Shaqqa
Government
Schaqqa (Arabic شقا, DMG Saqqa, also shaqqa, Shaqqah, Shakka, schakka, Chaqqa, Greek Sakkaia, Maximianopolis, as titular Maximianopolis in Arabia ) is a town in Syria, in the government as- Suwayda, about 25 km northeast of the capital As- Suwayda governorate of the same name located off the road to Damascus. Schaqqa has about 8000 inhabitants, mostly Druze, in the 18th/19th. Century immigrated from Lebanon.
In Roman and early Byzantine period Schaqqa or Sakkaia Maximianopolis was a relatively more important city ( polis ), which was charged by the Romans to Colonia with its own administration and had its own, with the year 286, the year of Kaiserakklamation Maximian, beginning years count.. inscriptions, is a temple for Zeus Megistos occupied, and another inscription with an epigram to the philosopher Proclus testifies to local literary culture. As an important building from Roman times today al - Kaisariye called ruin of a building is preserved in the position of the former main square, which is due to its size not to interpret than ordinary residential house, but as a palace-like representational.
In Christian times was Sakkaia seat of a bishop, so first 451 occupied by the participation of a Serenus episcopus Maximianopulis at the Council of Chalcedon. As local churches call inscriptions in a 594 from a local bishop called Tiberinus built Martyrion ( relic chamber ) of St. George and other martyrs, and in the year 596 a Martyrion of St. Theodore. Structurally get partial is a basilica, the oldest plant is not dated and certainly may have been a subsequently converted to the Christian cult ancient cult or courthouse. The basilica is received less than one- third, one part of the former aisle is now used by the Druze as a sanctuary, other parts of the building are used as stables and storage space.