DAMASCUS, a very ancient city of Syria in A-
sia, seated in E. Long. 47. 18. N. Lat. 35. 0. Some
of the ancients suppose this city to have been built by
one Damascus, from whom it took its name; but the
most generally received opinion is, that it was found-
ed by Uz the eldest son of Aram. It is certain, from
Gen. xiv. 5. that it was in being in Abraham's time,
and consequently may be looked upon as one of the
most ancient cities in the world. In the time of king
David it seems to have been a very considerable place;
as the sacred historian tells us, that the Syrians of Da-
mascus sent 20,000 men to the relief of Hadadezer
king of Zobah. We are not informed whether at that
time it was governed by kings, or was a republic. Af-
terwards, however, it became a monarchy which pro-
ved very troublesome to the kingdom of Israel, and
would even have destroyed it entirely, had not the Deity
miraculously interposed in its behalf. At last this
monarchy was destroyed by Tiglath Pileser king of
Assyria, and Damascus was never afterwards governed
by its own kings. From the Assyrians and Babylonians
it passed to the Persians, and from them to the Greeks
under Alexander the Great. After his death it belong-
ed, with the rest of Syria, to the Seleucids; till their
empire was subdued by the Romans, about 70 years be-
fore Christ. From them it was taken by the Saracens
in 633; and it is now in the hands of the Turks.—
Notwithstanding the tyranny of the Turkish govern-
ment, Damascus is still a considerable place. It is sit-
uated in a plain of so great extent, that one can but
just discern the mountains which compass it on the
other side. It stands on the west side of the plain,
about two miles from the head of the river Barrady,
which waters it. It is of a long, strait figure, extend-
ing about two miles in length, adorned with mosques
and steeples, and encompassed with gardens computed
to be full 30 miles round. The river Barrady, as soon
as it issues from the clefts of the Antilibanus into the
plain, is divided into three streams, whereof the mid-
dlemost and biggest runs directly to Damascus, and is
distributed to all the cisterns and fountains of the city.
The other two seem to be artificial; and are drawn
round, one to the right, and the other to the left, on
the borders of the gardens, into which they are let by
little currents, and dispersed every where. The houses
of the city, whose streets are very narrow, are all built
on the outside either with sun-burnt brick, or Flemish
wall: and yet it is no uncommon thing to see the
gates and doors adorned with marble portals, carved
and inlaid with great beauty and variety; and within
these portals to find large square courts beautified with
fragrant trees and marble fountains, and compassed
round with splendid apartments. In these apartments
the ceilings are usually richly painted and gilded; and
their duans, which are a sort of low stages seated in the
pleasantest part of the room, and elevated about 16 or
18 inches above the floor, whereon the Turks eat, sleep,
say their prayers, &c. are floored, and adorned on the
sides with variety of marble mixed in mosaic knots and
mazes, spread with carpets, and furnished all round
with bolsters and cushions, to the very height of luxu-
ry. In this city are shown the church of John the Bap-
tist, now converted into a famous mosque; the house
of Ananias, which is only a small grotto or cellar
wherein is nothing remarkable; and the house of Ju-
das with whom Paul lodged. In this last is an old
tomb, supposed to be that of Ananias; which the
Turks hold in such veneration, that they keep a lamp
continually burning over it. There is a castle belong-
ing to Damascus, which is like a little town, having
its own streets and houses; and in this castle a maga-
zine of the famous Damascus steel was formerly kept.
The fruit-tree called the damascene, and the flower
called the damaske rose, were transplanted from the gar-
dens belonging to this city; and the silks and linens
known by the name of damaske, were probably invented
by the inhabitants.