ANTIOCH (Latin, Antiochia), the ancient capital of the Greek kings of Syria; on the Orontes, about 21 miles from the sea. It was founded by Seleucus Nicator in 300 B.c., and named after his father Antiochus. The first inhabitants were brought from Antigonia, founded by Antigonus in 307. It was famed for the splendor of its public buildings, the Seleucid monarchs having vied with each other in embellishing their metropolis, and the Roman emperors having also done much to adorn it. It was called the °Queen of the East° and The Beautiful,'' and was advan tageously situated for trade, being easily ap proached by the caravans of the East, and through its port Seleucia having maritime com munication with the West. The city is fre quently mentioned in the New Testament, and it was here that the disciples of our Saviour were first called Christians (Acts xi, 26). In 64 ac., on the breaking up of the kingdom of Syria, it was captured by Pompey; in 266 was captured by the Persians under Sapor; and in 538 was thrown into a heap of ruins by Persians under Chosroes. It was restored by
the Emperor Justinian, but never quite re covered from this last blow. In the first half of the 7th century it was taken by the Saracens and remained in their possession for upward of 300 years, when it was recovered by the Greek Emperor Nicephorus Phocas. In 1098 it was taken by the Crusaders. They estab lished the principality of Antioch, which lasted till 1268, when it was taken by the Mameluke Sultan of Egypt. In 1516 it passed into the hands of the Turks. The modern Antioch or Antakieh is a poor place. It has some manu factures of silk stuffs, leather and carpets, and has some trade in these articles and in goat's wool, beeswax, etc. The population is not far from 20,000.