Bassir بصير | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 St. George Church in Bassir, 2010 | |
  Bassir Location in Syria | |
| Coordinates:33°03′39.28″N36°14′00.43″E / 33.0609111°N 36.2334528°E /33.0609111; 36.2334528 | |
| Grid position | 265/274PAL |
| Country |  Syria |
| Governorate | Daraa |
| District | Sanamayn |
| Nahiyah | Sanamayn |
| Elevation | 630 m (2,070 ft) |
| Population (2004 census)[1] | |
• Total | 1,442 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (AST) |
Bassir (Arabic:بصير) is a town in southernSyria, administratively part of theas-Sanamayn District in theDaraa Governorate. It is located 630 meters (2,070 ft) above sea level and 51 kilometers (32 mi) south ofDamascus. Bassir is bordered byLajat to the east,Khabab to the south,as-Sanamayn to the west, andJabab to the north. The town lies in the middle of three main Syrian cities: Damascus,Daraa andSuwayda. According to theSyria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Bassir had a population of 1,442 in the 2004 census.[1] Its inhabitants are predominantlyMelkite Greek CatholicChristians.[2]
The nameBassir comes from the wordPethera, which in Greek means “high” or “elevated,” referring to its relatively high location. Basrah is the most common form. In Arabic, the word baṣrah means “the overwatcher.”
Bassir was built as a military base forRoman forces to support the regiments scattered throughout the surrounding region.[citation needed] The area is rocky, consisting of volcanic and lava stones, and is known as Lajah. Bassir also served as a stopover for caravans traveling betweenBabylon andPalestine.
In 1596, Bassir appeared in theOttomantax registers asBusayr al-Kubra and was part of thenahiya of Bani Kilab in theHauran Sanjak. It had an entirelyMuslim population consisting of 4 households and 3 bachelors. The villagers paid a fixed tax-rate of 25% onwheat,barley, summer crops, goats and beehives; a total of 2,900akçe.[3]
In 1838,Buseir was noted as a Catholic village, situated "in the Nukra, north ofash-Shaykh Miskin".[4]
The people of this area are known to be part of theGhassanid Christian tribes that immigrated fromYemen to theHauran region of southern Syria in the early 3rd century CE, where they established the Kingdom of the Ghassanids. The current population is about 3,000, but unlike neighboring villages, Bassir has a very low birth rate and has significantly declined over the years. Many people originally from Bassir now live inDamascus, although they still own homes in the town. During the Ottoman period, and due to a lack of resources, a notable number of residents emigrated toSouth America, particularlyBrazil andArgentina. Others emigrated to nearby countries such asLebanon, where many of their descendants now live in theBeqaa Valley and theKoura region nearTripoli.
The inhabitants of Bassir areChristians and follow theMelkite Greek Catholic Church.[2] This is similar to the situation in their neighboring towns:Khabab,Izraa,Tubna,Shaqra that all their current citizens originally immigrated fromSalkhad.
Bassir once had two ancient Byzantine churches. One was built after the conversion to Christianity but was later completely demolished. The other church remains buried beneath the one constructed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which has since been renovated. The latter church is believed to have been first used by the new settlers of Bassir.
In 2011, the Melkite Greek Catholic Church had approximately 4,200 believers.[5]
Bassir is well known for its highly educated population and was once called the “home of light,” owing to the large number of educated people who spread knowledge and education to surrounding towns over the years. During the past 50 years, some residents have emigrated to countries such asFrance and theUnited States, mostly to pursue higher education. Many notable scientists and scholars were born in this small town, including physicians, engineers, and politicians.
The houses in Bassir are made of volcanic and Lava stones that are currently used to build the new houses of the town.
Capital:Daraa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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