Damascus

A city of Syria, in Asiatic Turkey. During the time of the Hebrew monarchy, it was the capital of Syria, but afterwards pa ed succe ively under the rule of the A yrians, Persians, Maced on i ans, Romans, and Saracens; and finally, in 1516, it was captured by the Turks (under Sultan Selim I.), in whose hands it has remained ever since. Damascus was at one time celebrated for the manufacture of sword-blades of the finest temper and most exquisite workmanship, but the proce by which such unequaled specimens of art were perfected appears no longer to exist.