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29-555: Backed by the foothills of the Nur Mountains , Osmaniye lay on one of the old Silk Roads and was always a place of strategic importance since it straddled the main route between Anatolia and the Middle East. Osmaniye lies at the centre of a rich agricultural region watered by the Ceyhan river and known for growing peanuts. During the intensely hot summers many residents escape either to

58-578: A "water goddess" in Aramaic . Arantu gradually became "Orontes" in Greek. In the Greek epic poem Dionysiaca (circa 400 CE), the river is said to have been named after Orontes, an Indian military leader who killed himself and fell into the river after losing to Dionysus in single combat. According to the Greek geographer Strabo (in Geographica , circa 20 CE), the river was originally named Typhon , because it

87-562: A male swimmer personifying the Orontes at her feet. In 64 BCE Pompey took the Orontes river valley and made it part of the new Roman province of Syria with Antioch as its capital. Lake Homs Dam was built by the Roman emperor Diocletian in 290 CE. In addition to Lake Homs, further Roman dams and dykes would be built along the Orontes river around Apamea, to better irrigate the Ghab plain. In 198 CE

116-459: A total course of 450 kilometres (280 mi). The Orontes is not easily navigable and the valley derives its historical importance as a road for north–south traffic; from Antioch south to Homs and thence to Damascus via al-Nabek . The Orontes has long been a boundary marker. For the Ancient Egyptians it marked the northern extremity of Amurru , east of Phoenicia. On the Orontes

145-692: Is a 571 kilometres (355 mi) long river in Western Asia that begins in Lebanon , flowing northwards through Syria before entering the Mediterranean Sea near Samandağ in Hatay Province , Turkey . As the chief river of the northern Levant , the Orontes has been the site of many major battles including the Battle of Kadesh (13th century BCE), and water distribution remains a controversial issue between

174-466: Is around 100 miles (200 kilometers) in length and reaches a maximum elevation of 2,240 m (7,350 ft). It divides the coastal region of Cilicia from Antioch and inland Syria , making a natural border between Asia Minor ( Anatolia ) in the southeast region and the rest of Southwest Asia . Its highest peak is Bozdağ Dağı. A major pass through the mountains known as the Belen Pass (Syrian Gates)

203-472: Is located near the town of Belen , and another pass known as the Amanic Gates (Bahçe Pass) lies farther north. The Amanos Mountains, located in southern Turkey, are recognized as one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots and one of Turkey's 9 environmental hotspots. This pristine region features typical Mediterranean flora and is home to numerous endemic species. Its rich ecosystems contribute significantly to

232-615: The Lake of Homs (an artificial lake created by a Roman-era dam , also known as Qattinah lake) in the Homs Governorate of Syria and through the city of Homs (or Ḥimṣ). Next it flows through the Hama Governorate and its capital of Hamah (Hamaih-Epiphaneia), and the ancient site of Larissa ( Shaizar ). This is where the river enters the Ghab plain . Further downstream, on the eastern edge of

261-528: The Ghab, is located the ancient city of Apamea . To the west is the Coastal Mountain Range . The last Syrian governorate it goes through is Idlib and the city of Jisr al-Shughur . This section ends at the rocky barrier of Jisr al-Hadid , where the river turns west into the plain of Antioch ( Amik Valley ) in the Hatay Province of Turkey. Two major tributaries, the southward-flowing Afrin River on

290-602: The Mediterranean coast or into the Nur mountains. The yayla of Zorkun is a particularly popular mountain retreat. Osmaniye is strongly associated with Devlet Bahçeli , the leader of the MHP , who was its member of parliament for many years. Although Osmaniye was probably ruled in turn by the Hittites , Persians , Byzantines and Armenians , there is nothing left to show their presence in

319-685: The ancient Mount Amanus ( Ancient Greek : Ἄμᾱνος ), medieval Black Mountain , or Jabal al-Lukkam in Arabic, is a mountain range in the Hatay Province of south-central Turkey . It begins south of the Taurus Mountains and the Ceyhan river , runs roughly parallel to the Gulf of İskenderun , and ends on the Mediterranean coast between the Gulf of İskenderun and the Orontes ( Asi ) river mouth. The range

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348-645: The area became a major monastic hub for Byzantine monasticism, in its importance for the Byzantine East comparable to the influence of Athos in the Byzantine West. There were numerous Armenian , Melkite , Jacobite , Georgian , and Catholic monasteries and hermits in the mountains. On account of this, it was called Gâvur Dağ (Mount of Infidels) by the Turks. In 1028, the Emperor Romanos III , disturbed by

377-563: The base of a craggy rock with a castle, probably built by the Armenians, perched on top of it. Osmaniye has a Mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csa, Trewartha : Cs ) with very hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Highest recorded temperature:45.6 °C (114.1 °F) on 13 August 2023 Lowest recorded temperature:45.6 °C (114.1 °F) on 4 January 1989 Nur Mountains The Nur Mountains ( Turkish : Nur Dağları , "Mountains of Holy Light"), formerly known as Alma-Dağ ,

406-557: The countries in the region. Among the most important cities on the river are Homs , Hama , Jisr al-Shughur , and Antakya (the ancient Antioch , which was also known as "Antioch on the Orontes"). In the 9th century BCE, the ancient Assyrians referred to the river as Arantu , and the nearby Egyptians called it Araunti . The etymology of the name is unknown, yet some sources indicate that it might be derived from Arnt which means "lioness" in Syriac languages ; others called it Alimas ,

435-715: The dominant local power into the period of the Ottoman Empire and were even involved in the Celali uprisings, during a period of crisis for the Ottomans in the 17th century. Eventually, in 1865 the Ottoman general Derviş Paşa was charged with bringing law and order to the Çukurova. He established his headquarters in the Osmaniye villages of Dereobası, Fakıuşağı and Akyar and brought the Ulaşlı down from

