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Orontes River

Orontes
Greek: Ὀρόντης, Arabic: العاصي‎‎: ‘Āṣī, Turkish: Asi
River
Noria in Hama 01.jpg
Orontes River in Hama, Syria
Countries Lebanon, Syria, Turkey
Cities Homs, Hama, Jisr al-Shughur, Antakya
Source Labweh
 - location Beqaa Valley, Lebanon
 - elevation 910 m (2,986 ft)
 - coordinates 34°11′49″N 36°21′9″E / 34.19694°N 36.35250°E / 34.19694; 36.35250
Mouth Samandağ
 - location Hatay Province, Turkey
 - coordinates 36°2′43″N 35°57′49″E / 36.04528°N 35.96361°E / 36.04528; 35.96361Coordinates: 36°2′43″N 35°57′49″E / 36.04528°N 35.96361°E / 36.04528; 35.96361
Length 571 km (355 mi)
Basin 23,000 km2 (8,880 sq mi)
Discharge
 - average 11 m3/s (388 cu ft/s)

The Orontes (/əˈrɒntiz/; ) or Asi (Arabic: العاصي‎‎, ‘Āṣī; Turkish: Asi) is a northward-flowing river which begins in Lebanon and flows through Syria and Turkey before entering the Mediterranean Sea.

In ancient times, it was the chief river of the Levant region. The modern name ‘Āṣī is derived from the ancient Axius. The word coincidentally means "rebel" in Arabic, which folk etymology ascribes to the fact that the river flows from the south to the north unlike the rest of the rivers in the region.

In the 9th century BC, the ancient Assyrians referred to the river as Arantu, and the nearby Egyptians called it Araunti. The etymology of the name is unknown. Arantu gradually became "Orontes" in Greek. In contrast, Macedonian settlers in Apamea named it the Axius, after a Macedonian river god. The Arabic name "Asi" was derived from "Axius".

The Greek geographer Strabo refers to the river in the Geographica. According to Strabo, the river was originally named Typhon, because it 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. He writes that the river was later renamed Orontes when a man named Orontes built a bridge on it.


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Wikipedia

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