Homs, known in pre-Islamic Syria as Emesa, is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is 501 metres above sea level and is located 162 kilometres north of Damascus. Located on the Orontes River, Homs is also the central link between the interior cities and the Mediterranean coast. Homs has long been of geographic, strategic and economic importance. It is situated at the centre of a fertile agricultural region along the Orontes river valley at the eastern end of the Homs Gap – the only natural gateway from Syria’s Mediterranean coast to the interior.
Historical, Cultural facts & Religion
The history of Homs stretches back to the 1st Millennium BC. But it only gained importance during the Roman era, when it was known as Emesa and gave birth to a dynasty of emperors. It served as an important trading post on the route from the Mediterranean to India and China. Syria is a traditional society with a long cultural history. The importance is placed on family, religion, education and self-discipline and respect. The Syrian’s taste for the traditional arts is expressed in dances such as the al-Samah, the Dabkeh in all their variations and the sword dance. Its population reflects Syria’s general religious diversity, composed of Sunni and Alawite Muslims, and Christians. There are a number of historic mosques and churches in the city, and it is close to the Krak des Chevaliers castle, a World Heritage Site.
Brief City History
Homs, Arabic Ḥimṣ, city, central Syria. The city is situated near the Orontes River at the eastern end of Syria’s only natural gateway from the Mediterranean coast to the interior. It occupies the site of ancient Emesa, which contained a great temple to the sun god El Gebal (Aramaic; Latin: Elagabalus; Greek: Heliogabalus). Emesa was ruled by a line of priest-kings throughout the Roman Empire, and two of its nobility rose to become emperor, Elagabalus and Severus Alexander. Aurelian (reigned 270–275 CE) made the town his headquarters and there defeated Queen Zenobia of Palmyra. It was taken in 636 by the Muslims, who renamed it Homs (Ḥimṣ), and the city’s large Christian element was eliminated during the rebellion of 855 when the churches were demolished and the Christians executed or deported. Homs later (1516) passed into Ottoman hands, where it remained, except for a brief period of Egyptian control in the 1830s, until the creation of Syria after World War I.Homs was one of the main centres of the Syrian Uprising of 2011–12; crackdowns by Syrian security forces in the town resulted in some of the worst bloodsheds of the uprising. Homs is situated in a fertile agricultural region that produces wheat, corn (maize), millet, cotton, fruits, and vegetables. The city has thus become a thriving agricultural market centre; its local handicrafts, which include jewelry, belts, and cloaks, are also well-known. In addition, Homs has an oil refinery opened in 1959, an agricultural research station, fertilizer and vegetable-oil plants, a sugar refinery, and a university (1979). The hub of an important road and rail network, it is the central link between the interior cities and the Mediterranean coast. A shrine and mosque erected in 1908 honors the Arab general and conqueror Khalīd ibn al-Walīd, known as “the Sword of Allāh,” who died there in 642. Homs contains a medieval citadel with remains of older foundations. There is a minority Christian community in the city. Pop. (2004 est.) 800,400.
Language (s) Written & Spoken
At Homs, most Syrians speak various dialects of Levantine Arabic with Damascus Arabic being the prestigious dialect in the media. Dialects of the cities of Damascus, Homs, Hama, and Tartous are more similar to each other than to that of the northern region of Aleppo.
Important Types of Commerce in Homs
The main industries are cement, glass, food processing, iron and steel, leather goods, brassware, fertilizers, and textiles. Cotton fabrics, wool, and nylon are Syria’s most important manufactures. The textile industry is in Aleppo, Damascus, Homs, and Hamah. Natural silk is produced in Latakia.
Language Services US and others will provide working with Homs
People can move from one place to another due to various reasons. Therefore, interpreting is necessary to ease understanding in communication. Some of the reasons may be an adventure, fleeing wars, employment, business and many others. Business, law, education, research, engineering, manufacturing, medical and some of the many fields that require professional translation and interpretation services when doing business in Homs. Proper understanding and knowledge of the local terminologies used is highly essential for essential and quality language service. Arabic is the major language spoken in Homs. Industry doing business with Homs will require accurate and consistent Arabic language services to grasp the wider market.
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