Comatrree.—The imports consist of rioe, hardware, some French tissues, indigo, cochineal, and coffee. Very little sugar is imported : the deba, an extract from grapes, being used as a substitute; and this article is manufactured in Syria to a great extent. The most important article of export to Europe is silk. Other less importaut articles are galls, olive-oil, sponges, fruits, and tobacco. The fruits, which are principally exported, are dates, raisin; figs, and pistachio-nuts. Madder is also exported to a moderate extent. There is some coasting trade between Syria and Egypt, Cyprus, and the south coast of Asia Minor. Egypt receives chiefly live stock and tobacco, for which it pays with rice.
The commerce between Syria and the countries to the east and north of it is very extensive. At all seasons of the year numerous caravans are on the road going or returning from these parts. This commerce is concentrated in Aleppo. Manufactured goods go from Damascus to Aleppo, whence they are carried to Anatolia and Con stantinople, and to Mosul, Baghdad, and Basra. Two well-frequented mutes lead from Aleppo to Constantinople through Anatolia. The most western leads from Aleppo westward to Antioch, and thence through the Bailan Pass to Scanderoou, whence it runs along the shores of the Bay of Scanderoon to Adana and Konieh in Asia Minor. The eastern commercial route runs due north from Aleppo, and tra verses the chain of the Alma Dagh between Alutab and El-Bostdu, where it proceeds to Kalsariyeh. Two routes lead from Aleppo to Persia, which divide at Orfa in Mesopotamia. From Aleppo the road runs north-east to Bir, where the Euphrates is crossed, and from which place to Orfa it continues eastward. The northern road leads from Orfa to Diarbekr, where it passes the Tigris, nod thence goes over a very mountainous district to Bedlis and Van, and from Van it continues to Tabriz. The southern road on leaving Orfa passes through Mardin, Nisibin, and Mosul, where it crosses the Tigris, and whence it continues through Kirkuk, Kirmanshah, and Hamadan to Teheran. This road is also sometimes used by the Baghdad caravans as far as Mosul. But the most frequented caravan route between Aleppo and Baghdad runs from Aleppo in a south-eastern direction through the northern part of the Syrian desert, which it enters after leaving the lake of EI-Sabkh. It reaches the Euphrates at Annah, and runs along the river to Hit, where it crosses the stream, and then goes due east to Baghdad, or continues south-east by Hilla to Basra. It may be unnecessary to state that, though these routes are sometimes called roads, it must be understood that there are no roads in the European sense in the Turkish empire.
Ilistory.—Syria was the Greek and Roman name for the district called in the Bible Aram. [ARAM.] The Arabian name is Sham. The name is said by some to be taken from Sur, an ancient name (and also the modern name) of Tyre. Others say it is a shortened form of Assyria; and indeed the two names, Syria and Assyria, are ofteu used indiffer cntly by ancient writers, who differ however as to the extent of Syria. In its widest extent, Syria included all the country to the west of the Euphrates, as far south as Egypt and Arabia, while on the north and west it embraced the greater part of Cilicia, Cappadocia, and Pontus, its boundaries on this side being the river Halys and the Euxine Sea. (Herod., L 72; v. 49; Strabo, xvi. p. 737; Remelt, Geog. to Herod.') Pliny (v. 13) and Meta (xi. I) make it include Mesopotamia and Armenia. It appears indeed that all the tribes of the great Aramaean family were called Syrians, in the widest and most ancient sense of the word.
In the most usual application of the word, Syria was bounded as stated at the beginning of this article. The Syrians (not including the inhabitants of Phccuicia and Palestine under the name) derived their descent from Aram, the youngest son of Seth. (Gen., x. 22).
The earliest records of the state of Syria represent it as consisting of a number of independent kingdoms. Damascus was the most powerful city, and in some sense the capital of the country. Its kings were frequently engaged in war with the Jews. The conquests of David (n.e. 1055, kc.) brought these states into subjection to the kingdom of Israel; but they again became independent at the close of Solomon's reign (n.c. 975). From this time the kingdom of Damascus especially is frequently mentioned in connectiou with the history of the Israelites, and it appears gradually to have grown in power, and to have held supremacy over the other stelae of Syria (1 Kings, xx. I), and even to have given the kings of Israel great trouble, till the reign of Jonah (p.c. 845), who obtained considerable successes against Benhadad (2 Kings, xiii. 22-25). The last king of Damascus was Resin, who having engaged with Pekalt, king of Israel, in war against Ahaz, king of Judah, Abaz invited Tiglath.Pilescr, king of Assyria, to attack Danmsetta, which ho took, and carried the inhabitants captive to Kir about the year B.C. 749. From this time Syria formed a part of the Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, and Mace donian empires in euccession.