Jableh

Jableh جبلة جبلة الروح
A collage of Jableh.
Jableh Location in Syria
Coordinates: 35°21′N 35°55′E / 35.350°N 35.917°E / 35.350; 35.917
Country	Syria
Governorate	Latakia Governorate
District	Jableh District
Nahiyah	Jableh
Elevation	16 m (52 ft)
Population
• Total	80,000
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)

Jableh (Arabic: جبلة‎‎ Ǧabla), also spelt Jebleh, Jabala, Jablah or Gabala, is a coastal city on the Mediterranean in Syria,^[1] 25 km (16 mi) north of Baniyas and 25 km (16 mi) south of Latakia, with c. 80,000 inhabitants (2008). It contains the tomb and mosque of Sultan Ibrahim Bin Adham, a Sufi mystic who renounced his throne and devoted himself to prayers for the rest of his life.^[2]

History

The Roman theater of Jableh

Jableh has been inhabited since at least the second millennium BCE.^[3] The city was part of the Ugaritic kingdom and was mentioned as "Gbʿly" in the archives of the city c. 1200 BC.^[4] In antiquity Jableh was an important Roman city. One of the main remains of this period is a theatre, capable of housing c. 7,000 spectators. Near the seashores even older remains were found dating to the Iron Age or Phoenician Era.

In the medieval period, Jableh was part of the Principality of Antioch, one of the Crusader States, until it was captured by Saladin in 1189 during the Third Crusade. One famous resident was Hugh of Jabala, the city's bishop, who reported the fall of Edessa to Pope Eugene III, and was the first person to speak of Prester John.

Jableh is the seat of the Roman Catholic titular bishopric of Gabala.

Less than 1 kilometer from the city centre lies the ancient site of Gibala, today known as Tell Tweini. This city was inhabited from the third millennium BCE until the Persian period.

On May 23, 2016, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed responsibility for four suicide bombings in Jableh, which had remained largely unaffected since the Syrian Civil War began in 2011. Purportedly targeting Alawite gatherings, the bombs killed over a hundred people. In Tartus, similarly insulated, another three bombers killed 48 people.^[5]

Climate

Economy

The majority of people in Jableh depend on agriculture for their life, people grow orange and lemon trees, olives, a large number of green houses for vegetables can be found in the country side. In the center of the city people work in trade and there are small factories in the city for cottons and for making orange juice.

Notable residents

• Syrian pioneer of modern Arabic poetry Adunis, who was one of the first Arabic poets.
• Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, a famous Islamic figure who fought against the French Colonization in Syria, and then moved to Palestine where he led an armed rebellion against the British authorities and Jewish colonists.

Sports

Jableh Sporting Club is a football club based in Jableh. The club plays its games in the Al-Baath Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 10,000.

