Halboun
حلبون Halbun | |
---|---|
Village | |
Coordinates: 33°40′N 36°15′E / 33.667°N 36.250°E | |
Country | Syria |
Governorate | Rif Dimashq |
District | al-Tall |
Subdistrict | al-Tall |
Population (2004 census)[1] | |
• Total | 6,521 |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
Halboun or Halbun (Arabic: حلبون) is a Syrian village in the Al-Tall District of the Rif Dimashq Governorate. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Halboun had a population of 6,521 in the 2004 census.[1] Its inhabitants are predominantly Sunni Muslims.[2]
Halboun which was mentioned as Chalybon (Greek: Χαλυβάν) by Ptolemy and Strabo, was famous for its fine wine, in which it was considered as a luxury to the Persian kings in the Eber-Nari satrapy of the Achaemenid Empire.[3]
There are several Roman ruins found in Halboun, most famously the inscriptions which date back to the reign of Herod Agrippa II.[4]
J. E. Hanauer wrote in 1909 that the inhabitants of Helbon were reputed to be "foolish", noting that the tales highlighting their silliness closely mirrored those about the residents of Deir es-Sinneh, near Siloam.[5]