Syria's communities and civilizations – history, sites and heritage
Samaritans (historical community in Syria)
السامريون
Religious communitieshistorical
Small Samaritan communities lived in Syria, notably in Damascus and Aleppo, from early Islamic times. The Damascus community collapsed in the early 17th century and its survivors moved back to Nablus; no Samaritans live in Syria today.
At the time of the Muslim conquest small Samaritan communities lived in Egypt, Syria and Iran. In 1137 forces from Damascus raided Nablus and carried 500 Samaritans to Damascus; in the 12th century Benjamin of Tudela estimated about 1,900 Samaritans in Palestine and Syria.
Sources and details
Communities persisted in Damascus and Aleppo in later centuries. In the early 17th century most of the Damascus community was massacred or converted to Islam, and the survivors returned to Nablus.
This is a historical community; no associated sites in Syria were identified.
Sites connected with this community 0
These categories describe history, language and faith – not exclusive identities. Many Syrians belong to several, and some names refer to civilizations of the past.