الخوري، عيسى أسعد و الخوري، منير. تاريخ حمص: من أقدم أدوارها إلى الآن، أو، تاريخ أربعة آلاف سنة و نيف، من سنة ۲۳۰۰ق م إلی سنة ۱٩٤٠م. حمص: مطبعة السلامة، ۱٩٤۰م، مجلدان، ١٠٥۲ص.
Al-Khuri, ʻIsa Asʻad and al-Khuri, Munir. Tarikh Hims min Aqdam Adwariha ila al-’An, aw, Tarikh Arbaʻat Alaf Sanah wa-Nayyif, min Sanat 2300 QM ila Sanat 1940 M. Homs: Matbaʻat al-Salamah, 1940, 2 vols, 1052pp.
ABSTRACT
History of Homs: Since Early Ages to Modern Time, or, a History of More Than Four Thousand Years from 2300 BC to 1940 CE
تاريخ حمص: من أقدم أدوارها إلى الآن، أو، تاريخ أربعة آلاف سنة و نيف، من سنة ۲۳۰۰ق م إلی سنة ۱٩٤٠م
This book covers the history of Homs from Antiquity to 1977 CE. It also presents the city’s most significant figures and events. This research project was launched ʻIsa Asʻad Al-Khuri and was continued by his son, Munir, who added the period between 1940 and 1977 CE.
The authors have organised the book chronologically and divided it into two volumes of about 500 pages each. The first volume comprises the history of Homs from 2300 BC till the emergence of Islam in 622 CE. This includes thirty centuries divided into ten eras: Ancient Amalekites, Amorites, Hittite, Phoenician, Assyrian, Seleucid, Roman, Palmyran, Byzantine and Ghassanid Homs. The second volume explores the history of Homs from the emergence of Islam in 622 CE to the modern period in 1977 CE. This volume covers the rise of Islam, the early caliphates, the Ottoman era up to post World War II. It discusses political, economic, social and administrative issues.
ʻIsa Asʻad Al-Khuri highlights the importance of the historian’s job and the difficulties he encountered in producing a reliable work. He explained his methodology and mentioned the sources he used which include myths, national traditions and ancient ruins that have been recently discovered. He also consulted primary and secondary sources.
This is one of the few comprehensive history books on Homs. Although this is an academic book, its language is both elegant and accessible to non-specialists. Moreover, the chronological order makes the book easier to follow.
Unfortunately, the second volume of the book does not include images and maps which could have helped the reader in situating geographically the regions discussed and given a more vivid impression of the places depicted. In general, though, the book is a good reference for studying the history of Homs for both academics and non-academics.
Tareq Razzouk