464-568: The ecological diversity of Turkey, making it a vital area for conservation efforts. The specific term "Mount Amanus" is referred to by ancient writers. In the Middle Ages , it was called the Black Mountain in Byzantine Greek , Armenian , Syriac and Latin . While monks had been leading a solitary life in the mountains since the fourth century, it was during the 10th and 11th century that

493-584: The fact that the river flows from the south to the north unlike the rest of the rivers in the region. The part of the river flowing from Lake Homs to Homs is known as al-Mimas , after the sanctuary of Deir Mimas situated there in honor of Saint Mamas . The Orontes rises in the springs near Labweh in Lebanon on the east side of the Beqaa Valley (in the Beqaa Governorate ) between Mount Lebanon on

522-680: The modern city. An Islamic presence was first established by the Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid , auxiliaries in his army being the first Turks to fight in Anatolia . They obviously liked the area and following the Turkish victory over the Byzantines at Malazgirt in 1071 waves of Turkish conquest began. The Nur Mountains were settled by the Ulaşlı tribe of the Turkmens . The Ulaşlı remained

551-593: The monks gave provisions to the Crusader army besieging Antioch . The monasteries were plundered again after the Battle of Ager Sanguinis in 1119 and many monks slain. 36°45′N 36°20′E  /  36.750°N 36.333°E  / 36.750; 36.333 Orontes River The Orontes ( / ɔː ˈ r ɒ n t iː z / ; from Ancient Greek Ὀρόντης , Oróntēs ) or Nahr al-ʿĀṣī , or simply Asi ( Arabic : العاصي , romanized :  al-‘Āṣī , IPA: [alˈʕaːsˤiː] ; Turkish : Asi )

580-498: The mountains to the village of Hacıosmanlı. This eventually became the province of Osmaniye. It was named as Cebeli Bereket during the Ottoman period and was renamed after the formation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. Between 1924 and 1933 the city of Osmaniye was the capital of the province of the same name. However, in 1933 the province was abolished and Osmaniye became the district governorate for Adana province. Then in 1996 Osmaniye

609-597: The number of "heretical" (i.e., Syriac and Armenian) monks in the Black Mountain, tried to draft them for his campaign against Aleppo . In the 1050s the famous physician Ibn Butlan , who later would himself become a monk in Antioch, was impressed by the general health of monasticism in the region and especially of the monastery of St Simeon the Younger . In 1066, the monasteries were devastated by Afshin Bey who killed many monks. In 1098,

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638-708: The province was split with the lower Orontes in the new province of Coele Syria and the upper Orontes from Emesa (modern day Homs) south in Syria Phoenice . Emesa was later raised to co-capital of the latter. In 637 CE the Battle of the Iron Bridge near Antioch was fought between the forces of the Rashidun Caliphate and the Byzantine Empire near the Iron bridge and won by the former which shortly took control of

667-611: The river valley after the defeat of the Persians in 333 BCE at the Battle of Issus (fought on the Pinarus river near modern İskenderun and north of modern Antakya). After his death in 323 BCE, it became part of the Seleucid Empire . Seleucid cities founded on the Orontes included Seleucia ad Belum , Antigonia , and Antioch . Several Hellenistic artefacts feature the Tyche of Antioch with

696-534: The west and the Anti-Lebanon Mountains on the east, very near the source of the southward-flowing Litani , and runs north, falling 600 metres (2,000 ft) through a gorge to leave the valley. The Ain ez Zarqa is one such major spring. Other major springs are Al Ghab, Al Rouj, and Al-Azraq. The river's drainage basin within Lebanon is 1,930 km (750 sq mi); the country's second largest behind Litani. Leaving this gorge, it expands into

725-458: The west and the Karasu on the east, join the Orontes through the former Lake Amik via an artificial channel (Nahr al-Kowsit). Passing north of Antakya (ancient Antioch), the Orontes dives southwest into a gorge (compared by the ancients to Tempe ), and falls 50 metres (160 ft) in 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) to the sea just south of Samandağ (former Suedia, in antiquity Seleucia Pieria), after

754-566: The whole of the river valley. For the Crusaders in the 12th century, the Orontes River became the permanent boundary between the Principality of Antioch and that of Aleppo . A diversion dam in Lebanon was 60% complete when Israeli airstrikes damaged it during the 2006 Israel–Hezbollah War . The construction of a Syria–Turkey Friendship Dam was started in 2011 but postponed because of

783-566: Was fought the major Battle of Kadesh (circa 1274 BCE) between the Egyptian army of Ramesses II from the south and the Hittite army of Muwatalli II from the north. The river was also the site of the Battle of Qarqar fought in 853 BCE, when the army of Assyria , led by king Shalmaneser III , encountered an allied army of 12 kings led by Hadadezer of Damascus . Alexander the Great acquired

812-437: Was reinstated as Turkey's 80th province with the city of Osmaniye as its capital. Since then it has received more investment for infrastructure and now feels more like a city than the market town of old. Osmaniye town has few attractions for visitors other than the city-centre Kent Müzesi (City Museum). However, it makes a good base for visiting the scant remains of the nearby Roman city of Hierapolis-Castabala which huddles at

841-587: Was said that Zeus had struck the dragon Typhon down from the sky with thunder, and the river had formed where Typhon's body had fallen; however, the river was later renamed Orontes when a man named Orontes built a bridge on it. Macedonian settlers in Apamea named it the Axius , after a Macedonian river god. The Arabic name العاصي ( al-‘Āṣī ) is derived from the ancient Axius . The word coincidentally means "insubordinate" in Arabic, which folk etymology ascribes to

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