Greeks in Syria

Greeks in Syria
Έλληνες της Συρίας اليونانيون في سوريا
Total population
17,000
Regions with significant populations
Damascus, Aleppo, Tartus, Latakia, Al-Hamidiyah
Languages
Greek, Arabic
Religion
Predominantly Greek Orthodox Christianity; minority Islam (Greek-speaking Cretans)
Related ethnic groups
Greeks in Lebanon, Greeks in Egypt, Cretan Muslims, Greek diaspora

Greeks
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Languages and dialects Greek: Australian Calabrian Cappadocian Constantinopolitan Cretan Cypriot Griko Hellenoromani Himariote Maniot Mariupol Pontic Tsakonian Yevanic Greeklish Other languages Aromanian Arvanitika Greek Sign Language Karamanli Turkish Megleno-Romanian Slavic Urum
History of Greece (Ancient · Byzantine · Ottoman)

The Greeks in Syria arrived in the 7th century BC and became more prominent during the Hellenistic period and when the Seleucid Empire was centered there. Today, there is a Greek community of about 4,500 in Syria, most of whom have Syrian nationality and who live mainly in Aleppo (the country's main trading and financial centre), Baniyas, Tartous, and Damascus, the capital. There are also about 8,000 Greek-speaking Muslims of Cretan origin in Al-Hamidiyah.