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Amioun أميون | |
|---|---|
City | |
 | |
  Amioun Location within Lebanon | |
| Coordinates:34°18′0″N35°48′0″E / 34.30000°N 35.80000°E /34.30000; 35.80000 | |
| Country |  Lebanon |
| Governorate | North Lebanon Governorate |
| District | Koura District |
| Established | circa 4,000 B.C. |
| Founded by | Phoenicians |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Mayor | Malek Fares |
| Area | |
• Total | 11.4 km2 (4.4 sq mi) |
| along the "Cedars' way" | |
| Highest elevation | 330 m (1,080 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 298 m (978 ft) |
| Population (2010) | |
• Total | 10,658[1] |
| • Density | 935/km2 (2,420/sq mi) |
| • Religion | 99.5%Eastern Orthodox |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Dialing code | +961 6 |
| Website | http://www.amioun.org |
Amioun (Arabic:أميون,romanized: Amyūn;Greek:Αμιούν) is the capital of the predominantlyGreek OrthodoxKoura District (i.e. χώρα, "country" in Greek) inNorth Lebanon.[2]
The town of Amioun derives its name from theAramaic language, meaning "'am Yawan" "place of the Greeks", with a possible alternative rootfortified town with Roman temples. Amioun is located on the top of an ancient hill dating back to before the 2nd millennium B.C., and the town was called "Amia" during this period.[3] The wordAmia was cited in the letters ofTell el Amarna, which were sent in the 14th century B.C. by local governors to their overlords, thepharaohs ofEgypt. In his etymological study of the names of Lebanon's towns and villages, historianAnis Freiha asserted thatAmia is in turn derived from the Semitic wordemun, meaning "invincible fort".
The archaeological survey conducted in 2017 in Amioun by the joint Italian-Lebanese mission has revealed a remarkably long and complex settlement sequence, confirming its identification with the ancient site of Ammiya. Initially a small Early Bronze Age (EBA) rural settlement, Amioun grew significantly in the Middle Bronze Age (MBA), emerging as an urban center and eventually becoming a major political hub in the Late Bronze Age (LBA), dominating the inner Koura plain and rivaling other prominent cities of the region. This development aligns with LBA historical sources from the 16th to 13th centuries BCE. The site's importance persisted into the Iron Age, as evidenced by potential Assyrian pottery finds, indicating strategic relevance during the expansion of the Assyrian Empire. Despite regional upheavals, Amioun/Ammiya maintained its prominence, attracting imperial interest and continuing its key role into the Classical and Medieval periods, making it a crucial site for understanding the archaeology and socio-political history of Northern Lebanon.[4]
Amioun had a population of 2,673 in 1953.[5]
In 2014,Christians made up 97.54% of registered voters in Amioun. 89.60% of the voters wereGreek Orthodox.[6]
Amioun has a population of 10,658.[1] Almost all the residents are followers of theGreek Orthodox Church of Antioch. Amioun is the largestGreek Orthodox town inLebanon, and 4th-largest in all of theLevant afterMhardeh,Al-Suqaylabiyah andKafr Buhum (all inSyria).
Amioun is one of the many Lebanese towns where the number of inhabitants is very small compared to the number of its natives who live abroad. Global emigration occurred as far back as the mid 19th century with records showing young men and families migrating to the new world, mainly the Americas (North and South) and Australia. This emigration was greatly hastened after the economic ill fortunes of the silk textile factories after the advent of cheap artificial silk by the far east. Then, successive world wars, TheGreat Famine of Mount Lebanon, and theLebanese Civil War (1975–1990) also took their toll. Emigration continues till the present day. Some families are extinct and others are greatly reduced in number. During holidays, especially summer, many of the natives return to visit their relatives.
In the first decade of the 20th century, a significant community from Amioun settled in the Conemaugh Valley, around the city ofJohnstown, Pennsylvania. By 1908, a local directory listed twenty individuals from Amioun operating dry goods businesses in the area.[7] These early immigrants laid strong foundations for their community, notably establishing the Saint Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church, which continues to serve the faithful to this day.[8]
In the 1950s, another important destination for emigrants from Amioun was the city ofPeoria, Illinois. From the 1970s onwards, a large community also took root in theBoston area, further expanding the Amiouni presence in the United States.
Beyond the U.S., the Amiouni diaspora established vibrant communities in the late 19th and early 20th century in Latin America, particularly inArgentina[9] and theDominican Republic,[10] but also inBrazil,Mexico,Colombia[11] andTrinidad and Tobago.[12] Throughout the 20th centuryAustralia was another important destination, with big communities in the cities ofSydney andMelbourne.[13] A smaller but notable number also settled in Canada, especially inOttawa andMontreal.
In more recent decades, migration from Amioun has extended toFrance, West Africa (mostlyNigeria) and the United Arab Emirates, although these movements have largely consisted of temporary labour migration rather than long-term settlement.
