This is a list of

Syrian people Syrians ( ar, سُورِيُّون, ''Sūriyyīn'') are an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic group indigenous to the Levant. They share common Levantine Semitic roots. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend of both indi ...

. Entries on this list are demonstrably notable by having a linked current article or reliable sources as footnotes against the name to verify they are notable and identify themselves as Syrian, naturalized as Syrian or were registered at birth as Syrian.

Leaders and politicians

Ancient

Elagabalus Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (born Sextus Varius Avitus Bassianus, 204 – 11/12 March 222), better known by his nickname "Elagabalus" (, ), was Roman emperor from 218 to 222, while he was still a teenager. His short reign was conspicuous for s ...

Roman emperor *

Severus Alexander Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander (1 October 208 – 21/22 March 235) was a Roman emperor, who reigned from 222 until 235. He was the last emperor from the Severan dynasty. He succeeded his slain cousin Elagabalus in 222. Alexander himself was ...

Roman emperor, was the son of

Julia Mamaea Julia Avita Mamaea or Julia Mamaea (14 or 29 August around 182 – 235) was a Syrian noble woman and member of the Severan dynasty. She was the mother of Roman emperor Alexander Severus and remained one of his chief advisors throughout his ...

Philip the Arab Philip the Arab ( la, Marcus Julius Philippus "Arabs"; 204 – September 249) was Roman emperor from 244 to 249. He was born in Aurantis, Arabia, in a city situated in modern-day Syria. After the death of Gordian III in February 244, Philip ...

Roman emperor *

Julia domna Julia Domna (; – 217 AD) was Roman empress from 193 to 211 as the wife of Emperor Septimius Severus. She was the first empress of the Severan dynasty. Domna was born in Emesa (present-day Homs) in Roman Syria to an Arab family of priests of ...

Roman empress and mother of

Geta Geta may refer to: Places *Geta (woreda), a woreda in Ethiopia's Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region *Geta, Åland, a municipality in Finland * Geta, Nepal, a town in Attariya Municipality, Kailali District, Seti Zone, Nepal *Get ...

and

Caracalla Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (born Lucius Septimius Bassianus, 4 April 188 – 8 April 217), better known by his nickname "Caracalla" () was Roman emperor from 198 to 217. He was a member of the Severan dynasty, the elder son of Emperor S ...

Eutropia Eutropia (died after 325), a woman of Syrian origin, was the wife of Emperor Maximian. Marriage to Maximian and their children In the late 3rd century, she married Maximian, though the exact date of this marriage is uncertain. By Maximian, sh ...

Roman Princess, mother of emperor

Maxentius Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius (c. 283 – 28 October 312) was a Roman emperor, who reigned from 306 until his death in 312. Despite ruling in Italy and North Africa, and having the recognition of the Senate in Rome, he was not recognized ...

and two queens

Fausta Flavia Maxima Fausta ''Augusta'' (289–326 AD) was a Roman empress. She was the daughter of Maximian and second wife of Constantine the Great, who had her executed and excluded from all official accounts for unknown reasons. Historians Zosimu ...

and Flavia, and the grandmother of Constantine II,

Constans Flavius Julius Constans ( 323 – 350), sometimes called Constans I, was Roman emperor from 337 to 350. He held the imperial rank of ''caesar'' from 333, and was the youngest son of Constantine the Great. After his father's death, he was made ...

and

Constantius II Constantius II (Latin: ''Flavius Julius Constantius''; grc-gre, Κωνστάντιος; 7 August 317 – 3 November 361) was Roman emperor from 337 to 361. His reign saw constant warfare on the borders against the Sasanian Empire and Germani ...

and the great grandmother of

Julian Julian may refer to: People * Julian (emperor) (331–363), Roman emperor from 361 to 363 * Julian (Rome), referring to the Roman gens Julia, with imperial dynasty offshoots * Saint Julian (disambiguation), several Christian saints * Julian (give ...

and

Constantius Gallus Flavius Claudius Constantius Gallus (326–354) was a statesman and ruler in the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire from 351 to 354, as ''Caesar'' under emperor Constantius II (), his cousin. A grandson of emperor Constantius Chlorus () and ...

* Leo III the Syrian Byzantine emperor and the founder of the Syrian dynasty *

Constantine V Constantine V ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντῖνος, Kōnstantīnos; la, Constantinus; July 718 – 14 September 775), was Byzantine emperor from 741 to 775. His reign saw a consolidation of Byzantine security from external threats. As an able ...

Byzantine emperor father of

Leo IV the Khazar Leo IV the Khazar (Greek: Λέων ὁ Χάζαρος, ''Leōn IV ho Khazaros''; 25 January 750 – 8 September 780) was Byzantine emperor from 775 to 780 AD. He was born to Emperor Constantine V and Empress Tzitzak in 750. He was elevated to c ...

and grandfather of

Constantine VI Constantine VI ( gr, Κωνσταντῖνος, ''Kōnstantinos''; 14 January 771 – before 805Cutler & Hollingsworth (1991), pp. 501–502) was Byzantine emperor from 780 to 797. The only child of Emperor Leo IV, Constantine was named co-emp ...

Leo V the Armenian Leo V the Armenian ( gr, Λέων ὁ ἐξ Ἀρμενίας, ''Leōn ho ex Armenias''; 775 – 25 December 820) was the Byzantine emperor from 813 to 820. A senior general, he forced his predecessor, Michael I Rangabe, to abdicate and assumed ...

Byzantine emperor of Armenian and Syrian origins. *

Cassiodorus Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus Senator (c. 485 – c. 585), commonly known as Cassiodorus (), was a Roman statesman, renowned scholar of antiquity, and writer serving in the administration of Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths. ''Senator'' w ...

Consul of the Roman Empire, sometimes called the savior of the western civilization *

Avidius Cassius Gaius Avidius Cassius ( 130 – July 175 AD) was a Syrian Roman general and usurper. He was born in Cyrrhus, and was the son of Gaius Avidius Heliodorus, who served as ''praefectus'' or governor of Roman Egypt, and Julia Cassia Alexandra, who w ...

usurping Roman emperor for three months in AD 175. *

Leontius (usurper) Leontius ( el, Λεόντιος, Leòntios; died 488) was a general of the Eastern Roman Empire and claimant to the throne who led a rebellion against emperor Zeno in 484–488. Biography Leontius was of Syrian origin, coming from Dalisandus ...

Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus ( 125 – 193 AD) was a politician and military commander during the 2nd century in the Roman Empire. A general under the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Pompeianus distinguished himself during Rome's wars against the Parth ...

Council and military commander, second spouse of

Lucilla Annia Aurelia Galeria Lucilla or Lucilla (7 March 148 or 150 – 182) was the second daughter of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius and Roman Empress Faustina the Younger. She was the wife of her father's co-ruler and adoptive brother Lucius Verus ...

, and father of Pompeianus *

Minervina Minervina was the first wife of Constantine I, Constantine the Great. She was of Syrian origin. Constantine either took her as a concubine or married her in 303, and the couple had one son, Crispus. Life Constantine served as a hostage in the ...

wife of

Constantine the Great Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to Constantine the Great and Christianity, convert to Christiani ...

, mother of the Roman emperor

Crispus Flavius Julius Crispus (; 300 – 326) was the eldest son of the Roman emperor Constantine I, as well as his junior colleague ( ''caesar'') from March 317 until his execution by his father in 326. The grandson of the ''augustus'' Constantius I ...

