Aram-Damascus

Ancient Aramean state to 732 BCE

Aram-Damascus

c. 12th century BCE–732 BCE

The region around 830 BCE, with Aram-Damascus in green

Capital| Damascus
Common languages| Old Aramaic
Religion

| Ancient Semitic religion
King|

• 885 BCE–865 BCE

| Ben-Hadad I

• 865 BCE–842 BCE

| Ben-Hadad II

• 842 BCE–796 BCE

| Hazael

• 796 BCE–792 BCE

| Ben-Hadad III

• 754 BCE–732 BCE

| Rezin (last)
History|

• Established

| c. 12th century BCE

• Assyrian conquest

| 732 BCE

Preceded by | Succeeded by

|

|  | Aramean states

|

| Neo-Assyrian Empire |

|

Today part of| Syria
Jordan
Israel
Lebanon

Aram-Damascus (/ˈærəm ... / ARR-əm ...) was an Aramean polity that existed from the late-12th century BCE until 732 BCE, and was centred around the city of Damascus in the Southern Levant.[1] Alongside various tribal lands, it was bounded in its later years by the polities of Assyria to the north, Ammon to the south, and Israel to the west.

The compound name "Aram-Damascus" is only found in the Hebrew Bible, where it sometimes also is referred to as simply "Aram" or "Damascus". It is also referred to as "Aram" in some Aramaic inscriptions. In Assyrian sources, "Aram" was never used to designate it. It was often referred to as "Damascus" or "imērīšu" (meaning "his donkey"), and sometimes "Bīt-Ḫaza’ili" (meaning "house of Hazael"), in Assyrian sources.[2]

## History

[edit]

The Tanakh gives accounts of Aram-Damascus' history, mainly in its interaction with Israel and Judah. There are biblical texts referencing battles that took place between the United Kingdom of Israel under David and the Arameans in Southern Syria in the 10th century BCE.[3]

In the 9th century BCE, Hazael fought against the Assyrians, had some influence over the northern Syrian state of Unqi, and conquered Israel.[4][5]

To the southwest, Aram-Damascus reached most of the Golan to the Sea of Galilee.[6]

In the 8th century BCE, Rezin had been a tributary of Tiglath-Pileser III, a king of Assyria.[7] In c. 732 BCE, he formed an alliance with Pekah, a king of Israel, to attack Ahaz, a king of Judah; Ahaz appealed to Tiglath-Pileser III for help, which was provided by the Assyrian king after Judah paid tribute.[8] Subsequently, Tiglath-Pileser III attacked Damascus and annexed Aram.[7] The kingdom's population was deported and Rezin was executed. Tiglath-Pileser III recorded this act in one of his inscriptions.[9]

Various Neo-Hittite and Aramean (orange shades) western states in the 8th century BCE

## Kings

[edit]

Arameans

* Aramaic
* Aramaic alphabet

Syro-Hittite states

* Aram
* Aram-Damascus

Aramean kings

* Irhuleni
* Hezion
* Tabrimmon
* Ben-Hadad I
* Hadadezer
* Hazael
* Ben-Hadad III
* Rezin

Aramean cities

* Amrit
* Arpad
* Bit Bahiani
* Coba Höyük
* Gidara
* Hama
* Qarqar
* Ruhizzi
* Sam'al
* Tell Aran
* Tell Halaf
* Til Barsip
* Upu
* Zobah

Sources

* Aramaic inscriptions

* v
* t
* e

* Hezion, ca. 960 BCE
* Tabrimmon, ca. 930 BCE, son of Hezion
* Ben-Hadad I, 885–865 BCE
* Ben-Hadad II, 865–842 BCE
* Hazael, 842–805/796 BCE, usurper
* Ben-Hadad III, 796–792 BCE, son of Hazael
* Rezin, 754 BCE–732 BCE

## See also

[edit]

* Aram (region), a historical region in the Levant mentioned in the Bible
* Aram Rehob, an early Aramean kingdom

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Pitard, Wayne T. (2000). "Arameans". In David Noel Freedman; Allen C. Myers; Astrid B. Beck (eds.). Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. p. 86.
2. ^ Younger 2016, p. 549.
3. ^ "2 Samuel 10:6-19". Bible. Holman. ISBN 978-0999989265.
4. ^ James B. Pritchard, ed., Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament (3rd ed.; Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 1955) 246.
5. ^ "2 Kings 13:3". Bible (Christian Standard ed.). Holman. ISBN 978-0999989265.
6. ^ Suzanne Richard (2003). Near Eastern Archaeology: A Reader (Hardcover ed.). Eisenbrauns. p. 377\. ISBN 1-57506-083-3.
7. ^ a b Lester L. Grabbe, Ancient Israel: What Do We Know and How Do We Know It? (New York: T&T Clark, 2007): 134
8. ^ "2 Kings 16:7-9". Bible (Christian Standard ed.). Holman. ISBN 978-0999989265.
9. ^ James B. Pritchard, ed., Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament (3rd ed.; Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 1969) 283.

