Dama

This article is about the geographical location. For the animal species, see Dama Gazelle. For the board game, see Turkish draughts.

Dama (Arabic: داما) is a village in southern Syria, in As Suwaydā' Governorate. It is located in the heart of the Lejah lava plateau, 29 km north west of the city of As Suwayda.

The village, like most of the villages in Jabal el Druze, was an old Roman location. Many of its houses are still in their original condition. The inhabitants are mostly Druze and their main occupation is agriculture.

Dama played a major role in the late stages of the Great Syrian Revolution (1925-1927). It hosted the important Dama Convention which resulted in the refusal of French proposals and the collapse of negotiations between the Druze rebels and the French. It was also the site of some of the last battles in the revolution fought by guerrilla groups led by Emir Adel Arslan.

Dama and neighboring villages are thought to be the place where Saint Paul took refuge after escaping from Damascus.

Coordinates: 32°57′0″N, 36°25′0″E

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