Jabla

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جبلة / Ǧabla
Jabla
Jabla (Syria)
Jabla
Jabla
Coordinates 35 ° 22 ′  N , 35 ° 55 ′  E Coordinates: 35 ° 22 ′  N , 35 ° 55 ′  E
Basic data
Country Syria

Governorate

Latakia
ISO 3166-2 SY-LA
height 20 m
Residents 76,000 (2009)
Jablah.jpg

Jableh or Dschabala (also Jableh, Jabala, Jablah, Gabala, Gibel or Gibellum ; French Djabla , Arabic جبلة, DMG Ǧabla ) is a Syrian coastal town in the Latakia governorate with the remains of an amphitheater from Roman times .

Cityscape

The city is 20 kilometers south of Latakia , whose international airport is nearby. The next town further south is Baniyas , about 30 kilometers away. In 2009 Jabla had around 76,000 inhabitants.

The tiers with a diameter of 90 meters for 7,000 spectators, which were restored in 1990, have been preserved from the Roman theater. The stage building is almost completely destroyed.

The Jabla Theater

history

A settlement Gabala was founded by Phoenician settlers from the island of Arwad . In ancient times, Jabla was a port city that was temporarily controlled by Ugarit . In local writings from the 14./13. Century BC A place Gibala is mentioned.

On July 23, 1109, Tankred the Crusaders captured the city for the Principality of Antioch . The city was called Gibellum under the Franks . Jabla was given as a fief to Reinald Mansoer , who had the ruins of the Roman theater converted into a fortress . The open side of the theater was bricked up and defensive towers were attached to the outside. The alterations are no longer preserved today. The Crusaders also established a diocese in Jabla.

After Zengi had conquered the county of Edessa in 1144 , it was the Bishop of Jabla, Hugo of Jabala , who traveled to Europe in 1145 and prompted the Pope to call for a second crusade . Hugo was also the first to tell the legend of the priest-king John in Europe.

In 1167 Nur ad-Din conquered and destroyed Jabla, which the Crusaders soon repossessed and rebuilt. On July 15, 1188, the city was captured by Saladin's troops, who soon withdrew, after which the Crusaders took possession of the city again.

When the Mamluks conquered the principality of Antioch in 1268, the garrison of Jabla was withdrawn to protect Antioch itself and the city was entrusted to the protection of the Hospitaller Order. Since the hospitallers were also in a precarious position due to the onslaught of the Mamluks on their main castle Margat in 1269 and 1270, they soon left Jabla to the Mamluks without a fight.

sons and daughters of the town

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ World Gazetteer
  2. ^ Horst Klengel : Syria Antiqua. Edition Leipzig, Leipzig 1971, p. 119
  3. ↑ Steven Runciman: History of the Crusades. CH Beck, Munich 2001, p. 769

Web links