Syria (Roman province)

The Roman province of Syria was established in 63 BC by the commander Pompey and remained until the conquest by the Arabs in the 630 model years, part of the Roman Empire or (since 395 ) of the Eastern Roman Empire. Today's Syria, which comprises slightly less than that of the Roman province is named after her.

Mostly it is assumed the name Syria is derived from Assyria; some researchers, however, believe in a connection with the city of Tyre - the initial sound was in the local ancient dialect apparently as "ts" spoken, so could have been " (T) Syria " named after one of the long time the most important towns in the region.

Herod Archelaus, Judea, Samaria and Idumea dominated, was exiled by Augustus in 6 years. Archelaus ' territory was now an integral part of the Empire, and administered by a governor. In the years 34 and 37 the rest of Herod's kingdom was also part of the Roman Empire. These parts were reorganized as a result of the great Jewish revolt, to the province of Syria Palestine in the time of Hadrian.

The powerful governor of the province of Syria was based in Antioch, one of the largest and most important cities of the Empire. In addition, strong troops were stationed in the province to protect the eastern frontier against the Parthians. In the early Principate four legions were in the province.

The province produced, among others, olive oil, wine, cedar, purple dyed fabrics, glassware and ivory decorated small furniture. In addition, the province was the end point for the silk trade along the Silk Road from China and the spice trade from India.

193/194 Syria was divided into the two provinces of Syria Coele and Syria Phoenice, which in turn were divided into late antiquity into even smaller units. The territory of the Syrian provinces experienced still up in the middle of the 6th century heyday and turned so that in addition to Egypt one of the most important regions of the kingdom is, if it came in the 3rd century repeatedly drops the Persian Sassanids.

In the 7th century the Syrian provinces were conquered by the Arabs Islamized.