* Mamertina Concubine of Emperor

Licinius Valerius Licinianus Licinius (c. 265 – 325) was Roman emperor from 308 to 324. For most of his reign he was the colleague and rival of Constantine I, with whom he co-authored the Edict of Milan, AD 313, that granted official toleration to C ...

and mother of

Licinius II Licinius II, also called Licinius Junior or Licinius Caesar (Latin: ''Valerius Licinianus Licinius''; – ), was the son of the Roman emperor Licinius I. He held the imperial rank of ''caesar'' between March 317 and September 324, while his fath ...

Sextus Varius Marcellus Sextus Varius Marcellus (c. 165 – c. 215) was a Roman aristocrat and politician from the province of Syria. Family and career Little is known about the origins of Marcellus, other than he was born and raised in the city of Apamea in Syria. ...

was the spouse of

Julia Soaemias Julia Soaemias Bassiana (180 – 11 March 222) was a Syrian noblewoman and the mother of Roman emperor Elagabalus, who ruled over the Roman Empire from 218 to 222. She was one of his chief advisors, initially with the support and accompaniment ...

, he was also

praefectus ''Praefectus'', often with a further qualification, was the formal title of many, fairly low to high-ranking, military or civil officials in the Roman Empire, whose authority was not embodied in their person (as it was with elected Magistrates) but ...

of the military treasury and governor of Numedia

Modern and contemporary

Ibrahim Hananu Ibrahim Hananu or Ibrahim Hanano (1869–1935) ( ar, إبراهيم هنانو, Ibrāhīm Hanānū) was an Ottoman Empire, Ottoman municipal official and later a leader of a Hananu Revolt, revolt against the French presence in northern Syria. He w ...

– leader of the revolution (northern area) against French Mandate (1921–1929) *

Shukri al-Quwatli Shukri al-Quwatli ( ar, شكري القوّتلي, Shukrī al-Quwwatlī; 6 May 189130 June 1967) was the first president of post-independence Syria. He began his career as a dissident working towards the independence and unity of the Ottoman Emp ...

– former President *

Hashim al-Atassi Hashim al-Atassi ( ar, هاشم الأتاسي, Hāšim al-ʾAtāsī; 11 January 1875 – 5 December 1960) was a Syrian nationalist and statesman and the President of Syria from 1936 to 1939, 1949 to 1951 and 1954 to 1955. Background and e ...

– former President *

Nazim al-Kudsi Nazim al-Qudsi ( ar, ناظم القدسي, Nāẓim al-Qudsī or Nadhim Al-Kudisi; 14 February 1906 – 6 February 1998), was a Syrian politician who served as President of Syria from 14 December 1961 to 8 March 1963. Early life and education ...

– former President *

Rushdi al-Kikhya Rushdi al-Kikhya ( ar, رشدي الكيخيا; 1899– 14 March 1987) was a Syrian political leader who founded the People's party in 1948. Kikhya was elected as a Speaker of the Parliament of Syria between 1949 and 1951, and he was elected fiv ...

– statesman and political leader *

Fares al-Khoury Faris al-Khoury ( ar, فارس الخوري, Fāris al-Khūrī) (November 20, 1877 – January 2, 1962) was a Syrian statesman, minister, prime minister, speaker of parliament, and father of modern Syrian politics. Faris Khoury went on to become p ...

– statesman and former prime minister *

Hafez al-Assad Hafez al-Assad ', , (, 6 October 1930 – 10 June 2000) was a Syrian statesman and military officer who served as President of Syria from taking power in 1971 until his death in 2000. He was also Prime Minister of Syria from 1970 to 1 ...

– former President *

Abdul Halim Khaddam Abdul Halim Khaddam ( ; ar, عبد الحليم خدام; 15 September 1932 – 31 March 2020) was a Syrian politician who was Vice President of Syria and "High Commissioner" to Lebanon from 1984 to 2005. He was long known as a loyalist of Hafez ...

– former President and former Vice President *

Subhi Barakat Subhi Bey Barakat al-Khalidi or Suphi Bereket ( ar, صبحي بك بركات الخالدي; tr, Suphi Bereket; 1889, Antakya – 1939, Turkey) was a Turkish politician from Antakya. During the French Mandate of Syria, he was the president o ...

– former President *

Lu'ay al-Atassi Lu'ay al-Atassi ( ar, لؤي الأتاسي, Luʾay al-ʾAtāsī; 1926 − 24 November 2003) was a senior commander in the Syrian Army and later the President of Syria between 9 March and 27 July 1963. Early life and career Atassi was born in Hom ...

– former President *

Nureddin al-Atassi Noureddin Mustafa Ali al-Atassi ( ar, نور الدين مصطفى الأتاسي, translit=Nūr ad-Dīn Muṣṭafā al-'Atasī, 11 January 1929 – 3 December 1992) was President of Syria from February 1966 to November 1970. Early life and ...

– former President *

Haqqi al-Azm Haqqi al-Azm ( ar, حقي العظم / ALA-LC: ''Ḥaqī al-‘Aẓm''; 1864, in Damascus – 1955) was a Syrian politician active during the late Ottoman period and during the First Syrian Republic. From 1932 to 1934, he served as Prime Minis ...

– former prime minister *

Khalid al-Azm Khalid al-Azm ( ar, خالد العظم, Khālid al-Aẓim; 11 June 1903 – 18 November 1965) was a Syrian national leader and five-time interim Prime Minister, as well as Acting President from 4 April to 16 September 1941. He was a member of o ...

– former prime minister *

Maarouf al-Dawalibi Maarouf al-Dawalibi ( ar, معروف الدواليبي, Maʿrūf al-Dawālībī; 29 March 1909 – 15 August 2004), was a Syrian politician and was twice the prime minister of Syria. He was born in Aleppo, and held a Ph.D. in Law. He served as a ...

– former prime minister *

Sultan al-Atrash Sultan al-Atrash, (March 5, 1891 – March 26, 1982) ( ar, سلطان الأطرش), commonly known as Sultan Pasha al-Atrash ( ar, سلطان باشا الأطرش, links=no) was a prominent Arab Druze leader, Syrian nationalist and Commander Ge ...

– General of the

Great Syrian Revolution The Great Syrian Revolt ( ar, الثورة السورية الكبرى) or Revolt of 1925 was a general uprising across the State of Syria and Greater Lebanon during the period of 1925 to 1927. The leading rebel forces comprised fighters of the ...

Yusuf al-Azmah Yusuf al-Azma ( ar, يوسف العظمة, ALA-LC: ''Yūsuf al-ʻAẓmah''; 1883 – 24 July 1920) was the Syrian minister of war in the governments of prime ministers Rida al-Rikabi and Hashim al-Atassi, and the Arab Army's chief of general staf ...

– former Minister of Defense *

Rashad Barmada Rashad Barmada ( ar, رشاد برمدا; 1913 – August 16, 1988) was a Syrian politician between the 1940s and early 1960s. Barmada served as a deputy prime minister, minister of defense for three terms, minister of interior for two terms, and ...

– former Minister of Defense * Bashir Azmeh – former prime minister *

Mikhail Ilyan Mikhail Ilyan (Arabic: ميخائيل اليان), was a Syrian politician who served as foreign minister of Syria in the 1940s. Biography He was born in Aleppo )), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black". , motto ...

– former Minister of Foreign Affairs *

Husni al-Za'im Husni al-Za'im ( ar, حسني الزعيم ''Ḥusnī az-Za’īm''; 11 May 1897 – 14 August 1949) was a Syrian military officer and politician of Kurdish origin. Husni al-Za'im, had been an officer in the Ottoman Army. After France instituted ...

