A medal of Smyrna, representing Ceres, the goddess of plenty, with the inscription, SMYRNAION PROTON ASIAS, Smyrna, the first of Asia; i. e. the first of the cities in proconsular Asia. The reverse represents Jupiter sitting, and holding in his hand Victory. The inscription commemorates "Philotas, son of Hippicus."

Socoн, or Shocoh, the name of two towns in Judah. Josh. xv. 35. 48. 1 Sam. xvii. 1. 1 Kings iv. 10. 1 Chron. iv. 18. 2 Chron. xi. 7.

SODOм, one of the five cities of the plain, or vale of Siddim, which were destroyed for their wickedness by fire from heaven. It seems to have been the most considerable of those cities, and probably stood near the present southern extremity of the Dead Sea. See Dead Sea.

SOREK, a brook or valley in the tribe of Dan, near Eshtaol. Judges xvi. 4.

SPAIN. It is asserted by ancient writers that St. Paul preached the gospel in Spain; and he tells us himself, (Rom. xv. 24. 28.) that he had resolved on going thither. Theodoret, and others, tell us that he preached, not only in Spain, but in other nations, and brought the gospel into the isles of the sea, by which he probably means Britain. The gospel was certainly planted in Spain at a very early period, and many ancient Spanish writers affirm that the apostle James, the son of Zebedee and the brother of John, was the principal missionary of the Spaniards. Many Latin and Greek writers certify that Paul executed his design, and visited Spain after recovering his liberty at Rome.

SUCCOTH, a place east of Jordan, near the brook Jabbok, where Jacob dwelt some time, (Gen. xxxiii. 17.) and where afterwards was a city belonging to the tribe of Gad. (Josh. xiii. 27. Judges viii. 5. 1 Kings vii. 46.) Also a station of the Israelites when preparing to leave Egypt. See Part I. p. 42.

SUKKIM, a people probably inhabiting the parts of Africa adjoining Egypt on the south. 2 Chron. xii. 3.

SYCHAR, (John iv. 5.) the same as Shechem.

SYENE, a city at the southern extremity of Egypt; (Ezek. xxix. 10.) where it is placed in opposition to Cush, or Arabian Ethiopia, to signify the whole extent of Egypt from south to north.

SYRACUSE, a famous city of Sicily, situated on the east side of the island, founded by a Corinthian colony about 732 B. C. It was afterwards under various governments, but became very powerful; and in the time of Dionysius, king of Syracuse, commonly called the tyrant, an army of 100,000 foot, 10,000 horse, and 400 ships were kept in constant pay. It fell into the hands of the Romans, under Marcellus, after a siege of three years, B. C. 212. This opulent city had two capacious harbours, and was well built, with stately and magnificent houses. Strabo says it was 22 miles in circumference; and Livy and Plutarch acquaint us that the spoil of it, when taken by Marcellus, was almost equal to that of Carthage. Here Archimedes, the celebrated mathematician, was killed by a common soldier, while he was intent upon his studies; by which Marcellus was much grieved. After this, Syracuse in some measure recovered its former prosperity; but was at length taken by the Saracens, A. D. 884, and razed to the ground. Some ruins of the ancient city yet remain; near which stands the modern town, a place of little consequence. St. Paul, in his voyage to Rome, landed at Syracuse, and remained there three days. Acts xxviii. 12.

SYRIA, a country called in the early Scripture writings Aram, from Aram, the son of Shem, by whose descendants it was peopled. The name Syria is often applied in a vague and indeterminate sense, and it is well to state to what different countries it has been applied.

Syria, in its largest sense, includes all the country lying from Mount Taurus on the north, to the boundaries of Egypt and Arabia on the south; having the Mediterranean on the west, and the Euphrates, east. In some of the older authors, indeed, it seems to have also included Mesopotamia, called Aram naharaim, or Syria of the rivers. Hosea xii. 12.

Syria, thus taken in its largest extent, may be considered as divided into three parts: 1. Upper Syria, or Syria proper, the original country of Aram, lying north of Arabia, and extending from the Euphrates on the east, to Phenicia, west.

