Qanawat

Qanawat (Arabic: قنوات‎), is a village in Syria, located 7 km north-east of al-Suwayda. It stands at a height of about 1,200 m, near a river and surrounded by woods. Its inhabitants are entirely from the Druze community. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Qanawat had a population of 8,324 in the 2004 census.

History

Qanawat is one of the earliest cities in the Bashan and Hauran areas. It is probably evidenced in the bible as Kenath (Hebrew: קְנָת, Numbers 32:42, 1 Chronicles 2:23). Possible earlier evidence, is from Ancient Egyptian documents like the Execration texts (second group) of the 20-19th century BC, and the Amarna letters of the 14th century BC (as Qanu, in EA 204).

Hellenistic and Roman history

The ancient Hellenistic-Roman city of Canatha (also Kanatha, Κάναθα in Ancient Greek), is mentioned for the first time in the reign of Herod the Great (1st century BC), when Nabatean Arab forces defeated a Jewish army. It remained an issue of contention between the two powers. From Pompey's time until Trajan's, it was a city of the Decapolis, a loose federation of cities allowed by the Romans to enjoy a degree of autonomy. In the 1st century AD it was annexed to the Roman province of Syria, and in the 2nd century it was rechristened Septimia Canatha by Septimius Severus, a Roman colony, and transferred to the province of Arabia.

Qanawat (Damascus)

Qanawat is a municipality of the Syrian capital Damascus, due west of the Old City. It is located west of the walled city called Old Damascus. Its name goes back to the historic water canal raised up an arcade along Qanawat Street, and passing through the quarter from the west towards the Old City in the east. The headquarters of the Damascus Province Police is located at the neighbourhood at Khaled bin al-Walid street (33°30′30.22″N 36°17′42.40″E / 33.5083944°N 36.2951111°E / 33.5083944; 36.2951111). On July 2012, during the Syrian uprising, the Free Syrian Army Rebels attacked the compound.

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