– former president *

Amin al-Hafiz Amin al-Hafiz ( ar, أمين الحافظ, Amīn al-Ḥāfiẓ12 November 1921 – 17 December 2009), also known as Amin Hafez was a Syrian politician, general, and member of the Ba'ath Party who served as the President of Syria from 27 Jul ...

– former president *

Ahmed Kuftaro Ahmed Kuftaro or Ahmad Kaftaru (Arabic: أحمد كفتارو; December 1915 – 1 September 2004) was the Grand Mufti of Syria, the highest officially appointed Sunni Muslim representative of the Fatwa-Administration in the Syrian Ministry of Auq ...

– former

Grand Mufti The Grand Mufti (also called Chief Mufti, State Mufti and Supreme Mufti) is the head of regional muftis, Islamic jurisconsults, of a state. The office originated in the early modern era in the Ottoman empire and has been later adopted in a num ...

of Syria, 1964–2004 *

Carlos Menem Carlos Saúl Menem (2 July 1930 – 14 February 2021) was an Argentine lawyer and politician who served as the President of Argentina from 1989 to 1999. Ideologically, he identified as a Peronist and supported economically liberal policies. H ...

– former President of Argentina *

Gabi Ashkenazi Gabriel "Gabi" Ashkenazi (; born 25 February 1954) is an Israeli politician and former military leader. He previously served as the Foreign Minister of Israel, Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was the Chief of General Staff (Israel), Chief of Ge ...

– Israeli politician and former military leader *

Levon Ter-Petrosyan Levon Hakobi Ter-Petrosyan ( hy, Լևոն Հակոբի Տեր-Պետրոսյան; born 9 January 1945), also known by his initials LTP, is an Armenian politician who served as the first president of Armenia from 1991 until his resignation in 1998 ...

- first president of Armenia *

Mitch Daniels Mitchell Elias Daniels Jr. (born April 7, 1949) is an American academic administrator, businessman, author, and retired politician. A Republican, Daniels served as the 49th governor of Indiana from 2005 to 2013. Since 2013, Daniels has been pr ...

– 49th

Governor of Indiana The governor of Indiana is the head of government of the State of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government ...

Victor Atiyeh Victor George Atiyeh (; February 20, 1923 – July 20, 2014) was an American politician who served as the 32nd Governor of Oregon from 1979 to 1987. He was also the first elected governor of Middle Eastern descent and of Syrian descent in the Un ...

– 32nd Governor of Oregon * Robert Cahaly – political consultant and founder of the

Trafalgar Group The Trafalgar Group is an opinion polling and survey company founded by Robert Cahaly and based in Atlanta, Georgia. It first publicly released polls in 2016. Trafalgar has been questioned for its methodology and for an apparent bias towards the ...

* Avichay Adraee – Lieutenant Colonel in the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...

Muhammad Mustafa Mero Muhammad Mustafa Mero ( ar, محمد مصطفى ميرو, Muḥammad Muṣṭafā Mīrū; 1941 – 22 December 2020) was a Syrian politician who served as Prime Minister of Syria from 7 March 2000 to 10 September 2003. Early life and education M ...

– former prime minister *

Muhammad Naji al-Otari Muhammad Naji al-Otari ( ar, محمد ناجي عطري also ''Etri'', ''Itri'' and ''Otri'') (born 1944) is a Syrian politician who was Prime Minister of Syria from 2003 to 2011.Mahmoud Zuabi Mahmoud Al-Zoubi ( ar, محمود الزعبي, Maḥmūd az-Zuʿbī; 1935 – 21 May 2000) was Prime Minister of Syria from 1 November 1987 to 7 March 2000. Early life Al-Zoubi was born into a Sunni family in 1935 in Khirbet Ghazaleh, a villag ...

– former prime minister * Farouq al-Sharaa – diplomat, former foreign minister from 1984 to 2006 and vice-president since 2006 *

Tareck El Aissami Tareck Zaidan El Aissami Maddah (; ar, طارق زيدان العيسمي مداح; born 12 November 1974) is a Venezuelan politician serving as Minister of Industries and National Production since 14 June 2018, and as Minister of Petroleum sin ...

– Venezuelan

Syrian Syrians ( ar, سُورِيُّون, ''Sūriyyīn'') are an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic group indigenous to the Levant. They share common Levantine Semitic roots. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend of both indi ...

politician serving as Minister of Industries and National Production since 14 June 2018 *

Khalil Eideh Khalil Eideh (born 8 November 1954) is an Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Council from 2006 to 2018, representing the Western Metropolitan Region. Born in Tripoli in Lebanon to Syrian ...

– Australian politician

Scholars

Modern and contemporary

Raphael of Brooklyn Raphael of Brooklyn ( ar, قديس رافائيل من بروكلين), born Rufāʾīl Hawāwīnī (Raphael Hawaweeny; ar, رفائيل هواويني; November 20, 1860 – February 27, 1915), was bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, auxi ...

– Damascene Syrian parents; first Orthodox bishop to be consecrated in North America *

Jerrier A. Haddad Jerrier A. "Jerry" Haddad (July 17, 1922 – March 31, 2017) was an American pioneer computer engineer who was the co-developer and designer of the IBM 701 series which was IBM's first commercial scientific computer and its first mass-produced ...

– co-developer and designer of the

IBM 701 The IBM 701 Electronic Data Processing Machine, known as the Defense Calculator while in development, was IBM’s first commercial scientific computer and its first series production mainframe computer, which was announced to the public on May ...

series which was IBM’s first commercial scientific computer and its first mass produced mainframe computer *

Hunein Maassab Hunein (John) Maassab ( ar, حنين معصّب) (born Hunein Maassab) was a Syrian-American professor of epidemiology known for developing the live attenuated influenza vaccine Maassab was born June 11, 1926, in Damascus, Syria, he immigrated to ...

– professor of epidemiology known for developing the

Live attenuated influenza vaccine Live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) is a type of influenza vaccine in the form of a nasal spray that is recommended for the prevention of influenza. It is an attenuated vaccine, unlike most influenza vaccines, which are inactivated vaccine ...

Shadia Habbal Shadia Rifa'i Habbal (Arabic: شادية رفاعي حبال) is a Syrian-American astronomer and physicist specialized in Space physics. A professor of Solar physics, her research is centered on Solar wind and Solar eclipse. Life and education S ...

– astronomer and physicist; played a key role in establishing the

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

Parker Solar Probe The Parker Solar Probe (PSP; previously Solar Probe, Solar Probe Plus or Solar Probe+) is a NASA space probe launched in 2018 with the mission of making observations of the outer corona of the Sun. It will approach to within 9.86 solar radii (6 ...

Fawwaz T. Ulaby Fawwaz T. Ulaby ( ar, فواز علبي) is Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and formerly the Founding Provost and Executive Vice President of the King Abdullah ...

– professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

; received the

IEEE Edison Medal The IEEE Edison Medal is presented by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) "for a career of meritorious achievement in electrical science, electrical engineering, or the electrical arts." It is the oldest medal in this fi ...

in 2006 *

Kefah Mokbel Professor Kefah Mokbel FRCS is the lead consultant breast surgeon at the London Breast Institute of the Princess Grace Hospital, Professor (Honorary) of Breast Cancer Surgery at Brunel University London, an honorary consultant breast surgeon at S ...

FRCS Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (FRCS) is a professional qualification to practise as a senior surgeon in Ireland or the United Kingdom. It is bestowed on an intercollegiate basis by the four Royal Colleges of Surgeons (the Royal C ...

