Hama
/ˈhɑːmə/noun
Hama is a city in west-central Syria, situated on the Orontes River.
Did you know?Hama is famous for its enormous ancient waterwheels, some of which still turn along the Orontes River and date back centuries.
Etymological Timeline
Late Bronze Age
Northwest Semitic
Ḥamath
“Ancient place-name traditionally interpreted as “fortress” or “fortified place””
1st Millennium BCE
Hebrew
Ḥămāṯ
“Hamath, a prominent city and kingdom mentioned in the Hebrew Bible”
Classical Antiquity
Greek
Epiphaneia
“A later Greek name for the city, meaning “manifest” or “illustrious,” after Antiochus IV Epiphanes”
Roman Period
Greek/Latin
Epiphaneia
“The city continued to be known by its Hellenized name in the Roman era”
Early Islamic Period
Arabic
Ḥamāh
“The city’s Arabic name, preserving the ancient place-name in a shortened form”
Modern English
English
Hama
“The standard English form for the Syrian city”