Syria - Noreas of Hama

The river Oronte, from its Assyrian name "Aranton", keeps on both sides of its route from the mountainous region of Baalbek in Lebanon where it begins to the Mediterranean 30 km downstream of the city of Latakia, the remains of a considerable number of ancient small lakes, water reservoirs, dams, canals, aqueducts, bridges, irrigated land, disappeared cities or still alive and noréas of which only the city of Hama crossed by the river still holds some important specimens (seventeen in number) which are now an integral part of its urban landscape and which are world-renowned. The Arabic name of the Orontes "El-Assi" which means "the rebel" is explained in the 13th century by Yaqut al-Hamoui (of Hama) because this river, contrary to most rivers, circulates in the sense South-North and by Abu'l Fida of the fourteenth century by the use of the wheel to raise the water rebel "and distribute it in the city and the countryside.