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'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [‎67v] (139/738)
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'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [‎67v] (139/738)

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'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919'
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Ref: IOR/L/MIL/17/16/15

The record is made up of 1 volume (365 folios). It was created in 1919. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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128
MILITARY HISTORY
that the Arabs won their victories as an army of horsemen.
On the contrary, most of them fought on foot and they became
famous horsemen only after they had conquered the horse-
breeding lands of Syria and Persia. The view that they
owed their success to their enormous numbers does not bear
critical examination. In reality 5,000-6,000 was a great force
even for the united Arab tribes to assemble. The Moslem
invasion of Egypt in 639 was begun by an army of 4,000 men.
The latest historian of the period gives 20,000-24,000 as the
maximum strength of the Moslems at the battle of the
Yarmuk and regards 10,000 as a more probable estimate.
In any case the Greek army was not much, if at all, inferior
to the invaders in point of numbers. Finally, the part played
by the new faith of the Arabs has probably been overstated
and has perhaps been wrongly conceived. The popular view,
supported by Moslem tradition, that the Arabs set out to
conquer the world for their faith can hardly be maintained.
The influence of Islam consisted rather in this that the Arab
tribes for the first time acted together in virtue of their
common faith, and that a common direction and purpose were
secured for their enterprises by the authority of the Khalifs,
the successors of Mohammed. It was only later, perhaps,
that Islam supplied such a sense of confidence and superiority
as to become an appreciable source of military strength.
It remains to be said that even in the battle of the Yarmuk
the Arab army seems to have been arranged according to
a definite tactical plan. The front lines consisted of infantry
and the cavalry was posted in the rear in support, especially
on the flanks. There was probably a reserve under the chief
commander, Abu ‘Ubeidah. The disposition and tactics of
Moslem armies from now onwards were plainly influenced by
Greek and Persian models. Possibly Greek military principles
influenced to some extent even the leaders of the conquest.
The final result of this development is plainly seen in the
period of the Crusades and will be described under that period.

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Content

Admiralty handbook regarding Syria (including Palestine) 'to as far north as the River Orontes and a line Antioch-Aleppo-Meskeneh. For details of the part of Syria beyond this line reference must be made to the Handbook of Asia Minor , Vol. iv, Part 2 (C.B. 847 C).'

'Contents. Chapters:

  • I. Boundaries and Physical Survey, p 9 (folio 7)
  • II. Climate, p 24 (folio 14v)
  • III. Minerals, Flora and Fauna, p 93 (folio 50)
  • IV. Military History, p 109 (folio 58)
  • V. Inhabitants, p 175 (folio 91)
  • VI. Turkish Administration, p 236 (folio 121v)
  • VII. Agriculture, p 252 (folio 129v)
  • VIII. Industry and Trade, p 276 (folio 141v)
  • IX. Currency, Weights and Measures, p 318 (folio 162v)
  • X. Jebel Ansarīyeh, p 325 (folio 166)
  • XI. Country East of Jebel Ansarīyeh, p 344 (folio 175v)
  • XII. Lebanon, Anti-Lebanon, and Damascus Plain, p 357 (folio 182)
  • XIII. River Systems of Northern Syria, p 395 (folio 201)
  • XIV. Judea and the Southern Desert, p 427 (folio 217)
  • XV. Samaria (including Carmel), p 472 (folio 239v)
  • XVI. Galilee, p 515 (folio 261)
  • XVII. Haurān and Jaulān, p 556 (folio 281v)
  • XVIII. 'Ajlūn and Northern Belqa, p 580 (folio 293v)
  • XIX. Southern Belqa and Ardh el-Kerak, p 612 (folio 309v)
  • XX. El-Jibāl and Esh-Shera, p 636 (folio 321v)
  • XXI. The Ghōr (Jordan and the Dead Sea); and Wādi 'Arabah, p 645 (folio 326)
  • Appendix: Conventional Spellings, p 668 (folio 337v)
  • Index, p 669 (folio 338)
  • Plates, p 725' [missing]
Extent and format
1 volume (365 folios)
Arrangement

The volume contains a contents page (folio 6) and an index (folios 338-365).

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 367; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence. The volume originally contained fourteen plates showing maps, bound into the back of the volume. These are now missing; details of the plates can be found at folio 5v.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [‎67v] (139/738), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/16/15, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100033282269.0x00008c> [accessed 18 December 2024]

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Reference
IOR/L/MIL/17/16/15
Title
'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919'
Pages
front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:366v, back-i
Author
East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
Usage terms
Open Government Licence