– lead breast surgeon at the London Breast Institute of

The Princess Grace Hospital The Princess Grace Hospital is a private hospital in Marylebone, London, and is part of the international division of HCA (Hospital Corporation of America), which is the world's largest private healthcare company. History The Princess Grace ...

; professor of Breast Cancer Surgery (The Brunel Institute of Cancer Genetics and Pharmacogenomics)

Brunel University London Brunel University London is a Public university, public Research universities, research university located in the Uxbridge area of London, England. It was founded in 1966 and named after the Victorian era, Victorian engineer and pioneer of the I ...

Oussama Khatib Oussama Khatib ( ar, أسامة الخطيب) is a roboticist and a professor of computer science at Stanford University, and a Fellow of the IEEE. He is credited with seminal work in areas ranging from robot motion planning and control, human- ...

–

roboticist Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of computer science and engineering. Robotics involves design, construction, operation, and use of robots. The goal of robotics is to design machines that can help and assist humans. Robotics integrat ...

and professor of Computer Science at Stanford University; received the IEEE RAS for Distinguished Service Award (2013) * *

Dina Katabi Dina Katabi ( ar, دينا قَتابي) is the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT and the director of the MIT Wireless Center. Academic biography Katabi received a bachelor's degree from the ...

– director of the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...

Wireless Center *

Huda Akil Huda Akil (born 1945) is a Syrian–American neuroscientist whose pioneering research has contributed to the understanding of the neurobiology of emotions, including pain, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Akil and colleagues are best know ...

– neuroscientist, past President of the

Society for Neuroscience The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is a professional society, headquartered in Washington, DC, for basic scientists and physicians around the world whose research is focused on the study of the brain and nervous system. It is especially well kn ...

Malatius Jaghnoon Malatius Jibriel Jaghnoon, ( ar, ملاتيوس جبرائيل جغنون, born in Lattakia 1943), is a Syrian engineer and epigrapher specialized in Aramaic and Greek inscriptions. Career He was born in Syria to a Greek Orthodox family. He gra ...

– epigrapher and founder of the archaeological society in Homs *

Afif Bahnassi Afif Bahnassi (17 April 1928 – 2 November 2017) was a Syrian Islamic art historian and museum curator, General Director of Antiquities and Museums in Damascus, Syria. He has authored books such as ''The Ancient Syria and His Art'' (1987) and ''Th ...

– art historian and curator * Constantine Zureiq – historian and activist *

Aref Dalila Aref Dalila ( ar, عارف دليلة) (born 1942) is a Syrian economist and former Dean of the Faculty of Economics in Damascus University. He is currently working as a Senior Economic Researcher at Orient Research Center in the UAE. He was sente ...

– economist, political activist and former political prisoner

Writers, poets and authors

Hanna Diyab Antun Yusuf Hanna Diyab ( ar, اَنْطون يوسُف حَنّا دِياب, Anṭūn Yūsuf Ḥannā Diyāb; born ''circa'' 1688) was a Syrian Maronite writer and storyteller. He is the origin of the famous tales of '' Aladdin'' and ''Ali Baba ...

Ziad Abdullah Ziad Abdullah (Arabic: زياد عبدالله) is a Syrian film critic, author and screenwriter. Early life and career Ziad Abdullah was born on 20 August 1975 in Latakia. He studied English literature at Tishreen University, Latakia. Since 1 ...

– novelist and screenwriter *

Nasib Arida Nasib Arida ( ar, نسيب عريضة, ; 1887–1946) was a Syrian-born poet and writer of the Mahjar movement and a founding member of the New York Pen League. Life Arida was born in Homs to a Syrian Greek Orthodox family where he receiv ...

Mary Ajami Mary Ajami (Arabic: ماري عجمي) (1888 – December 25, 1965) was a Syrian feminist and pioneering Arabic-language writer who launched the first women's periodical in Western Asia and North Africa called ''Al Arus'' (Arabic: the Bride). Bio ...

Sadiq Jalal al-Azm Sadiq Jalal Al-Azm ( ar, صادق جلال العظم ''Ṣādiq Jalāl al-‘Aẓm''; 1934 – December 11, 2016) was a Professor Emeritus of Modern European Philosophy at the University of Damascus in Syria and was, until 2007, a visiting pro ...

– author, philosopher, sociologist and human rights advocate *Hussam Mtawa – famous port, but moved to Albania during the war * Ali Ahmad Said Esber – popularly known as Adonis, a Syrian poet, essayist and translator * Aziz Azmeh – author and philosopher * Abdulkarim Baderkhan (born 1986) – poet, translator, critic * Morad Daoud – novelist, sculptor * Hisham al-Ghazzi (born 1923) – lawyer *

Abd al-Masih Haddad Abd al-Masih Haddad ( ar, عبد المسيح حداد, ; 1890–1963) was a Syrian writer of the Mahjar movement and journalist.. His magazine '' As-Sayeh'' (''The Traveler''), started in 1912 and continued until 1957, presented the works of pr ...

Qustaki al-Himsi Qustaki al-Himsi ( ar, قسطاكي الحمصي, ; 1858–1941) was a Syrian writer and poet of the Nahda movement (the Arabic renaissance), a prominent figure in the Arabic literature of the 19th and 20th centuries and one of the first refo ...

Adib Ishaq Adib Ishaq ( ar, اديب اسحق, ; 21 January 1856 – 12 June 1885) was an important Syrian literary figure of nineteenth-century Arab Nahda. Born in Damascus (then a city of the Ottoman Empire, and the present-day capital of Syria), he was ...

Riad Ismat Mohammad Riad Hussain Ismat ( ar, رياض عصمت) (11 July 1947 – 13 May 2020) was a Syrian writer, critic and theatre director. He served as Minister of Culture of Syria from 3 October 2010 to 23 June 2012. Early life, education and care ...

– writer, director * Amal Kassir – spoken word poet *

Khaled Khalifa Khaled Khalifa (born 1964) ( ar, خالد خليفة, sometimes in English written as Khalid Khalifa) is a Syrian novelist, screenwriter, and poet. He has been nominated three times for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, including being sh ...

– novelist * Mohammed Maghout – poet and writer *

Francis Marrash Francis bin Fathallah bin Nasrallah Marrash (Arabic: , ; 1835,. 1836,. or 1837 – 1873 or 1874), also known as Francis al-Marrash or Francis Marrash al-Halabi, was a Syrian scholar, publicist, writer and poet of the Nahda or the Arab Renaissance, ...

Abu Khalil Qabbani Abu Khalil Qabbani ( ar, أبو خليل القباني / ALA-LC: ''Abū Khalīl al-Qabbānī''; 1835–1902) was a Syrian playwright and composer of Turkish origin. He is considered to be the founder of the short musical play (similar to an operet ...

– playwright, "father of Syrian theatre" *

Nizar Qabbani Nizar Tawfiq Qabbani ( ar, نزار توفيق قباني, , french: Nizar Kabbani; 21 March 1923 – 30 April 1998) was a Syrian diplomat, poet, writer and publisher. He is considered to be Syria's National Poet. His poetic style combines simp ...

– poet *

Widad Sakakini Widad Sakakini ( ar, وداد سكاكيني; 1913–1991) was a writer and critic from Syria. Life Sakakini was born in Sidon, Ottoman Syria (now Lebanon) in 1913 and studied under the theologian Mustapha Al-Ghalayini in Beirut. She wrote f ...

(1913–1991) – writer and feminist *

Fathallah Saqqal Fathallah Saqqal ( ar, فتح الله الصقال; 1898 – 27 March 1970) was a Syrian attorney, writer and government minister. He was well known for successfully arguing for Ibrahim Hananu's innocence in the French Mandatory courts in Syria ...

