45 Aleppo is called by two names by the Jews, viz

45
Aleppo is called by two names by the Jews, viz. Zova
or Haleb, as it is called by the Moors and Turks, is the often mentioned Aram Soba of the Hible is maintained by ancient and modern
Geographers as well as by Tcixeira. The town , which is generally
supposed to contain more than 14,000 bouses, formerly numbered
about 2200, of which many were distinguished by their size and
beauty. ‫ ״‬R t the houses not only of the Turks and Moors arc as
magnificent as can be imagined, but those of the Jews too and of
the Greek and Roman Catholic Christians and Armenians arc beautiful
enough to be the dwellings of princes.*)
We do not speak of the
three hundred Mosques situated here, and of their magnificent internal
arrangements, nor of the many warehouses, with their merchandise
from all parts of the world, nor of the broad streets of the town
paved with slabs of marble, neither do we dwell upon the royal
hospital, of the management of which our traveller complains, but we
do speak of the hill which rises in the midst of the town, and like
a Palladium, is separated from it on all sides. It is round like a
little mountain, and upon it is a fortress en miniature, which as the
Jews and Moors maintain was founded by Joab, the general of David.
According to tradition, not only the synagogue there was built by
the same Joab, but — imagination gives itself play! — the Patriarch
Abraham is even said to have taken up his residence for a time on
the fortress mount.'*) Moors and T u r k s , Christians and Armenians,
Chaldeans and Greeks dwell in this rich commercial city. At the
time that Tcixeira visited the town more than a 1000 Jewish families
dwelt in a separate part of it, which was enclosed by walls. Pedro
relates that they possess a large synagogue, which, according to their
belief, was built 1500 years ags. Most of the Jews there are rich
and engaged in trade; others earn their livelihood as runners, and
others support themselves as artists, workers in gold and such like, j )
u
*) Ibid. 175: y no solo las de los Tureos y Moros son de aquella suerte,
pero aun de las de los Judios y Christianos Griegos y Armenios son
muchas de tanlo precio que son capazes de hahitar en ellas Principes.
**) Ibidem 170: En medio de la c.iudad esla nn colladn alio, separado
ygualmente por todas las paries de todo el reslo de la ciudad, redondo como un monle de trigo, sobre el qual esla una forlaleza que
Moros y Judios tienen per fradirion que primero la /undo Joab Capitan General de David: tambien a/firman que en aquel mismo lugar
residio el Patriarcha Abraham algun tiempo.
t ) Teix. 178: Tambien %>iven Judios de los quales haura mil casus buenaa
en barrio sejiarado, pero dentro de los muros, con una grande Sinagoga, que affirman hauer mil y quinientos anos que fue fundada y se
conserua: hay muchos dellos ricos, los mas son mercaderes, el reslo corredores y officiates como plateros, lapidarios, y de ostras artes aemejantes.