'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎541] (632/905)

CHAP. XXI.]
OF SYHIA.
541
small territory, which probably was situated at the foot of
Anti-Lebanon, and subsequently formed part of Coele Syria.
On the western slope of this part of the Lebanon was Syria Syria of Rehob.
of Rehob, or Rohob, 1 afterwards Geshur, 2 a small kingdom in
the interior of Phoenice, which appears to have been older
than those of Damascus and Aram Maachah. Finally, Syria
of Tob, 3 or Ish Tob, which fell to the half tribe of Manasseh,
was situated at the north-eastern extremity of the same terri
tory.
As the subject will be noticed more at length in another Ancient inha-
place, it may here be observed merely, that the early inha- of
bitants of Aram were derived from two branches of the line of
Ham, viz., the Phoenicians and Canaanites; and from the
descendants of Abraham, who was of the line of Shem: these
last found the language of the former settlers in use towards
the east, while the Philistines (see above, pp. 83, 84) spoke the
Syriac, or Aramaic, a dialect of the Aramean, which has a
written character of great antiquity.
After the invasion of Tiglath Pileser, the worship of Ancient reii-
Rimmon, 4 and of Adad, or Benhadad, appears to have been gl0n of Syria '
replaced by that of Astarte; to whom magnificent temples were
raised, particularly at Hierapolis. 5 Besides the temples to the
Queen of Heaven, or Queen of the Stars, there appear to have
been many deities whose names were derived from the Chal
dean Bel, in connection with the sun; such as Ba'al at Sidon,
Ba'al Berith, Ba'al Semen, See.: and there were likewise
temples dedicated to Thalissius, or the sea, to Hercules,
Adonis, Osiris, and other deified men.
The invention of letters has been attributed to the Phoe
nicians, 6 and, in very early times, arithmetic, astronomy, and
philosophy, were cultivated in the country, which was then the
emporium of commerce, and celebrated for arts; more par
ticularly the manufacture of glass, and the Tyrian dye. 7
1 Num. chap. XIII., v. 21. Josh. chap. XIX., v. 28 & 30.
2 2 Samuel chap. III., v. 3.
8 Judges, chap. XL, v. 3 & 5. Maccabees, chap. V., v. 13, and chap.
XII., v. 17. ' The pomegranate. 5 See above, p. 421.
6 Pliny, lib. VII., c. Ivi. 7 Strabo, lib. XVI., p. 75*