Shaqqa
شَقَّا | |
|---|---|
 Al-Qaysariye residential palace in Shaqqa | |
  Shaqqa Location in Syria | |
| Coordinates: 32°53′50″N 36°41′53″E / 32.89722°N 36.69806°E | |
| Country |  Syria |
| Governorate | As-Suwayda Governorate |
| District | Shahba District |
| Elevation | 1,070 m (3,510 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 8,000 |
Shaqqa or Shakka (Arabic: شَقَّا, romanized: Šaqqā) is a Syrian town in As Suwayda Governorate in southern Syria. The town's inhabitants are predominantly Druze who migrated to the region from Mount Lebanon starting from the 18th century.
In ancient times it was known as Saccaea (transliterated also as Sakkaia). In AD 287, it was given the rank of a city and the name Maximianopolis.[1][2][3] Since it was situated in the Roman province of Arabia, it is distinguished from other cities by being called Maximianopolis in Arabia.