Al-Husn ( Arabic : الحصن , also Romanized as Al Husn , Hisn and Husn ) is a town in northern Jordan , located 65 km (40 mi) north of Amman , and about 7 km (4 mi) south of Irbid . It has a population of 35,085. The region has fertile soil which along with the moderate climate allows the growing of high quality crops. Al Husn was known for its wine ; now its main products are wheat and olive oil . It is the administrative center of the Bani Obaid district.
11-604: Al-Husn is one of the possible sites of Dion , a city dating from when the Romans occupied northern Jordan and the region. The Decapolis cities (a ten-city Greco-Roman federation, or league, created under Pompey about 64-63 BCE). According to Pliny the Elder , (CE 23–79) the cities included: Scythopolis (Bet She'an), Hippos (Susieh), Gadara (Umm Qais), Pella (Tabaqat Fahl), Philadelphia (Amman), Gerasa (Jerash), Dion, Kanatha (Kanawat), Damascus, and Raphana (Abila). Al-Husn has one of
22-559: A waqf . In 1806, the German traveler named Seetzen arrived in al-Husn and became a guest of Al Sheikh Abdalla Ghanma. He narrates in his book, which describes his travels in the east, that when he got to al-Husn Pond and asked about the town's sheikh, he was directed to Abdalla's residence, where he stayed with him for two weeks. In 1812, the Swiss tourist and discoverer of Petra , Johann Ludwig Burckhardt , arrived in al-Husn. He also became
33-444: A guest of Sheikh Abdalla Ghanma for ten days. Both these early travelers wrote about their stay in al-Husn and about their host; the description is full of compliments, appreciation and respect. In 1838 al-Husn's inhabitants were predominantly Sunni Muslims and Greek Christians . In 1961 the population of al-Husn was 3,728 inhabitants, of whom 2,030 were Christians. Al-Husn is notable for its Roman-era artificial hill , situated in
44-851: The Jews under Alexander Jannaeus , who conquered the town, which was then conquered by Pompey and its freedom restored in 62 BCE. The coins of Dium are from the Pompeian era . Pliny the Elder and Ptolemy count the city as among the Decapolis . List of Catholic titular sees This is the official list of titular sees of the Catholic Church included in the Annuario Pontificio . Archiepiscopal sees are shown in bold. The Italian-language Annuario Pontificio devotes some 200 pages to listing these sees, with up to
55-519: The Ottoman tax registers named as part of the nahiya (subdistrict) of Bani Atiyya, part of the Sanjak of Hawran . It had 24 households and 15 bachelors; all Muslim . The villagers paid a fixed tax-rate of 25% on agricultural products; including wheat, barley, summer crops/fruit trees, goats and bee-hives; in addition to occasional revenues. The total tax was 17,153 akçe . 1/4 of the revenue went to
66-520: The Decapolis region) were after the second century A.D. also episcopal Sees . But Dium (not to confuse with Dionysias/ As Suweida), which was normally inside the protected territories of these days, was not an episcopal see. Stephanus notes that the city's water was unhealthy. Little is known about the history of the city. Like most of the Hellenistic cities in that region, it was subjugated to
77-513: The later Capitolias, now Beit Ras in Jordan . The location of Dium is therefore not proven with certainty. According to Ptolemy, the city was positioned between Pella and Gadara which are both in Jordan, and quite close to it; but its latitude was quite uncertain. Josephus in his retelling of Pompey's march through the area, says he came from Damascus via Dium to Pella, thus putting Dium to
88-495: The north of Pella. The Ruins of Tell Ashari fulfill the concept of a small greek City positioned at a Mount and around it. A Theatre high above the yarmouk river ravine is unfortunately due to the civil war in a really bad condition. At this time now, all facts speek for Tell Ashari as Dion of the Decapolis. As a small Remark is to notice that beside of the probably military fortress city of Raphana all other Decapolis Cities (also some others before unmentioned but positioned within
99-650: The northern part of the town, referred to by locals as "Al-Taal". The Taal used to be the property of the Nusairat family; it was later taken over by the Jordanian government. Local legend says there are "castle ruins" or a Byzantine church within the tell which gave the town its name; Husn means "castle" in Arabic. The hill is approximately 200 meters high and 800 meters in diameter. Dium (Coele-Syria) Dium or Dion ( Ancient Greek : Δῖον ) or Dia (Δία)
110-401: The oldest Orthodox churches in Jordan. It was originally built in the second century (CE), but destroyed in 1680 by the Ottoman army . A church was later rebuilt in 1886 by the local Christians. Traditionally, al-Husn has been home to a relatively large Christian community, including Melkites ; al-Husn, along with Fuhais, still includes a high percentage of Christians. In 1596 it appeared in
121-682: Was a city in ancient Coele-Syria mentioned by numerous ancient writers. According to Stephanus of Byzantium , the city was a foundation of Alexander the Great , and named after the city Dium in Macedon . It was also wrongly called Pella by some ancient writers. Dium is mostly identified with Tell el-Ash'ari from the Daraa Governorate in southwestern Syria (see fr:Tell al-Achari at French Misplaced Pages). Some associate Dium with Aidoun south of Irbid. Some other have identified it falsely
SECTION 10
#1732787094540#539460