This was the original Syria, so called before it was conquered and annexed to Assyria. 2. Cœlo-Syria, or Syria in the vale, a name generally applied to the country lying between the mountainous ridges of Libanus and Anti-Libanus; though sometimes extended to the region about Damascus. 3. Syria Palestina, including the Holy Land, and the country on the north-west of it, called by the Greeks Phenicia.

The term Syria in the New Testament is used in a more restricted sense, distinct from the Holy Land and from Phenicia, merely including the country lying north-east from the land of Canaan, having the Mediterranean and Phenicia on the west, and the Euphrates, east. In the early ages, Syria was divided into a number of small kingdoms, such as Syria Zobah, Syria of Damascus, Syria of Maacah, Syria of Rehob, &c. which were almost constantly at war with the Israelites. This country, in general, first became subject to Assyria, then to Babylon, next to Persia, and next to Alexander the Great. After his death, it was the seat of the kingdom of the Seleucide, which, in its turn, fell before the power of the Romans. It was next under the dominion of the Saracens, to whom succeeded the Turks, under whose government it exists at present. The ancient language of this country nearly resembled the Hebrew and Arabic, but still nearer the Chaldee; at present, however, the Arabic is the general language of the country.

SYRO-PHENICIA: this is Phenicia, properly so called, of which Sidon was the capital; but having by conquest been united with the Greek kingdom of Syria, it was called SyroPhenicia. So we find a woman called by St. Mark, a Syrophenician, (vii. 26.) because she was of this country, which was then considered as part of Syria. St. Matthew (xv. 22.) calls her a woman of Canaan, which she also was, as this country was peopled by the Canaanites, Sidon being the eldest son of Canaan. Gen. x. 15.

T.

TAANACH, a city of Manasseh, in Issachar, near Megiddo. Josh. xvii. 11.

TAANATH-SHILOH, a place in the southern border of Ephraim. Josh. xvi. 6.

TABBATH, a place near Abel-meholah. Judg. vii. 22.

TABERAH, an encampment of the Israelites in the wilderness; north of Mount Sinai. Numb. xi. 3.

TAHATH, an encampment of the Israelites in the desert, near Makheloth. Numb. xxxiii. 26.

TAHTIM-HODSHI, a tract in Manasseh, lying about lake Semechon, cast of it, and near the head of the Jordan. 2 Sam. xxiv. 6.

TAMAR, a city supposed to be situated near the southern shore of the Dead Sea. Ezek. xlvii. 19.

TANACH, the same as Taanach.

TAPPUAH, a city on the frontier of Manasseh, but belonging to Ephraim, (Josh. xvii. 8.) probably the same elsewhere called En-tappuah. Another town of this name belonged to the tribe of Judah. Josh. xv. 34.

TARAH, an encampment of the Israelites in the desert, near Tahath. Numb. xxxiii. 27.

TARALAH, a city of Benjamin. Josh. xviii. 27.

TARSHISH, the original country of this name, or the settlement of Tarshish the son of Javan, was probably in Cilicia, in Asia Minor, in the region where afterwards was built the city of Tarsus. (See Part I. p. 19.) That this country was called Tarshish, we have the testimony of Josephus and many other ancient writers of good authority. The people, being an enterprising and commercial nation, established colonies in different countries, and these colonies being also called Tarshish, after the name of the parent state, it has become difficult to ascertain the situation of the different places mentioned in Scripture under this name.

Tarshish was a sea-port, from which the best specimens of ship-building were produced, so that ships built after the same manner were called ships of Tarshish, though not actually built there. (Isa. ii. 16. xxiii. 1. Psalm xlviii, 7.) Silver was the produce of Tarshish, (Jer. x. 9. Ezek. xxvii. 12.) and it also appears from Ezekiel that iron, lead, and tin were brought from that place. It was also distant, and westward, since Jonah intended to flee thither. But neither silver nor tin were supplied by Tarsus in Cilicia; and what is said of the fleets of Solomon and Jehoshaphat, (1 Kings xxii. 49. 2 Chron. ix. 21. xx. 36.) excludes this from being the Tarshish of these places; for they would not be likely to build vessels on the Red Sea to navigate to Cilicia; neither would Jonah quit Joppa for Tarsus, with the intention of avoiding the road to Nineveh. The Tarshish to which Jonah thought to flee, was probably Tartessus in Spain, anciently called Tarshish, and settled by a colony from the parent state in Cilicia. The ships