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SYRIA

1862

SYRINGA

guage even to the best educated among them. The oldest book in Syriac still existing is a translation of the Bible, made about 200 A. D.

The kingdom of Damascus, which occupied the central part of Syria, was conquered by the Assyrians about 740 B. C. Along the Mediterranean was Phoenicia, with such cities as Tyre and Sidon, the greatest commercial nations of the ancients, but conquered also by the Assyrians. Anakim, Canaanites, Ammonites and Moab-ites were tribes living beyond the Jordan and in the southwestern parts of Palestine. The entrance of the Israelites into Palestine took place about 1500 or 1300 B. C., and their power lasted 1,500 years. A part of the nation, the ten tribes, were taken captive b^ the Assyrians in 7 21, the Samaritans found in the country at the time of Christ being descendants of the remnant of the Israelites and the colonists from Babylonia, that took the place of the captives. Judah fell before Nebuchadrezzar, but the people were restored to their land after 70 years of exile, though the country was still governed by Persian rulers. The battle of Issus (333) Save Syria to Alexander the Great,

but at his death the country was divided, Egypt holding Palestine and Seleucus Nicator ruling northern Syria, where he built Antioch, for many centuries one of the greatest of eastern cities. Syria was conquered by the Romans about 63 B. C., and ruled by Roman officers. In the 7th century A. D. it became a part of the Mohammedan empire, and in the nth century was in the hands of the Seljuk Turks, whose cruel treatment of Christian pilgrims led to the crusades. The Christian princes ruled only a short time, the land being overrun by the Mamelukes and the opposing forces of Tamerlane. Since 1517 it has belonged to the Ottoman empire. Population 3,675,200. See JEWS and PALESTINE.

Syrin'ga, a genus of Old-World plants, natural order OleacecB (lilac). They are deciduous shrubs, comprising six known species, native of southeastern Europe and Asia. Flowers in terminal panicles and very fragrant. The term, as popularly used, signifies the beautiful shrub, Philadelphus Coronar-ius, a native of Japan, often seen in gardens and commonly known as sweet syringa or mock-orange. Its cream-colored, fragrant flowers somewhat resemble orange-blossoms.