In the2022 Lebanese general election, a total of 6,847 voters were registered in Amioun. Among them, 627—approximately 9.2%—were members of the diaspora. Of these diaspora voters, 23% were registered from Australia, 22% from the United States, 13.4% from the United Arab Emirates, 9.3% from France, and 7.2% from Canada.[14]
Amioun has elevenGreek Orthodox churches: The Dormition of the Theotokos (Al Sayydeh), St. George el Dahleez, St. John al Sheer, St. Sergios and Bacchus, St. Barbara, St. Domitios, St. Marina, St. Phocas, St. Simon the Stylite, St. George Al-Kafr and Our Lady of Breastfeeding (Mar-Gala).
There are three public and two private schools. TheUniversity of Balamand is located nearby, 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) north. There is a public library and a private hospital.
Located in the heart ofNorthern Lebanon, Amioun is the administrative center ofKoura District. Amioun is about 370 meters (1,210 feet) above sea level and approximately 78 kilometers away (48.5 miles) north-northeast ofBeirut. It is about 42 kilometers (26 miles) away from theCedars of God and 18 kilometers (11 miles) away fromTripoli, capital of theNorth Governorate.
Situated between the sea and the mountains, on a chain of beautiful hills that stretch from east to west, Amioun has a distinctive location and a scenic view. Surrounding the hills on which Amioun is situated are olive fields in the north and vineyards, almond orchards, and olive trees in the south. Paved roads, including the Beirut-Cedars main highway, run through those hills. Long ago, when the houses that stretched on those hills were few, Amioun was called “the town of beautiful hills”. Amioun can be reached via the highway that passes throughByblos,Batroun,Chekka, andKfarhazir. It can also be reached from Tripoli by way ofBohssas,Dahr-al-Ain,Aaba, andBishmizzine.
Amioun is also known for its olive trees, which are possibly the oldest in the world,[15] and high grade olive oil.
Amioun is a very old settlement whose history can be traced back to thePaleolithic period. This is supported by the number of small caves built in the old city's rocks. In the past years, a number of French and German orientalists – foremost of whom was the FrenchmanErnest Renan – visited it, studied its archaeological sites and wrote about them. The ancientSemitic peoples are thought to have arrived in the region around 4000 B.C.
In his book“The Monuments of Lebanon”,Father Lamens mentions a number of towns, one of which is “Amia” (p. 76). If this connection is correct, Amioun may be considered as the oldest town in the interior ofLebanon.
Amioun's past has left its mark on different historical periods, whether ancient, medieval, or modern. Some of its monuments can be traced back to a period when different pagan religions prevailed. With the advent ofChristianity, the Roman pagan temples in Amioun were eventually transformed intochurches.
The town -when grew in huge importance during the centuries of theRoman Phoenicia- used to be the site of a Roman temple, which was later converted into a church, dedicated to Saint George (The remains of the temple platform are still visible under a medieval monastery).
During the 20th century, major changes touched local population, which was based on agriculture, mainly olive, olive oil and soap production, and modify it into the highest educated society in Lebanon[citation needed]. This resulted in a huge percentage, almost 30%, of highly educated people, mainly in the medical domain.[citation needed]
The modern town of Amioun lies on an important archaeological tell. Of major interest are the churches of Mar Jurius (St. George), built on the cellar of a Roman temple, and Mar Fauqa, or St. Phocas, built by local architects during the Crusader period. The entire interior of St. Phocas is covered with Byzantine-style wall paintings of the 12th and 13th centuries. A third church is the modern red-roofed Mar Youhanna (St. John) perched on a rocky cliff with tomb openings on its southeastern facade.[20]Near the old town government building, or "Serail," is the Chapel of Marina, an ancient burial vault converted into a chapel.[20]
There are 13 places of Christian worship in Amioun, including churches and monasteries and shrines.
Cathedrals
Churches
Monasteries
ShrinesCave of Saint Marina (Greek Orthodox)Sacred place of Saint George (Demolished Greek Orthodox Church)
Amioun istwinned with:
| Koura Villages | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Aaba | 2.Afsdik | 3.Ain Akrine | 4.Ali-al-Mouran |
| 5. Amioun | 6.Anfeh | 7.Badebhoun | 8.Barghoun |
| 9.Barsa | 10.Bdebba | 11.Batroumine | 12.Bishmizzine |
| 13.Bhabouch | 14.Bishriyata | 15.Bkomra | 16.Bneyel |
| 17.Bohssas | 18.Btourram | 19.Btouratige | 20.Bkeftine |
| 21.Bnehran | 22.Bsarma | 23.Btaaboura | 24.Bziza |
| 25.Charlita | 26.Chira | 27.Dahr-al-Ain | 28.Darbechtar |
| 29.Darchmezzine | 30.Deddeh | 31.Fih | 32.Ijdebrine |
| 33.Kaftoun | 34.Kifraya | 35.Kelbata | 36.Kelhat |
| 37.Kfaraakka | 38.Kfarhata | 39.Kfarhazir | 40.Kaferkahel |
| 41.Kfarsaroun | 42.Kousba | 43.Maziriit Toula | 44.Mitrit |
| 45.Mijdel | 46.Nakhleh | 47.Rachedbine | 48.Ras Maska |
| 49.Ras Osta | 50.Wata Fares | 51.Zakroun | 52.Zakzouk |
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Additional references:
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Additional geographical information:
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