– lawyer, writer, government minister *

Mona Simpson Mona Simpson (née Jandali; June 14, 1957) is an American novelist. She has written six novels and studied English at the University of California, Berkeley and Languages and Literature at Columbia University. She won a Whiting Award for her fi ...

(born 1957) – Syrian American novelist and essayist * Zakariyya Tamer – writer * Muhammad al-Tunji – linguist, and author; received Indian Prize from UNESCO in 1970 *

Dima Wannous Dima Wannous ( ar, ديمة ونوس) (born in Damascus in 1982) is a Syrian writer and translator. She studied French literature at Damascus University and the Sorbonne. Also, she studied translation in France and has lived in Beirut, where she wo ...

– author and journalist *

Saadallah Wannous Saadallah Wannous ( ar, سعد الله ونوس) (1941 – 15 May 1997) was a Syrian playwright, writer and editor on Arabic theater. He was born in the village of Hussein al-Bahr, near Tartous, where he received his early education. He studied ...

– playwright * Khairy Alzahaby – writer, novelist, scenarist, historian, thinker *

Riad Sattouf Riad Sattouf ( ar, رياض سطوف; born 5 May 1978) is a French cartoonist, comic artist, and film director. Sattouf is best known for his award-winning graphic memoir hexalogy '' L'Arabe du futur'' (''The Arab of the Future'') and for his awa ...

– cartoonist, comic artist, film director

Miscellaneous

Michel Aflaq Michel Aflaq ( ar, ميشيل عفلق, Mīšīl ʿAflaq‎, , 9 January 1910 – 23 June 1989) was a Syrian philosopher, sociologist and Arab nationalist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of Ba'athism and its politic ...

– political theorist * Vatche Arslanian – International Red Cross *

Tawfiq Bay Tawfiq Bay, or Sayyid Ahmad Tawfiq Bay Sharif Efendi (Tevfik Pasha), ( ar, سيد احمد توفيق باي شريف أفندي; ) was a Syrian Arab traveler who had been in the service of King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia, eventually traveling to Xi ...

– traveler, military leader, and politician * Muzna Dureid – activist *

– economist,

Damascus Spring The Damascus Spring ( ar, ربيع دمشق, ) was a period of intense political and social debate in Syria which started after the death of President Hafiz al-Asad in June 2000 and continued to some degree until autumn 2001, when most of the act ...

figure *

Hala Gorani Hala Basha-Gorani (; born March 1, 1970) is an American journalist, most recently working as an anchor and correspondent for CNN International, based in London. She is also a war correspondent. She previously anchored CNN's ''Hala Gorani Tonight' ...

– reporter * Sireen Hamsho – renewable energy specialist * Abdul-Nabi Isstaif – critic, scholar of comparative literature and Orientalism *

Sami Zayn Rami Sebei ( ar, رامي سبعي; born July 12, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Sami Zayn, and is a member of The Bloodline. Prior to join ...

– professional wrestler *

Steve Jobs Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American entrepreneur, industrial designer, media proprietor, and investor. He was the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple; the chairman and majority shareholder of Pixar; a ...

– founder of

Apple, Inc. Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, United States. Apple is the largest technology company by revenue (totaling in 2021) and, as of June 2022, is the world's biggest company b ...

– co-developer and designer of the

* * *

Ahmad Joudeh Ahmad Joudeh (born 4 April 1990 in Yarmouk) is a Syrian-Palestinian and Dutch ballet dancer and a choreographer. He was born and raised as a stateless refugee in Syria. He moved to the Netherlands with help of the Dutch National Ballet Company ...

– ballet dancer *

Jack Marshall Sir John Ross Marshall New Zealand Army Orders 1952/405 (5 March 1912 – 30 August 1988) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party. He entered Parliament in 1946 and was first promoted to Cabinet in 1951. After spending twelve years ...

– poet and author

Businesspeople

Jacques Saadé Jacques R. Saadé ( ar, جاك سعادة; 7 February 1937 – 24 June 2018) was a French-Lebanese billionaire businessman. He was the founder and chairman of the CMA CGM, a French container transportation and shipping company, the fourth lar ...

– billionaire with a net worth of $7 billion *

Rodolphe Saadé Rodolphe Saadé (born 3 March 1970) is a Franco-Lebanese businessman. He is the chairman of the CMA CGM Group, a world leader in logistics transport, and the son of its founder, Jacques Saadé. As of April 2022, his net worth was estimated at ...

– billionaire with a net worth of $10.9 billion *

Jose Mugrabi Jose Mugrabi (born 1939) is a Syrian Israeli businessman and art collector. with a family net worth estimated at several billion. He is the leading collector of Andy Warhol, with 800 artworks. Biography Yosef "Jose" Mugrabi was born to a Syrian-J ...

– billionaire with a net worth of $5 billion. *

David Nahmad David Nahmad (born 1947) is a Monegasque billionaire and former fine art dealer.
A descendant of a

– billionaire and former art dealer * Ezra Nahmad – billionaire art collector and dealer *

Edmond Safra Edmond J. Safra ( ar, ادموند يعقوب صفرا; 6 August 1932 – 3 December 1999) was a Lebanese-Brazilian banker who continued the family tradition of banking in Brazil and Switzerland. He was married to Lily Watkins from 1976 until ...

– banker *

Ayman Asfari Ayman Asfari (born 8 July 1958) is a Syrian-born British businessman. He was the chief executive (CEO) of Petrofac, a Jersey-registered multinational oilfield services company serving the oil, gas and energy production and processing industries, ...

– Chief Executive of

Petrofac Petrofac Limited is an international energy services company that designs, builds, manages and maintains oil, gas, refining, petrochemicals and renewable energy infrastructure. It is registered in Jersey (number 81792), with its main corporate off ...

Jacob Safra Jacob Safra ( ar, يعقوب صفرا; 1891 – 27 May 1963) was a Syrian-Lebanese banker. The Safras were bankers and gold traders engaged in the financing of trade between Beirut, Aleppo, Istanbul and Alexandria. Biography The Safra family wa ...

– banker *

Joseph Safra Joseph Safra ( ar, يوسف صفرا‎; 1 September 1938 – 10 December 2020) was a Swiss-based Lebanese Brazilian banker and billionaire businessman, who ran the Brazilian banking and investment empire, Safra Group. Joseph Safra was the ch ...

– banker * Jeff Sutton –

billionaire A billionaire is a person with a net worth of at least one billion (1,000,000,000, i.e., a thousand million) units of a given currency, usually of a major currency such as the United States dollar, euro, or pound sterling. The American busin ...

New York real estate developer and the founder of Wharton Properties *

Michel Chalhoub Michel Chalhoub (9 October 1931 – 30 July 2021) was a French billionaire of Syrian origin, and founder of the Chalhoub Group. As of August 2021, his net worth was estimated at US$1.1 billion. Early life Michel Chalhoub was born in Damascus, ...

– founder of the Chalhoub Group *

Mohed Altrad Mohed Altrad ( ar, محمد الطراد) is a French-Syrian billionaire businessman, rugby chairman and writer, born c. March 1948. He was born to a very young mother and his Bedouin father gave him away to his grandparents at age four followin ...

– French-Syrian businessman *

Mohammed Mohiedin Anis Mohammed Mohiedin Anis (born 1946/47), also known as Abu Omar, is a Syrian businessman and car collector, based in Aleppo. A March 2017 photograph of him sitting on his bed, smoking a pipe and listening to his wind-up record player in a r ...