## Sources

[edit]

* Amadasi-Guzzo, Maria Giulia (2019). "What Do We Know about the Borders and Exchanges between Aram and Phoenicia in the 9th–8th Centuries B.C.E. in Anatolia and Syria?". Aramaean Borders: Defining Aramaean Territories in the 10th–8th Centuries B.C.E. Leiden-Boston: Brill. pp. 149–171\. ISBN 9789004398535.
* Bagg, Ariel M. (2019). "At the Limits of Historical Geography: Reconstructing Aramaean Territories in the West According to the Neo-Assyrian Written Sources". Aramaean Borders: Defining Aramaean Territories in the 10th–8th Centuries B.C.E. Leiden-Boston: Brill. pp. 1–25\. ISBN 9789004398535.
* Edmonds, Alexander J. (2019). "A People without Borders? Tracing the Shifting Identities and Territorialities of the Ahlameans". Aramaean Borders: Defining Aramaean Territories in the 10th–8th Centuries B.C.E. Leiden-Boston: Brill. pp. 26–62\. ISBN 9789004398535.
* Gzella, Holger (2015). A Cultural History of Aramaic: From the Beginnings to the Advent of Islam. Leiden-Boston: Brill. ISBN 9789004285101.
* Lipiński, Edward (2000). The Aramaeans: Their Ancient History, Culture, Religion. Leuven: Peeters Publishers. ISBN 9789042908598.
* Lipiński, Edward (2013). "The Aramaeans in the West (13th–8th centuries)". Arameans, Chaldeans, and Arabs in Babylonia and Palestine in the First Millennium B.C. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag. pp. 123–147\. ISBN 9783447065443.
* Lemaire, André (2019). "The Boundary between the Aramaean Kingdom of Damascus and the Kingdom of Israel". Aramaean Borders: Defining Aramaean Territories in the 10th–8th Centuries B.C.E. Leiden-Boston: Brill. pp. 245–266\. ISBN 9789004398535.
* Sader, Hélène (2014). "History". The Aramaeans in Ancient Syria. Leiden: Brill. pp. 11–36\. ISBN 9789004229433.
* Younger, Kenneth Lawson (2016). A Political History of the Arameans: From Their Origins to the End of Their Polities. Atlanta: SBL Press. ISBN 9781628370843.
* Zwickel, Wolfgang (2019). "Borders between Aram-Damascus and Israel: A Historical Investigation". Aramaean Borders: Defining Aramaean Territories in the 10th–8th Centuries B.C.E. Leiden-Boston: Brill. pp. 267–335\. ISBN 9789004398535.

* v
* t
* e

Damascus

Historic and
other landmarks|

* Al-Azem Palace
* Khan As'ad Pasha
* Straight Street
* Mausoleum of Saladin
* Umayyad Mosque
* Citadel of Damascus
* Grand Serail of Damascus
* Khadra Palace
* Nur al-Din Bimaristan
* Maktab Anbar
* Muhajreen Palace
* Hejaz Train Station
* Statue of Saladin
* Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
* Temple of Jupiter
* Tishreen Palace
* Al-Shaab Palace
* October War Panorama

Madrasas and takiyyas|

* Al-Adiliyah Madrasa
* Al-Shamiyah al-Kubra Madrasa
* Al-Fathiyah Madrasa
* Al-Mujahidiyah Madrasa
* Al-Qilijiyah Madrasa
* Al-Rukniyah Madrasa
* Al-Sahiba Madrasa
* Salimiyya Madrasa
* Al-Sibaiyah Madrasa
* Al-Zahiriyah Library
* Nur al-Din Madrasa
* Salimiyya Takiyya
* Sulaymaniyya Takiyya

Mosques|

* Aqsab
* Darwish Pasha
* Hanabila
* Ibn 'Arabi Mosque (Salimiyya Mosque)
* Murad Pasha
* Nabi Habeel
* Sayyidah Ruqayyah
* Sinan Pasha
* Sulaymaniyya Takiyya Mosque
* Umayyad
* Yalbugha

