CALLIRHOE. - A region of thermal springs east of the Dead Sea, a little south of the Zerqà Mà'in, called by the Arabs Hammàm ez-Zàrà. In a broad amphitheatre 4 km long and 2 wide, beneath a thick terrace of tufa, are the springs, ranging from 45 to 57 degrees. The natives lie down on the terrace, from whose pores sulphurous vapours emanate, to cure their rheumatism.

Under the Greek name "beautiful spring" it was also known in antiquity (Fl. Josephus, Antiq. Ind., XVII, 6, 5; Bell. Ind., I, 33, 5; Pliny, Hist. Nat., V, 16), and Herod the Great in the last months of his life sought there in vain the cure of his horrible disease (Fl. Josephus, Antiq. Ind., loc. cit.). The remains of a Roman-era bathing establishment can still be seen there. The place is marked on the mosaic map of Madaba with the indication: "Thermae of Callirhoe."

Some Palestinologists have believed they recognized in the toponym given by the Arabs to the whole of the waters the element Sereth of the city Haš-Sabar (Josh. 13, 19; 1 Chron. 4, 5-7).

Bibliography

BIBL.: F.-M. Abel, Géographie de la Palestine, I, Paris 1933, pp. 156, 461.

Donato Baldi

@incollection{ec3_calliroe, author = {Baldi, Donato}, title = {Calliroe}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {III}, pages = {385--386}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1949}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/calliroe} }

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