Abila Lysaniou

Abila Lysaniou or Abila Lysaniae or Abila was an ancient city, on the Abana River and capital of ancient Abilene, Coele-Syria. The site is currently that of the village Suk Wadi Barada (called "Abil-es-Suk" by early Arab geographers), circa 20 km northwest of Damascus, Syria. The city's surname is derived from Lysanias, a governor of the region.

The site contains ruins of a temple, aqueducts, and other remains, and inscriptions, on the banks of the river. Though the names Abel and Abila differ in derivation and in meaning, their similarity has given rise to the tradition that this was the place of Abel's burial. The city is mentioned in the New Testament (Luke 3:1). The city remains a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church, "Abilenus Lysaniae"; the current bishop is Georges Kahhalé Zouhaïraty (since 1995). [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/d2a09.html]

References

*1911
*Eastons
*Richard Talbert, Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World, (ISBN 0-691-03169-X), p. 69.

External links

* [http://www.ancientlibrary.com/gazetteer/0004.html Hazlitt, Classical Gazetter "Abila"]