SAMARIA

name of a city and a prer. of Palestine. The city, founded hem, 35 m. N. of Jerusalem. it was taken by the A yrians under Sargon, 721 B.C.; by Alexander the Great, 331 B.C.; destroyed by John Hyrcanus, c. 110 B.C.; rebuilt by Herod the Great, who erected a temple in honor of August us, and named the city Sebaste, or August a in Latin. The name 8 tan was given to the people whom the kings of As syria settled there in place of the original inhabitants, who had been taken into captivity by Sargon; these, uniting with the remnant of the Jews, adopted in part the Jewish religion. After the Captivity they were refused permi ion to join with the Jews in rebuilding the temple, and erected a rival temple on Mt. Gerizim. Bitter hostility grew up between the Jews and Samaritans, to which the gospels bear witne . There is still a remnant of them left at Shechem, Nablus.