Art. III.—On the Site of Caranus, and the Island of Ar-Ruád , the Arvad or Arpad of Scripture

Extract

Strabo describes Caranus as the maritime arsenal of Aradus, between Balanea and Enhydra, and Pococke recognises it in “the place to which boats come from the isle of Ruad, which is about half a mile to the N. of the present wall of Tortosa; but the port for shipping,” he continues, “is doubtless where it is now—between the island and the continent.” Had this learned traveller pursued his investigations a little farther up the sea-coast to the N. he would have discovered the real site of Carauus, in a port and adjacent ruins, about a mile northerly from the landing-place of which he speaks. These ruins are called to this day, by the Arabs, Caranún a corruption of the Greek Καρύνος or, what is possible, the Greek name might have been a corruption of the more ancient and original Syrian appellation, to which the Arabs have returned, as they have done in the case of the adjacent island of Ruád, the Arvad or Arphad of Scripture, and which the Greeks converted into Arados, 'Αράδος. The present Arabic name, with the article, which is invariably used with it, would be still nearer the ancient name, for instance, Ar Ruád There are many cases in which the Arabs have rejected the names imposed by their Grecian and Roman conquerors on their cities, and returned to the original ones; as in Beyrút, Acca, Bániás, Tidmúr, for Colonia Julia Felix, Ptolemais, Csesarea Philippi, Palmyra, and mauy others. Emésa was a corruption for Homs, &c.