Hama

Hama is a city in western-central Syria and the capital of Hama Governorate. It lies on the Orontes River, a perennial watercourse that has supported settlement and agriculture for millennia. The city is one of Syria’s larger urban centers and serves as a regional commercial and administrative hub.

Historically, Hama has ancient roots dating to the Bronze Age. In antiquity it was known as Hammath or Hamath, a center on the route between Mesopotamia and the Levant. It appears in Aramaean, Hittite, Assyrian, and later Roman and Islamic records as a fortified town and trading center. The site later became part of successive Islamic empires and, in the Ottoman period, a regional center within Syria.

In modern history, Hama is best known internationally for the 1982 Hama massacre, in which thousands were killed during a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood. The city also experienced significant disruption during the Syrian civil war that began in 2011, with periods of heavy fighting and displacement before a later stabilization.

Economically, Hama relies on agriculture irrigated by the Orontes, with crops such as cereals, cotton, and fruit. The city hosts traditional markets and modest light industry, and it serves as an administrative and educational center for the region. Cultural and historical landmarks include the Norias of Hama, a set of ancient water wheels along the river, which are widely cited as a symbol of the city.