frightful deserts, this province was noted for its large and splendid cities; its gardens, palaces, and numerous temples; and the accomplishment of its inhabitants This city was called Palmara by the Greeks, Palmyra by the Romans; in Scriptures, Tadmor; and by Josephus Thadarnor. Of its origin little is known; but by some learned historians, it is supposed to have been founded by Solomon. It flourished for many years; and was unfortunately the cause of frequent and bloody conflicts between the Romans and Carthaginians. It was destroyed by Antiochus; and re-built and beautifully adorned by Aurelian. When, however, that country became subject to the Turks, that barbarous, ignorant and bigoted people shamefully laid it in ruins. The statements of various travellers describe these ruins as very interesting. The principal, at present, are temples and porticos of Grecian architecture. These ruins cover several square miles; and present a melancholy spectacle. The temple of the sun, or rather its ruins, which attracts particular notice, covers a square of 220 yards. It was high and massive, and adorned within and without with pilasters, of which 124 are remaining. The Turks, by beating down the cornices, have deprived the world of the most finished work of the kind. In this square are fifty-eight entire pillars, thirty-seven feet high, with capitals of the finest carving. In the middle of this enclosure, stood the Temple encompassed by another row of pillars fifty feet in height. It was one of the most splendid edifices in the world.
To the north of the temple, is a stately obelisk fify feet high, of wreathed work; the sculpture is considered extremely fine. To the west of this is a spacious entrance to a noble piazza, which is a quarter of a mile in length, and forty feet in breadth—formed by two rows of marble pillars twenty-six feet high and nine in circumference. There were originally five hundred and sixty of these pillars: only one hundred and twenty-nine are now standing.
Seleucia. (Acts xiii. 4.) A city of Syria, on the shores of the Mediterranean, west of Antioch and near the mouth of the Orontes.
Zarephath, or Sarepta, where Elijah dwelt some time
