders entered it, captured its principal cities, with the exception of Damascus, and retained possession of them about a hundred years. For more than two centuries after the expulsion of the Crusaders, Syria was the theatre of fierce contests between the warlike hordes of Tartary and the Mamluke rulers of Egypt. At length, in A.D. 1517, it was captured by the Turks under Sultan Selim I., and has since remained a portion of the Ottoman em pire.
The following are the leading authorities on the history, geography, and inhabitants of Syria. :— Norisius, Opera, ; Clinton, Fast/ ; Gibbon, Decline and Fall, etc. ; Russell, Nat. Hist. of Aleppo ; Pococke, Description of the East ; Burckhardt, Travels in Syria ; Chesney, Euphrates Expeddion ; Porter, Damascus, and Hana'book ; Thomson in Eib. Sae. vol. v. ; Lyde, The Asian .11.1ysteiy.—J. L. P.