Elie Horn Elie (Eli) Horn (born in 1944) is a Brazilian businessman and philanthropist operating in Brazil, and president of Cyrela Brazil Realty. Biography Elie Horn was born to a Jewish family in Aleppo (then under the French Mandate for Syria).

– billionaire *

Isaac Saba Raffoul Isaac Saba Raffoul (October 17, 1923 – July 27, 2008) was a Mexican businessman of Syrian Jewish descent; his father emigrated from Aleppo, Syria to Veracruz, Mexico where he started a rag business which the family built on. Isaac Saba Raffou ...

– billionaire *

Gilbert Bigio Gilbert Bigio is a retired Haitian businessman. He is the founder of GB Group and Haiti's only billionaire. He was sanctioned by the Government of Canada for his involvement in arms trafficking and human rights violations in Haiti. Bigio is als ...

– wealthiest man in

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...

Ronaldo Mouchawar Ronaldo Mouchawar ( ar, رونالدو مشحور), is a Syrian entrepreneur. In 2005, he co-founded Souq.com, the largest e-commerce retailer in the Arab World, making the e-commerce retailer the region's first unicorn. When Amazon acquired ...

– entrepreneur, founder of

Souq.com Souq.com was the largest e-commerce platform in the Arab world. The company launched in 2005 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. On March 28, 2017, Amazon.com Inc. acquired Souq.com for $580 million as a subsidiary. On May 1, 2019, Souq.com UAE becam ...

Sam Yagan Sam Yagan (born April 10, 1977) is an American Internet entrepreneur best known as the co-founder of OkCupid. In 2013, he was named to ''TIME'' Magazine's '100 Most Influential People in the World' list. He is the Vice-Chairman of the e-dating ...

– Internet entrepreneur * Wafic Said – established the Saïd Foundation in 1982 and the

Saïd Business School Saïd Business School (Oxford Saïd or SBS) is the business school of the University of Oxford. The School is a provider of management education and is consistently ranked as one of the world's top business schools. Oxford School of Management ...

at the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

in 1996 * Omar Hamoui – entrepreneur and the founder of

AdMob AdMob is a mobile advertising subsidiary of Google, originally founded by Omar Hamoui. The name AdMob is a portmanteau for "advertising on mobile". It was incorporated on April 10, 2006 while Hamoui was in business school at Wharton School. The ...

, has a net worth of $300 million * George Haswani – businessman who owns the HESCO natural gas production company

Actors/actresses

* Yasser Azmeh – comedian and director *

Abbas al-Noury Abbas al-Noury ( ar, عباس النوري; born 8 December 1952 in Damascus, Syria) is a prominent Syrian television actor, writer, and director known for his role in the Syrian series Bab al-Hara, and for being the leading Syrian actor of "Al Ij ...

– actor *

Samer al-Masry Samer al-Masry, also spelled Samer al-Masri, ( ar, سامر المصري; born 3 August 1969 in Damascus, Syria) is a Syrian actor. He is best known for his lead role in the Syrian drama Bab al-Hara.Interview by Hayyan Nayouf, translated by Sonia ...

– actor *

Bassam Kousa Bassam Kousa ( ar, بسام كوسا; born 7 November 1954 in Aleppo) is a Syrian film and TV actor. He played many important roles in popular TV series including ''Bab al-Hara'' and '' Old Times''. He is also an accomplished film actor. Persona ...

– actor *

Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour ( ar, منير فخري عبد النور; cop, ⲙⲟⲩⲛⲓⲣ ⲫⲉϧⲣⲓ ⲁⲃⲇⲉⲗⲛⲟⲩⲣ; born 21 August 1945) is an Egyptian businessman and politician. Early life and education Abdel Nour was bor ...

– actor *

Muna Wassef Muna may refer to: Places * Muna (Mikulovice), a World War II POW camp and ammunition factory in the Czech Republic * Muna, Estonia, village in Rõuge Parish, Võru County, Estonia * Muna, Iran, village in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran * Mu ...

– actress *

Lilia al-Atrash Lilia al-Atrash ( ar, ليليا الأطرش; born 18 August 1977) is Syrian Syrians ( ar, سُورِيُّون, ''Sūriyyīn'') are an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic group indigenous to the Levant. They share common Levantine Semitic roots. ...

– actress * Bouthayna Shaya – actress *

Marwan Farhat Marwan Farhat ( ar, مروان فرحات; born 21 March 1957) is a Syrian television actor and voice actor. Early life Marwan Farhat was born in Damascus, Syria. After finishing secondary school, he attended the Higher Institute for Dramatic ...

– actor * Raghda Khateb – actress *

Ayman Al-Salek Ayman Al-Salek ( ar, أيمن السالك; born in Syria) is a Syrian television actor and voice actor. Early life He was born in Syria and work with Venus Center for Dubbing since in many of anime and cartoon and he work in many series Syri ...

– actor *

Adel Abo Hassoon Adel Abo Hassoon ( ar, عادل أبو حسون; born July 30, 1970) is a Syrian television actor and voice actor. Early life He was born in Beirut, Lebanon and work with Venus Center for Dubbing since 1995 in many of anime and cartoon. He is ...

– actor * Jumana Murad – actress * Anjy Al-Yousif – actress * Yahya Al-Kafri – actor *

Hisham Kafarneh Hisham Kafarneh ( ar, هشام كفارنة; born 20 May 1959) is a Syrian television actor and voice actor. Early life Hisham Kafarneh is representative and the author and theater director holds a Bachelor of Arts from the Higher Institute of ...

– actor *Ahmad Harhash – actor

Archaeologists

Khaled al-Asaad Khaled Mohamad al-Asaad ( ar, خالد الأسعد, , January 1932 – 18 August 2015) was a Syrian archaeologist and the head of antiquities at the ancient city of Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He held this position for over forty ye ...

– former director of antiquities in

Palmyra Palmyra (; Palmyrene: () ''Tadmor''; ar, تَدْمُر ''Tadmur'') is an ancient city in present-day Homs Governorate, Syria. Archaeological finds date back to the Neolithic period, and documents first mention the city in the early second ...

, brutally beheaded by

Daesh An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ' ...

Raoul Gregory Vitale Raoul Gregory Vitale (12 February 1928 – 29 September 2003) was a Syrian musicologist who introduced the total description of the ancient Babylonian musical scales used in Music of Mesopotamia and Near East, and also a complete interpretation o ...

– born in

Latakia , coordinates = , elevation_footnotes = , elevation_m = 11 , elevation_ft = , postal_code_type = , postal_code = , area_code = Country code: 963 City code: 41 , geocode ...

Architects

Nazih Kawakibi Nazih Kawakibi (1 April 1946 – 7 March 2009) was a Syrian architect and a historian of architecture. Kawakibi was a professor at Damascus University, faculty of architecture. He taught a variety of subjects including; descriptive geometry, shadow ...

– architect, professor of architecture and historian of Damascus * Yousef Abdelky –

Sheikh Zayed Mosque The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque ( ar, جَامِع ٱلشَّيْخ زَايِد ٱلْكَبِيْر, Jāmiʿ Ash-Shaykh Zāyid Al-Kabīr) is located in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. The largest mosque in the country ...

designer *

Khaled Malas Khaled Malas ( ar, خالد ملص) is a Syrian architect and art historian. He is also a co-founder of the ''Sigil Collective'' alongside Salim al-Kadi, Alfred Tarazi and Jana Traboulsi. Malas studied architecture at the American University o ...

