Shaqqa شَقَّا | |
|---|---|
 Al-Qaysariye residential palace in Shaqqa | |
  Shaqqa Location in Syria | |
| Coordinates:32°53′50″N36°41′53″E / 32.89722°N 36.69806°E /32.89722; 36.69806 | |
| Country |  Syria |
| Governorate | Suwayda |
| District | Shahba |
| Subdistrict | Shaqqa |
| Elevation | 1,070 m (3,510 ft) |
| Population (2004 Census) | |
• Total | 5,116 |
Shaqqa orShakka (Arabic:شَقَّا,romanized: Šaqqā) is aSyrian town inSuwayda Governorate in southern Syria. The Druze migrated to the region fromMount Lebanon starting from the 18th century.
In ancient times it was known asSaccaea (transliterated also asSakkaia). In AD 287, it was given the rank of a city and the nameMaximianopolis.[1][2][3] Since it was situated in theRoman province ofArabia, it is distinguished from other cities by being calledMaximianopolis in Arabia. The town had a population of 5,116 in the 2004 census.[4] The town's inhabitants are predominantlyDruze, whileChristians andSunni Muslim Bedouins represent a minority.[5]
Shaqqa is situated in the northern fringes ofJabal al-Druzevolcanic plateau at 1070 metres abovesea level, 7 kilometres east ofShahba and about 25 kilometres north ofSuwayda, the capital of the governatorate.
The ancient remains include several dwellings rich adorned both architecturally and by carvings. In addition it has:
Maximianopolis in Arabia, doubtless the seat of a Roman garrison,[1] was acolonia,[6] the highest rank of city in the empire. It employed acalendar era that counted the years from that ofMaximian's accession to the imperial throne (AD 286).[7] An inscription mentions a temple of Zeus Megistos,[8] and another bearing an epigram about the philosopherProclus is a witness to local literary culture.[8]
In the 5th century Maximianopolis was anepiscopal see,[1] as indicated by the participation of its bishop Severus as a signatory of theCouncil of Chalcedon in 451.[9][10] An inscription of 594 speaks of the local bishop, named Tiberinus, having erected amartyrium ofSaint George and other martyrs.[11] Another inscription mentions a Bishop Peter.[12]
The bishopric of Maximianopolis in Arabia is included in theCatholic Church's list oftitular sees.[13] In the 19th century it was mistakenly called "Maximopolis", until corrected in 1885.[12] Some sources of the same period proposed identification of Maximianopolis in Arabia with the town ofSheikh Miskin.[12]
In 1838Shuka was noted byEli Smith as being located inJabal Hauran, and inhabited by Druze and Christians.[14]
In 2011, theMelkite Greek Catholic Church had approximately 100 believers.[15]
32°53′50″N36°41′50″E / 32.89722°N 36.69722°E /32.89722; 36.69722
Capital:Suwayda | |||||||||||||||
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