Churches|

| Catholic|

* Chapel of Saint Ananias
* Chapel of Saint Paul
* Cathedral of Our Lady of the Dormition
* Syriac Catholic Cathedral of Saint Paul

|

Eastern Orthodox|

* Mariamite Cathedral

Oriental Orthodox|

* Syriac Cathedral of Saint George

Synagogues|

* Elfrange Synagogue
* Jobar Synagogue
* Menarsha Synagogue
* Racqy Synagogue

Historic gates|

* Bab al-Faradis
* Bab al-Jabiyah
* Bab al-Saghir
* Bab al-Salam
* Bab Kisan
* Bab Sharqi
* Bab Tuma

Souqs and caravanserais|

* Jaqmaq Caravansarai
* As'ad Pasha Caravansarai
* Sulayman Pasha Caravansarai
* Al-Harir Caravansarai
* Midhat Pasha Souq
* Al-Hamidiyah Souq
* Al-Buzuriyah Souq

Culture and
education|

* National Museum of Damascus
* Al-Assad National Library
* Damascus Opera House
* Damascus University
* National University Hospital
* Syrian Virtual University
* International University for Science and Technology
* Syrian Private University
* Arab International University
* Higher Institute for Applied Science and Technology
* Higher Institute of Music in Damascus
* Higher Institute for Dramatic Arts
* National Institute of Public Administration
* Damascus Community School
* Lycée Charles de Gaulle
* Shami Hospital

Entertainment|

* Bakdash (ice cream parlor)
* Bawabet Dimashq
* Havana Cafe
* Beit al-Mamlouka Hotel
* Blue Tower Hotel
* Four Seasons Hotel Damascus

Streets and squares|

* Baghdad Street
* Marjeh Square
* Rawda Square
* Sabaa Bahrat Square
* Umayyad Square
* Yusuf al-Azma Square

Nature|

* Barada River
* Pharpar River
* Mount Qasioun
* Salera Hill
* Ghouta

Sport|

| Venues|

* Abbasiyyin Stadium
* Al-Fayhaa Sports Complex
* Al-Fayhaa Stadium
* Al-Jalaa Stadium
* Tishreen Stadium
* Al-Muhafaza Stadium
* Al-Fayhaa Sports Arena

|

Clubs|

* Al-Jaish SC
* Al-Majd SC
* Al-Muhafaza SC
* Al-Nidal SC
* Al-Shorta SC
* Al-Wahda SC
* Barada SC

Municipal districts|

* Old Damascus
* Sarouja
* Qanawat
* Jobar
* Al-Midan
* Al-Shaghour
* Qadam
* Kafr Sousa
* Mezzeh
* Dummar
* Barzeh
* Qaboun
* Rukn al-Din
* Al-Salihiyah
* Muhajreen
* Yarmouk

Timeline
(List of rulers)|

* Aram
* Siege (634)
* Jund Dimashq
* Burid dynasty
* Siege (1148)
* Eyalet
* Affair
* Protocol
* State
* Battle (1941)
* International Airport
* 1976 Pan Arab Games
* World Military Cup 1977
* International Film Festival
* 1981 Azbakiyah bombing
* 1986 bombings
* 1992 Pan Arab Games
* Spring
* 2002 West Asian Football Federation Championship
* 2004 WABA Champions Cup
* Declaration
* 2008 Arab Capital of Culture
* 2008 Arab League summit
* 2008 car bombing
* 2011 bombings
* 2011–2012 clashes
* January 2012 al-Midan bombing
* March 2012 bombings
* April 2012 bombings
* May 2012 bombings
* Battle (2012)
* July 2012 bombing
* 2017 bombings
* 2024 Fall

