River Orontes
| Orontes | |
| Greek: Ὀρόντης, Arabic: العاصي: ‘Āṣī, Turkish: Asi | |
| River | |
 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 |
| Mouth | Samandağ |
| - location | Hatay Province, Turkey |
| - coordinates | 36°2′43″N 35°57′49″E / 36.04528°N 35.96361°ECoordinates: 36°2′43″N 35°57′49″E / 36.04528°N 35.96361°E |
| Length | 571 km (355 mi) |
| Basin | 24,660 km2 (9,521 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| - average | 11 m3/s (388 cu ft/s) |
The Orontes (/əˈrɒntiːz/; Ancient Greek: Ὀρόντης) 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 and the site of several major battles. On it was the classical city of Antioch on the Orontes (Syrian Antioch) near modern day Antakya.
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", a "water goddess" in Aramaic. However, Arantu gradually became "Orontes" in Greek.
In contrast, Macedonian settlers in Apamea named it the Axius, after a Macedonian river god. The modern name ‘Āṣī (or Asi) 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.
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Wikipedia