– architect and art historian *

Moshe Safdie Moshe Safdie ( he, משה ספדיה; born July 14, 1938) is an architect, urban planner, educator, theorist, and author, with Israeli, Canadian, and American citizenship. He is known for incorporating principles of socially responsible desi ...

– designer of

Marina Bay Sands Marina Bay Sands (abbreviation: MBS) is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore. The resort is owned by the Las Vegas Sands Corporation and at its opening in 2010, it was deemed the world's most expensive standalone casino prop ...

and

Jewel Changi Airport Jewel Changi Airport (also known as Jewel or Jewel Changi) is a nature-themed entertainment and retail complex surrounded by and linked to Changi Airport, Singapore, linked to one of its passenger terminals. Its centrepiece is the world's talle ...

Apollodorus of Damascus Apollodorus of Damascus ( grc, Ἀπολλόδωρος ὁ Δαμασκηνός) was a Nabataean architect and engineer from Damascus, Roman Syria, who flourished during the 2nd century AD. As an engineer he authored several technical treatises, ...

– Roman architect, 2nd century

Artists

Youssef Abdelke Youssef Abdelke (Arabic يوسف عبدلكي) is one of Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūr� ...

– artist *

Darin Ahmad Darin Ahmad (born 1 January 1979 in Hama, Syria) is a Syrian artist, poet and writer. Biography After finishing school in her home town, she went to Aleppo in 1996 to study economics. After graduating from the University of Aleppo in July 2004 ...

– artist, poet, writer *

Ali Farzat Ali Farzat or Ali Ferzat ( ar, علي فرزات; born 22 June 1951) is a Syrian political cartoonist. He has published more than 15,000 caricatures in Syrian, Arab and international newspapers. He serves as the head of the Arab Cartoonists Associ ...

– cartoonist *

Marwan Kassab-Bachi Marwan Kassab-Bachi (1934-2016) (Arabic: مروان قصاب باشي ), known as Marwan, was a German painter of Syrian origin. After being born in Damascus, Syria, he spent most of his life in Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and lar ...

– painter *

Louay Kayali Louay Kayali ( ar, لؤي كيالي), (20 January 1934 – 26 January 1978) was a Syrian modern artist. Biography Kayali was born in Aleppo, Syria in 1934 and studied art in the Accademia di Belle Arti after having studied at the Al-Tajhiz Scho ...

– cartoonist *

Fateh Moudarres Fateh al-Moudarres ( ar, فاتح المدرس; 1922–1999) was a Syrian painter and one of the leaders of the modern art movement in Syria. Moudarres studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome, where he was influenced by Surrealism. ...

– painter

Athletes

Flamma Flamma (lit. The Flame) was a Syrian gladiator under the Roman Empire during the reign of Hadrian. He was one of the most famous and successful of his time. History How Flamma ended up as a gladiator is unknown. He may have been a revolution ...

– one of the most famous gladiators in history *

Joseph Atiyeh Joseph Atiyeh ( ar, جوزيف عطية, born October 8, 1957) is a retired Syrian wrestler and the winner of Syria's first Olympic medal. Early life Atiyeh was born in Amar al-Husn, Homs Governorate, Syria. His parents immigrated to Allent ...

– wrestler and silver medalist at the 1984 Olympic Games *

Zid Abou Hamed Zid Abou Hamed ( ar, زيد أبو حامد; born 4 April 1970) is an Australian-Syrian former track and field athlete who specialized in the 400 metres hurdles. Career Hamed originally began to compete for his birth country Syria. He represent ...

– athlete *

Mustafa Hamsho Mustafa Hamsho ( ar, مصطفى حمشو; born 10 October 1953) is a Syrian former professional boxer who competed from 1975 to 1989, challenging twice for the undisputed middleweight world title in 1981 and 1984. Professional career The Syrian S ...

– boxer *

Ahed Joughili Ahed Joughili ( ar, عهد جغيلي; born October 10, 1984) is a Syrian weightlifter, who competed in the 105 kg division at the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2012 Summer Olympics. Joughili won a silver medal at the 2005 Mediterranean Games and ...

– weightlifter *

Michael Madanly Micheal Madanly (born 10 March 1981 in Aleppo), better known as Michel Madanly or just Micho, is a Syrian professional basketball player. Most known in his prime playing for Jalaa SC's basketball programme from 2004 to 2011, he also played in a n ...

– basketball player *

Naser Al Shami Nasser Al Shami ( ar, ناصر الشامي; born June 27, 1982) is a Syrian boxer, who competed in the heavyweight division (– 91 kg) at the 2004 Summer Olympics and won a bronze medal. Nasser Al-Shami was allegedly injured on 4 July 20 ...

– boxer *

Feras Saied Feras Saied ( ar, فراس السيد; January 17, 1981 – June 6, 2015) was a professional Syrian bodybuilder. Biography Feras Saied was originally from Homs, a city in western Syria that is being held under the regime's control. As a revol ...

– bodybuilder *

Yasser Seirawan Yasser Seirawan ( ar, ياسر سيروان; born March 24, 1960) is a Syrian-born American chess grandmaster and four-time United States champion. He won the World Junior Chess Championship in 1979. Seirawan is also a published chess author an ...

–

chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to disti ...

grandmaster and four-time US-champion *

Ghada Shouaa Ghada Shouaa ( ar, غادة شعاع; born September 10, 1972) is a retired Syrian heptathlete. At the 1996 Summer Olympics, she won her country's first and only Olympic gold medal. She was also a World and Asian heptathlon champion. She is consid ...

– heptathlete and gold medalist at the 1996 Olympic Games *

Yaser Shigan Yaser Shigan (born August 17, 1976) is a Syrian boxer, who won the only gold medal for Syria at the 2005 Mediterranean Games in Almería, Spain. In the final of the men's featherweight division (– 57 kg) he defeated former Romanian ...

– boxer *

– wrestler

Footballers

Omar Al Somah Omar Al Somah ( ar, عمر السومة; born 28 March 1989) is a Syrian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Qatar Stars League club Al-Arabi, on loan from Saudi club Al Ahli, and the Syria national team. Nicknamed in Syria as ...

Firas Al Khatib Firas Mohamad Al Khatib ( ar, فراس محمد الخطيب; born 9 June 1983) is a Syrian people, Syrian former Association football, footballer who mainly played as a Forward (association football), forward. He is the Syria national football ...

Jehad Al Hussain Jehad Al Hussain ( ar, جهاد الحسين, born July 30, 1982 in Homs, Syria) is a former Syrian people, Syrian Association football, footballer who played as a Midfielder (association football), midfielder. Club career Al-Karamah SC Al-Hus ...

Mahmoud_Al-Mawas Mahmoud Al-Mawas ( ar, مَحمُود الْمَوَّاس; born 1 January 1993) is a Syrian professional footballer who plays as a winger or an attacking midfielder for Al-Shorta in the Iraqi Premier League and the Syria national team. He ma ...

Wael Ayan Wael Ayan ( ar, وائل عيان; born June 13, 1985, in Aleppo, Syria) is a Syrian footballer. He currently playing for Kolkata's club Mohammedan. He plays as a midfielder, wearing the number 14 for the Syrian national football team. Internati ...

Aatef Jenyat Aatef Jenyat ( ar, عَاطِف جَنيَات; born 8 May 1986 in Homs, Syria) is a Syrian footballer who is currently a free agent, and is a former member of the Syria national football team. Career Club career Jenyat's career began ...

