Ḩamāh

Ḩamāh, city in west central Syria, on the Orontes River. The principal products of the city and the surrounding region are grain and wool, silk, and cotton textiles. An ancient city, frequently mentioned in the Bible as Hamath, Ḩamāh was once an important center of the Hittites. In February 1982 the city was the site of an antigovernment rebellion led by the Muslim Brotherhood; according to diplomatic reports, at least 5000 people were killed and much of the city was devastated when Syrian government forces suppressed the uprising. Population (1994) 264,348.