City in Syria with 725,000 inhabitants (est. 2002), capital of the Homs province, near the Orontes River. Homs has a strategic position, facing the only natural gateway between the Mediterranean coast and the densely populated interior (with access to Aleppo to the north and Damascus to the south).
The main product of Homs is silk. Other important products include jewelry, belts and cloaks. Industries include an oil refinery, production of fertilizers, vegetable oil, refined sugar. The surrounding area produces wheat, corn, millet, cotton, fruits and vegetables, for which Homs is the centre of trade.
Homs has a university that opened in 1979, a very important military academy, as well as an agricultural research station.

HISTORY
1st century BCE: The city of Emesa becomes one of the most important Syrian cities during the Roman reign. The main reason for this was the temple for the sun god El Gebal. Under the Romans, Emesa was ruled by priest-kings.
270's CE: Roman Emperor Severus Alexander makes Emesa his headquarter in the battle against Queen Zenobia of Palmyra.
636: Falls to the Arab Muslims, and and becomes ruled by the Ummawiyy caliphate in Damascus. At this time, a large part of the population was Christian. The Arabs named the city Hims (Homs).
855: A rebellion makes the Muslim rulers of Damascus demolish the churches of Homs and have the Christian population executed and deported.
1516: Homs comes together with the rest of the Middle East under Ottoman control.
1941: Homs, as part of Syria, gains independence.