Roman Syria

Roman Syria was an early Roman province. It was taken over by the Roman Republic in 64 BCE during the Third Mithridatic War. This happened when a Roman general named Pompey defeated Tigranes the Great, the King of Armenia, who had been protecting the old Seleucid Empire.

Later, after the Herodian kingdom was split up in 4 BCE, parts of it were added to Roman Syria. This included places like Iturea and Trachonitis. By the late 2nd century, the area was separated into two parts: Coele Syria and Syria Phoenice.

Provincia Syria

Syria became part of the Roman Republic in 64 BC when the leader Pompey the Great made changes to the area. He appointed a leader named Marcus Aemilius Scaurus to govern Syria.

Later, when the Roman Republic turned into the Roman Empire, Syria became an important area ruled by a leader called a legate. The Roman army there had three groups of soldiers to protect the border with Parthia.

In the year 6 AD, the Roman leader Augustus made changes to nearby areas like Judea, Samaria, and Idumea, putting them under the control of Syria’s leader. After some kings passed away, more areas such as Ituraea and Trachonitis also came under Syria’s control.

During the First Jewish–Roman War from 66 to 70 AD, leaders from Syria tried to calm things down but faced challenges. Later, a man named Vespasian helped bring peace to the area and even became a Roman emperor.

Aftermath

Division into Coele Syria and Syria Phoenice

Main articles: Coele Syria (Roman province) and Syria Phoenice

The Roman leader Septimius Severus split the area called Syria into two parts: Syria Coele and Syria Phoenice. Antioch became the main city of Syria Coele, and Tyre became the main city of Syria Phoenice.

During a difficult time for Rome known as the Crisis of the Third Century, a ruler from Syria named Philip the Arab became the emperor of Rome. Later, the area faced attacks from nearby powers, which caused damage to many cities.

Dominate reform

After changes made by Diocletian, Syria Coele became part of a larger group called the Diocese of the East. Later, a new area named Euphratensis was created from part of Syria Coele.

Syria in the Byzantine Empire

Main article: Diocese of the East

In later years, the area known as Roman Syria was governed by the Byzantine Empire as part of the Diocese of the East. This area was very important for trade, farming, and religion. It was also strategically important because of its location near powerful neighbors and groups of wandering people.

Over time, Syria Coele was divided again into smaller areas. One part kept Antioch as its main city, and another had its main city at Apamea on the Orontes.

Demographics

Syria had many different groups of people. In the countryside, most people spoke Aramaic and came from ancient West Semitic families. In places like Hauran, Trachonitis, and Emesa, Arabs lived and led the way. Palmyra was a mix of Aramaeans, Arabs, and Amorites.

Along the coast, especially in cities like Tyre, Sidon, and Berytus, people mainly spoke Phoenician until the end of the 2nd century.

In big cities such as Antioch, Apamea, Cyrrhus, and those in the Decapolis, most people were Greeks, brought there long ago by the Seleucid rulers.

The whole area known as the Levant had between 3.5–4 million to 6 million people in the 1st century. Cities like Antioch and Palmyra had about 200,000–250,000 people, and Apamea had around 117,000 free citizens around AD 6. With their nearby villages, Apamea and Cyrrhus might have reached up to 500,000 people each. The hilly areas along the Syrian Coastal Mountain Range had fewer people, about 40–50,000.

Identity

The people living in Syria started to adopt ways of life from the Greeks but still kept parts of their own Near Eastern traditions. Different places had different mixes of old cultures, such as Aramean, Phoenician, and neo-Hittite influences, while some areas only showed Greek ways.

Unlike the Jews, who had shared memories, the people of Syria did not have one single cultural or social identity. What connected them was mainly the Greek city-like structures and stories promoted by Roman rulers. So, the term 'Syrian' mostly just meant people living in that geographical area.

Episcopal sees

Ancient important cities in the Roman areas of Syria Prima (I) and Syria Secunda (II) are listed below. These cities were once important centers for church leaders, known as episcopal sees.

Ancient episcopal sees of the late Roman province of Syria Prima (I) listed in the Annuario Pontificio as titular sees:

• Anasartha (Khanasir)
• Barcusus (Baquza or Banqusa)
• Beroea (Aleppo)
• Chalcis in Syria (Qinnasrin)
• Gabala (Jableh)
• Gabula (at the marsh of Al-Jabbul)
• Gindarus (Jandairis)
• Laodicea in Syria (Latakia)
• Salamias (Salamiyah)
• Seleucia Pieria

Ancient episcopal sees of the late Roman province of Syria Secunda (II) listed in the Annuario Pontificio as titular sees:

• Apamea in Syria, the Metropolitan Archdiocese
• Arethusa (Al-Rastan)
• Balanea (Baniyas)
• Epiphania in Syria (Hama)
• Larissa in Syria (Shaizar)
• Mariamme (Maryamin)
• Raphanea
• Seleucobelus (Seleucopolis)