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Timeline of Mesopotamia

|  | Northwestern Mesopotamia | Northern Mesopotamia | Southern Mesopotamia

|
|
|

c. 3500–2350 BCE  | Late Chalcolithic 4-5 / Early Jezirah 1-3  | Uruk period / Jemdet Nasr period / Early Dynastic period
c. 2350–2200 BCE  | Akkadian Empire
c. 2200–2100 BCE  | Gutians
c. 2100–2000 BCE  | Third Dynasty of Ur
c. 2000–1800 BCE  | Mari and other Amorite city-states | Old Assyrian period | Isin/Larsa and other Amorite city-states
c. 1800–1600 BCE  | Old Hittite Kingdom | Old Babylonian Empire (Southern Akkadians)
c. 1600–1400 BCE  | Mitanni (Hurrians)  | Karduniaš (Kassites)
c. 1400–1200 BCE  | Hittite Empire |  | Middle Assyria
c. 1200–1150 BCE  | Bronze Age Collapse ("Sea Peoples")  | Arameans
c. 1150–911 BCE  | Phoenicia | Neo-Hittite
city-states | Aram-
Damascus | Arameans | Middle Babylonia | Chal-
de-
ans
911–729 BCE  | Neo-Assyrian Empire
729–609 BCE  |  |
626–539 BCE  | Neo-Babylonian Empire (Chaldeans)
539–331 BCE  | Achaemenid Empire
336–301 BCE  | Macedonian Empire (Ancient Greeks and Macedonians)
311–129 BCE  | Seleucid Empire
129–63 BCE  | Seleucid Empire | Parthian Empire
63 BCE–224 CE  | Ancient Rome \- Byzantine Empire (Syria)
224–mid 700s CE  | Sassanid Empire

* v
* t
* e

Ancient states and regions in the history of the Levant

Copper Age|

* Kish civilization
* Tell Halaf
* Chagar Bazar
* Hamoukar
* Jericho
* Byblos
* Ebla
* Ugarit
* Urkesh

Bronze Age|

* Akkadian Empire
* Alashiya
* Amorite states
* Alalakh
* Amurru
* Andarig
* Apum
* First Babylon
* Third Ebla
* Ekallatum
* Emar
* Kurda
* Third Mari
* Mukish
* Palmyra
* Qatna
* Shaddai
* Ṭābetu
* Kingdom of Upper Mesopotamia
* Yamhad
* Zahiran
* Amqu
* Aram
* Barga
* Canaanite city-states
* Amalek
* Arqa
* Arwad
* Ascalon
* Aštartu
* Azzati
* Bashan/Hauran
* Beruta
* Gebal
* Dimasqu
* Gezer
* Gibeon
* Hazor
* Jericho
* Gamla
* Masada
* Jerusalem
* Kenites
* Kumidi
* Lakisha
* Megiddo
* Midian
* Phoenicia
* Qadesh
* Shechem
* Sidon
* Tyre
* Carchemish
* Hittite Empire
* Hurrians
* Urshu
* Nuhašše
* Mitanni
* Tell Hadidi
* Naziba
* Niya
* Ib'al Confederacy
* Paleo-Syrian states
* Armi
* Aleppo
* Armanum/Tall Bazi
* Ebla
* Emar
* Ḫana/Terqa
* Mari
* Nagar
* Saggarâtum
* Tuttul
* Suhum
* ʿApiru
* Aḫlamū
* Suteans
* Amqu
* ʿApiru
* Shasu
* Shutu
* Tadmor
* Tunip
* Ugarit
* Upu
* Nuhašše
* Niya

Iron Age|

* Achaemenid Empire
* Aramaean states
* Aram-Damascus
* Aram Rehob
* Bit-Adini
* Bit Agusi
* Bit Bahiani
* Geshur
* Hamath
* Sam'al
* Zobah
* Neo-Assyrian Empire
* Neo-Babylonian Empire
* Canaan
* Ammon
* Edom
* Israel (Samaria)
* Israel (united)
* Jericho
* Judah
* Moab
* Philistia
* Ashdod
* Ascalon
* Ekron
* Gath
* Gaza
* Phoenicia
* Amrit
* Arwad
* Gebal
* Tartus
* Tyre
* Sidon
* New Kingdom of Egypt
* Arabs
* Itureans?
* Nabataeans
* Qedarites
* Luwian-Aramaean states
* Carchemish
* Kummuh
* Luhuti
* Palistin
* Pattin

Classical Age|

* Ancient Rome (Roman Republic \- Roman Empire \- Byzantine Empire)
* Commagene
* Emesene Dynasty
* Ghassanid Kingdom
* Hasmonean dynasty
* Herodian kingdom
* Herodian Tetrarchy
* Iturea
* Macedonia
* Nabataean Kingdom
* Osroene
* Palmyrene Empire
* Parthian Empire
* Seleucid Empire
* Sasanian Empire
* Tanukhid confederacy

Sources|

* Amarna letters
* Canaanite and Aramaic inscriptions

33°30′47″N 36°17′31″E﻿ / ﻿33.5130°N 36.2920°E﻿ / 33.5130; 36.2920
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