10 Facts About Emesa

Emesa was shortened to Homs or Hims by its Arab inhabitants, many of whom settled there prior to the Muslim conquest of Syria.

Claims have been made that Emesa was founded by Seleucus I Nicator who established the Seleucid Empire upon the death of Alexander the Great.

City of Emesa grew to prominence after the new-found wealth of the Emesene dynasty, governed first by one of the sons of Sampsiceramus I, Iamblichus I who made it the kingdom's capital.

Under him, Emesa sent the Roman military a regular levy of archers and assisted them in their siege of Jerusalem in 70.

Under the Romans, Emesa began to show attributes of a Greek city-state and traces of Roman town planning still remain.

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Emesa brought the image of this god, a conical black stone, to the Elagabalium in Rome.

Emesa grew wealthy because it formed a link in the eastern trade funnelled through Palmyra; however, this dependence caused the city's downfall when Palmyra sank to insignificance in the 4th century.

Emesa was executed by Emperor Julian and succeeded by Bishop Antonius—the first bishop to settle Emesa.

Emesa later departed for Aleppo, and left a small army in Homs' lower town.

Emesa described it as a large, but ruined village administratively dependent on Damascus.