Damascus

Damascus, still known by its original name in English, is the capital of modern-day Syria, located in the southeast, very close to both Israel and Lebanon. The city is situated on the edge of the Great Syrian Desert, in a fertile valley oasis on the western slopes of Mount Hermon. The oasis is about 48 kilometers long and 16 kilometers wide, with an average elevation of about 670 meters, and is approximately 160 miles from Jerusalem to the south. Although Damascus is on the edge of the desert and receives very little annual rainfall, the city is rich in produce thanks to its extensive use of water from the Barada (Abana) River, which flows through the city, and the Awaj (Pharpar) River, which flows about 14 kilometers to the south. The city is abundant in products such as almonds, apricots, cotton, flax, grains, hemp, olives, pomegranates, tobacco, grapes, and walnuts.
 

Damascus is located in the southeast of Syria, close to both Israel and Lebanon. Surrounded by mountains on the north, west, and south, with a desert to the east, the city naturally became a crucial transportation hub. Three major trade routes passed through Damascus since ancient times:

One went north through Hamath and Aleppo, following the Euphrates River to the region of Babylon.

The “Coastal Highway” went southwest through Hazor, Megiddo, Joppa, and Gaza, reaching Egypt.

The “King’s Highway” went south through Transjordan to the Gulf of Aqaba, also ending in Egypt. This made Damascus the sole transit point connecting Mesopotamia to Palestine and Egypt. As a result, Damascus’s commerce thrived, and its people were prosperous. The city’s carpets and swords were particularly renowned.

The ancient city of Damascus is located in the southeastern part of the modern metropolis and has a history of over 4,000 years. Further archaeological excavation is limited because modern buildings have been constructed over the old site, so the exact date of its founding is unknown. However, some features from Paul’s time, such as the “Street Called Straight,” parts of the city walls, and an ancient gate known as the “Gate of God,” still remain. Originally an independent Aramean city-state, Damascus at one point ruled the surrounding area, becoming the capital of the Kingdom of Aram-Damascus. It was controlled by Egypt in the 15th and 14th centuries BC. During King David’s reign, it was under Israelite control but soon regained independence and remained a constant enemy of Israel. In 732 BC, it was captured and destroyed by the Assyrians, and its people were exiled to Kir. Two or three hundred years later, it revived and became an administrative center for the Persian Empire. Around 100 BC, it became the capital of Syria. In the Roman Empire and New Testament era, Damascus was one of the ten cities of the Decapolis. It was also an independent city within the Nabatean Kingdom, but without direct Roman jurisdiction. The Jewish Sanhedrin in Jerusalem had little influence in Damascus, which made the city a safe haven for persecuted Christians.

The first biblical mention of Damascus is in Genesis 14:15, which recounts how Abraham pursued the coalition of four kings to the city to rescue his nephew Lot and his family and possessions. After this, the city is not mentioned again in the Bible until the time of David (around 1000 BC). Acts 9:23-25 records how Paul escaped from Damascus at night and hurried to Jerusalem. After this account, the name of Damascus does not appear again in the scriptures.