References

Cities and towns of Syria
Governorate centres	Aleppo Damascus Daraa Deir ez-Zor Hama al-Hasakah Homs Idlib Latakia Quneitra Ar-Raqqah Rif Dimashq al-Suwayda Tartus
District centres	Abu Kamal Afrin Arihah Atarib Ayn al-Arab Azaz al-Bab Baniyas Darayya Dayr Hafir Douma Duraykish Fiq al-Haffah Harem Izra' Jableh Jarabulus Jisr ash-Shugur Maarat al-Numaan al-Malikiyah Manbij Masyaf Mayadin Mhardeh al-Mukharram al-Foqani an-Nabk Palmyra Qamishli Qardaha Qatana Qudsaya al-Qusayr al-Qutayfah Ra's al-'Ayn al-Rastan as-Safira Safita Salamiyah Salkhad al-Sanamayn Shahba ash-Shaykh Badr al-Suqaylabiyah Talkalakh al-Tall Tell Abyad al-Thawrah Yabrud Zabadani
Sub-district centres	Abu Qilqil Abu al-Thuhur Akhtarin Amuda Arbeen Arima al-Ariqah al-Arishah Armanaz Arwad al-Asharah Assal al-Ward Awj Ayn al-Fijah Ayn Halaqim Ayn Issa Ayn al-Nasr Babbila Banan Barri Sharqi Beit Jinn Binnish Bir al-Helu Bosra Bulbul Busayrah Da'el al-Dana Darat Izza Darkush al-Darbasiyah Deir Atiyah al-Dimas al-Dumayr Furqlus Ghabaghib Ghandoura al-Ghariyah al-Ghizlaniyah al-Hader Hadidah al-Hajar al-Aswad al-Hajib Hajin al-Hamidiyah al-Hamraa Harasta Harbnafsah Harran al-Awamid al-Hirak Hish Hisyah al-Hawl Huraytan al-Huwash Ibbin Samaan Ihsim Jayrud al-Jalaa al-Janudiyah Jaramana al-Jarniyah Jasim al-Jawadiyah Jubb al-Jarrah Jubb Ramlah Jindires al-Jiza al-Qabu Kafr Batna Kafr Nabl Kafr Takharim Kafr Zita al-Karamah al-Kasrah Kessab al-Khafsah Khan Shaykhun Khasham Kirnaz Kuwayris Sharqi Khanaser Khirbet Ghazaleh Khirbet al-Tin Mahmoud al-Kiswah Ma'arrat Misrin Maabatli Maadan Ma'loula Madaya Mahin Malah al-Malihah al-Mansurah Mare' Markada Mashta al-Helu Maskanah al-Masmiyah al-Mazraa Muhambal Muhasan al-Musayfirah al-Mushannaf Muzayrib al-Nashabiyah al-Nasirah Nawa Nubl al-Qadmus al-Qahtaniyah Qalaat al-Madiq Qarah al-Qaryatayn al-Qurayya Qurqania Rajo Rankus Rasm Harmil al-Imam al-Rai al-Riqama al-Ruhaybah al-Saan Saasaa Sabburah al-Sabe' Biyar al-Sabkhah Sadad Sahnaya Saidnaya Salqin Saraqib Sarmin Sarrin Sawran Sebei al-Shaddadah al-Shajara Shaqqa Sharran Shathah Shaykh al-Hadid al-Shaykh Maskin Shayukh Tahtani Shin Sinjar Sirghaya Slinfah Suluk al-Sur al-Surah al-Saghirah Suran al-Susah al-Sukhnah al-Tabni Talbiseh Taldou al-Tamanah Tasil Tell al-Daman Tell Hamis Tell Rifaat Tell Salhab Tell Tamer Tedef Thiban Uqayribat Urum al-Kubra Wadi al-Oyun al-Yaarubiyah al-Zurbah az-Ziyarah

Latakia Governorate
Capital: Latakia
Latakia District Latakia Ayn al-Baydah al-Badrusiyah al-Bahluliyah Baksa Balloran al-Bassah Burj Islam Burj al-Qasab Fideo Hanadi al-Jandiriyah Kirsana Kessab Mashqita Mushayrafet al-Samouk al-Qanjarah Qastal Ma'af Rabia al-Safsaf Salib al-Turkman al-Sanawbar al-Shabatliyah al-Shamiyah al-Shir Sinjwan Sitmarkho Sqoubin Umm al-Tuyour Zighrin
Jableh District Jableh al-Aqibah Arab al-Mulk Ayn al-Sharqiyah Ayn Shiqaq Beit Yashout Baabda Bisaysin al-Budi al-Burjal Bustan al-Basha Daliyah Dirghamo Dweir Baabda Himaymim al-Qabu al-Qassabin Qurfays al-Qutailibiyah Ras al-Ayn al-Sharashir Siyano Zama
Al-Haffah District Al-Jandiriyah Al-Haffah Aramo Ayn al-Tineh Brouma Difa Duwayrika Kinsabba Muzayraa Salma Slinfah Tauma Zanqufa
Qardaha District Qardaha al-Fakhurah Harf al-Musaytirah Istamo Jawbat Burghal Kilmakho Yarte