THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
a legendary history of its own, atteslcd by curious monuments. At Kerak Nuh is shown the grave of Noah, one hundred and tliirty-two feet long; and on the opposite side of tlie plain is the tomb of tlie prophet Seth; while the temples at Baalbek (q.v.) have astonished the world for many centuries. Long before Toi, King of Hamath," sent presents to David (II Sam. viii. 9-11), the Hittites of that region were sufficiently powerful to contend there for supremacy with the Pharaohs of Egypt.
This remarkable valley, now called el-Buk4'a, " the cleft," extends to the northeast, from Jubb Jenin, under Hermon, for about one hundred miles, having an average width of seven miles. Its surface as seen from above seems to be quite level; but this appearance is deceptive. It is, in fact, an elevated plateau rising gradually northward, until, at the northeast end, it is nearly four thousand feet above the level of the cold, rugged, and barren region. The northern end is drained by the Orontes, called el'Asy, " the rebellious," because its course is northward, contrary to the other rivers of Syria. Its most southern source is at Lebweh, the Liboof the ancients. The main source is the copious fountain that flows out from under the cliffs of Lebanon, near Mugharat al-Rahib. Passing below Kamu'a Hiirmul, a unique moniunent with hunting scenes carved upon its four sides, the Orontes irrigates the extensive plains of the Biblical Riblah (II Kings XXV. 6) and the equally fertile region around the small lake of Kedes. The shapeless ruins near Tell Xeby Mindau may mark the site of the chief city of the Hittite kingdom. Issuing from the artificial lake of Kedes, six mUes south of Hums, the river pursues its winding course through the land of Hamath, past the extensive ruins of Apamea, and along the eastern foot-hills of the Nusairiyeh Moimtains, where it turns westward, and, passing by Antioch, it enters the sea near the base of Mount Casius. The central and southern portions of the Buka'a are comparatively level, and their fertility and beauty are entirely due to the abundance of water. Perennial streams descend from the mountains on either side, and copious fountains rise in the plain itself, in such positions that the water can be conducted to all parts of its surface. The center and south of the Buka'a is drained by the Litiny. the ancient Leontes, one of the longest and largest rivers of Syria. It rises at 'Ain al- Sultan, above Baalbek, and is joined, as it flows southward, by many tributaries, among them el Berdfiny, which descends from snow-crowned Lebanon, and the large remitting fountain near 'Anjar, that flows out from the very roots of Anti- Lebanon, near the site of the ancient Chalcis. Below Jub Jeuln the Litany enters a profound gorge, along which it has worn its way through southern Lebanon to the sea, near Tyre. For the history see Syria.
Bibliography: G. A. Smith, Historical Geography of the Holy Land, pp. 538-539. 553, London, 1897; W. Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geoaraphy, p. 1071, London, 1878. and the litprat\ire under Syria.
COELICOLiE, si"H-c6'li ("Heaven Worshipers"): A name applied to a Christian set^t extant in northern Africa in the time of Augustine (cf.
Ep!^l., xliv., XPNF, i. -'SO). They doubtless owe their name to controversial polemics. They seem to have laid si)ecial stress on adoration of the deity without images, and to have been closely related to the Eastern Uypsistarians (q.v.). An edict of the emperors Honorius and Theodosius II., 408 {Cod. Theodos.,XYl. v. 43), awarded the houses of worship of the Coelicolse to the Catholic Church; and in the year following (409) it was further decreed that the Ccelicola; must either adopt the Christian faith within a year or incur, in the contrary case, the penalty imposed upon heresy (Cod. Theodos., XVI. viii. 19). G. Krlger. '
Bibliography: E. Schurer, in Sitzungsberichte der Berliner Akademie, 1897, pp. 200-225; J. M. Schrockh, ChriUliche Kirchengeschichte, vii. 442-444, Leipsic, 1780.