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Sarmada

Coordinates: 36°11′N 36°43′E / 36.183°N 36.717°E / 36.183; 36.717
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For the township in Tibet, see Samarda Township.
Sarmada
سرمدا
Sarmada is located in Syria
Sarmada
Sarmada
Location in Syria
Coordinates: 36°11′N 36°43′E / 36.183°N 36.717°E / 36.183; 36.717
CountrySyrian opposition Syria
GovernorateIdlib
DistrictHarem
Subdistrictal-Dana
Population
 (2007 est.)
 • Total
15,000
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

Sarmada (Arabic: سرمدا) is a town in the Harem District, Idlib Governorate of Syria.[1] It is in the extreme northwest of Syria near the border with Turkey.

A church was consecrated in Sarmada by Patriarch Elias of Antioch in 722 CE.[2] It is also the place in which the Battle of Sarmada took place between the Principality of Antioch and the Artukids on June 28, 1119.

Monuments

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Column of Sarmada

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The town is distinguished by the Roman tomb of Alexandras, dated to the second century CE.[3] The tomb is rectangular and supports two columns, composed of thirteen cylicrical stones, joined together at the tenth cylinder by a horizontal piece with a further capital on top.[4]

Monastery of Saint Daniel and Hisn ad-Dair

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The Monastery of Saint Daniel (also known as Breij or Braij or al-Breij) is located 2 km west of the town, perched in a hillside location about 400 metres from the road.[5] The monastery is dated to the 6th century CE during the later monastic phase of the Dead Cities.[6]

A monastery called Hisn ad-Dair near Sarmada was given to Alan of Gael by Baldwin II of Jerusalem in 1121 AD, when it was described as a fortified monastery.[7] There is also mention of a castle with three watchtowers in the area.[8]

Roman temple

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A further 4 km along the road towards Baqirha is a Roman temple dedicated to Zeus. Epigraphic evidence was found dating the structure to c. 169 CE. The temple features a massive gateway and cella along with one surviving column of what once was a four columned portico.[6]

References

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  1. ^ Sarmada; Esyria
  2. ^ Jan J. Ginkel; Hendrika Lena Murre-van den Berg; Theo Maarten Van Lint (2005). Redefining Christian Identity: Cultural Interaction in the Middle East Since the Rise of Islam. Peeters Publishers. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-90-429-1418-6. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  3. ^ Warwick Ball (2000). Rome in the East. Taylor & Francis. pp. 363–. ISBN 978-0-415-11376-2. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  4. ^ Soubhi Saouaf (1957). Six tours in the vicinity of Aleppo; visitors' guide. Georges Salem. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  5. ^ Diana Darke (2010). Syria, 2nd. Bradt Travel Guides. pp. 200–. ISBN 978-1-84162-314-6. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  6. ^ a b Andrew Beattie; Timothy Pepper (2001). The Rough Guide to Syria. Rough Guides. pp. 2–. ISBN 978-1-85828-718-8. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  7. ^ Thomas S. Asbridge (2000). The Creation of the Principality of Antioch, 1098–1130. Boydell & Brewer Ltd. pp. 82–84, 88, 161. ISBN 978-0-85115-661-3. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  8. ^ Hugh N. Kennedy (2006). Muslim Military Architecture in Greater Syria: From the Coming of Islam to the Ottoman Period. Brill. pp. 291–. ISBN 978-90-04-14713-3. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
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