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Maronites

(Encyclopedia)Maronites mârˈənīts [key], Lebanese Christian community, in communion with the pope. By emigration they have spread to Cyprus, Palestine, Egypt, South America, and the United States and now number...

pistachio

(Encyclopedia)pistachio pĭstăshˈēō, pĭstäˈshēō [key], tree or shrub (of the genus Pistacia) of the family Anacardiaceae (sumac family). The species that yields the pistachio nut of commerce is P. vera, na...

Levant

(Encyclopedia)Levant ləvăntˈ [key] [Ital.,=east], collective name for the countries of the eastern shore of the Mediterranean from Egypt to, and including, Turkey. The divisions of the French mandate over Syria ...

Tiglathpileser I

(Encyclopedia)Tiglathpileser I tĭgˌlăthpĭlēˈzər [key], d. c.1074 b.c., king of ancient Assyria. An able administrator, he was especially renowned for his military ability and invaded Asia Minor, N Syria, Arm...

Jacobite Church

(Encyclopedia)Jacobite Church jăkˈəbītˌ [key], officially Syrian Orthodox Church, Christian church of Syria, Iraq, and India, recognizing the Syrian Orthodox patriarch of Antioch as its spiritual head, regarde...

Fertile Crescent

(Encyclopedia)Fertile Crescent, historic region of the Middle East. A well-watered and fertile area, it arcs across the northern part of the Syrian desert. It is flanked on the west by the Mediterranean and on the ...

Badía y Leblich, Domingo

(Encyclopedia)Badía y Leblich, Domingo dōmēngˈgō bäᵺēˈä ē lāblēkˈ [key], 1766–1818, Spanish traveler, known as Ali Bey. Posing as a Muslim, he set out from Cádiz (1803) and traveled through N Afri...

Samosata

(Encyclopedia)Samosata səmŏsˈətə [key], ancient city of N Syria, on the Euphrates. It was founded c.150 b.c. as the capital of the Commagene kingdom. Taken by the Romans in a.d. 72, it was of some importance i...

Idlib

(Encyclopedia)Idlib ĭdˈlĭb [key], town (1995 est. pop. 100,000), capital of Idlib governorate, NW Syria. It is an important market center for a fertile agricultural region where grains, grapes, olives, sesame, a...

Tiridates , king of Parthia

(Encyclopedia)Tiridates tĭrˌĭdāˈtēz [key], d. 211 b.c., king of Parthia (c.248–211 b.c.), 2d ruler of the Arsacid dynasty (see under Arsaces). He absorbed Hyrcania and, with the ruler of Bactria, successful...