The tract of country of this name is mentioned only twice in
Scripture, Ezek. xlvii, 16, 18. It was probably of small extent in the
time of the Jews; but was enlarged under the Romans, by whom it was
called Auranitis. At present it extends from about twenty miles south of
Damascus to a little below Bozra, including the rocky district of El
Ledja, the ancient Trachonitis, and the mountainous one of the Djebel
Haouran. Within its limits are also included, beside Trachonitis, Ituræa
or Ittur, now called Djedour, and part of Batanæa or Bashan. It is
represented by Burckhardt as a volcanic region, consisting of a porous
tufa, pumice, and basalt, with the remains of a crater on the Tel Shoba,
on its eastern side. It produces, however, crops of corn, and has many
patches of luxuriant herbage, which are frequented in the summer by the
Arab tribes for pasturage. It abounds, also, with many interesting
remains of cities, scattered over its surface, with Grecian
inscriptions. The chief of these are Bozra, Ezra, Medjel, Shoba, Shakka,
Souerda, Kanouat, Hebran, Zarle, Oerman, and Aatyl; with Messema, Berak,
and Om Ezzeitoun, in the Ledja.
Scripture, Ezek. xlvii, 16, 18. It was probably of small extent in the
time of the Jews; but was enlarged under the Romans, by whom it was
called Auranitis. At present it extends from about twenty miles south of
Damascus to a little below Bozra, including the rocky district of El
Ledja, the ancient Trachonitis, and the mountainous one of the Djebel
Haouran. Within its limits are also included, beside Trachonitis, Ituræa
or Ittur, now called Djedour, and part of Batanæa or Bashan. It is
represented by Burckhardt as a volcanic region, consisting of a porous
tufa, pumice, and basalt, with the remains of a crater on the Tel Shoba,
on its eastern side. It produces, however, crops of corn, and has many
patches of luxuriant herbage, which are frequented in the summer by the
Arab tribes for pasturage. It abounds, also, with many interesting
remains of cities, scattered over its surface, with Grecian
inscriptions. The chief of these are Bozra, Ezra, Medjel, Shoba, Shakka,
Souerda, Kanouat, Hebran, Zarle, Oerman, and Aatyl; with Messema, Berak,
and Om Ezzeitoun, in the Ledja.