Sanharib Malki Sanharib Malki Sabah ( syr, ܣܢܚܪܝܒ ܡܠܟܝ; ar, سنحاريب ملكي صباح; born 1 March 1984) is a retired Syrian footballer of Arameans, Aramean ethnicity who played as a Forward (association football), striker. Besides his Syri ...

* Ilyas Merkes *

Louay Chanko Louay Chanko ( ar, لؤي شنكو; born 29 November 1979) is a professional football coach and former player. Born in Sweden, Chanko represented Sweden internationally as a midfielder, before switching allegiance to Syria. After his playing c ...

George Mourad George Mourad ( ar, جورج مراد; born 18 September 1982) is a former professional footballer who played as a striker. Mourad represented both Sweden and Syria internationally. Club career After playing for Västra Frölunda IF, he join ...

Christer Youssef Christer Youssef ( ar, كريستر يوسف; born 1 December 1987) is a Swedish former professional association football, footballer who played as a midfielder. References External links Christer Youssef
at Fotbolltransfers * * * 19 ...

Abdul Fattah Al Agha Abdul Fattah Al Agha ( ar, عبد الفتاح الآغا; born 1 August 1984), is a retired Syrian footballer who played as a striker. He spent the majority of his career playing for Syrian side Al Ittihad Aleppo and other clubs from Egypt. C ...

Basel Abdoulfattakh Basel Mansurovich Abdoulfattakh (russian: Басель Мансурович Абдульфаттах; born 6 March 1990) is a Russian former professional association football player. His father is of Syrian descent and his mother Russian. Care ...

Dani Kiki Dani Ayman Kiki ( bg, Дани Айман Кики; born 8 January 1988) is a Bulgarian professional footballer currently playing as a midfielder. He is of Syrian Kurdish descent, as his father is from Syria. Career Early career Kiki started ...

* Gaby Jallo * Imad Chhadeh *

Ninos Gouriye Ninos Gouriye (born 14 January 1991) is a Dutch footballer who currently plays as a winger. He formerly played for the Dutch Eerste Divisie club Cambuur as a forward. Personal life Gouriye's brothers, Sargon and Teglat, and his cousin Arthur ...

* Ibrahim Alma *

Zyad_Chaabo Zyad Barakat Chaabo ( ar, زياد شعبو; born 1 January 1979) is a Syrian former footballer who played as a striker. Career statistics International :''Scores and results list Syria's goal tally first.'' Honours Hutteen * Syrian Cup: 200 ...

* Oliver Kass Kawo

Criminals

Monzer al-Kassar Monzer al-Kassar () (born in Hama, Syria in 1945),Akram Ojjeh Akram Ojjeh ( ar, أَكْرَم عُجَّة, ʾAkram ʿUjjah; 21 April 1918 – 28 October 1991) was a Syrian-born Saudi Arabia, Saudi businessman. Ojjeh was an intermediary in deals between Saudi Arabia and France, particularly arms sales. Ojje ...

– international arms dealer, former son-in-law of

Mustafa Tlass Mustafa Abdul Qadir Tlass ( ar, مُصْطَفَى عَبْد الْقَادِر طَلَاس, Musṭafā ʿAbd al-Qādir Ṭalās; 11 May 1932 – 27 June 2017) was a Syrian senior military officer and politician who was Syria's minister of defe ...

Film directors

Moustapha Akkad Moustapha Al Akkad ( ar, مصطفى العقاد; July 1, 1930 – November 11, 2005) was a Syrian-American film producer and director, best known for producing the original series of ''Halloween'' films and directing '' The Message'' and ' ...

Omar Amiralay Omar Amiralay ( ar, عمر أميرالاي) (1944 – 5 February 2011) was a Syrian documentary film director and civil society activist. He is noted for the political criticism in his films, and played a prominent role in the events of the Dam ...

Talal Derki Talal Derki (Arabic language, Arabic: طلال ديركي ''Ṭālāl Dīrkī'') is a Syrian Kurdish director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Damascus and of Kurdish descent, Derki studied film directing in Athens at , graduation in 2003. He wo ...

Mohammad Malas Mohammad Malas ( ar, محمد ملص; born 1945) is a prominent Syrian filmmaker. Malas directed several documentary and feature films that garnered international recognition. He is among the first Auteur theory, auteur filmmakers in Cinema of Sy ...

Ossama Mohammed Ossama Mohammed ( ar, أسامة محمد; born 21 March 1954) is a Syrian film director and screenwriter. His film, ''The Box of Life'', was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. He is currently living in ...

Abdellatif Abdelhamid Abdellatif Abdelhamid ( ar, عبد اللطيف عبد الحميد, born January 5, 1954) is a Syrian film director. His films have earned numerous awards, beginning with the Damascus International Film Festival, the Carthage Film Festival, and ...

Musicians

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...

– born to a family of Syrian Jewish origin *

Asmahan Amal al-Atrash ( ar, آمال الأطرش ', North Levantine ; November 25, 1918 – July 14, 1944),

– original name: Princess Amal Al Atrash, singer, sister of Farid Al Atrash *

Farid al-Atrash Farid al-Atrash ( ar, فريد الأطرش; October 19, 1916 – December 26, 1974), also written Farid El-Atrache, was a Syrian-Egyptian composer, singer, virtuoso oud player, and actor. Having immigrated to Egypt at the age of only nine ...

– composer, singer and

oud , image=File:oud2.jpg , image_capt=Syrian oud made by Abdo Nahat in 1921 , background= , classification= * String instruments *Necked bowl lutes , hornbostel_sachs=321.321-6 , hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded with a plectrum , ...

player *

Fahd ballan Fahd Ballan ( ar, فهد بلان; 22 March 1933 – 24 December 1997) was a popular Syrian Druze singer and actor. Like most of his generation of artists who started their show business careers in the early sixties he was exposed to a world of ...

– traditional singer *

Kinan Azmeh Kinan Azmeh ( ar, كنان العظمة, Kinān Azme, born June 10, 1976, in Damascus), is a Syrian clarinet player and composer of contemporary music. Performing with orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, the Seattle Symphony, the Bavari ...

– musician *

Sabah Fakhri Sabah al-Din Abu Qaws ( ar, صباح الدين أبو قوس), also known as Sabah Fakhri ( ar, صباح فخري; May 2, 1933 – November 2, 2021), was a Syrian tenor singer from Aleppo. With over 50 years of fame and popularity as a singe ...

– traditional singer *

Malek Jandali Malek Jandali ( ar, مالك جندلي, ) (born 1972) is a German-born Syrian- American pianist and composer. He is the founder of the nonprofit organization Pianos for Peace, which aims to build peace through music and education. Jandali imm ...

– composer and pianist *

Assala Nasri Assala Mostafa Hatem Nasri ( ar, أصالة مصطفى حاتم نصري; born 15 May 1969), commonly known as Assala ( ar, أصالة), is a Syrian musical artist. She is one of the most popular and famous Arab singers. Early life and career ...

– singer *

George Wassouf George Wassouf ( ar, جورج وسوف; 23 December 1961) is a Syrian singer. In a career spanning more than four decades, he has released more than 30 albums, with a significantly large audience of fans throughout the Arab world. Dubbed Sulta ...

– singer * Bachar Zarkan – musician, singer, actor *

Lena Chamamyan Lena Chamamyan ( ar, لينا شماميان, hy, Լենա Շամամեան; born 27 June 1980) is a Syrian-Armenian singer-songwriter known for her soprano voice and unique style, which fuses jazz, Middle Eastern folk music and Western classica ...

– singer * Rasha Risk – singer *

Mayada El Hennawy Mayada El Hennawy ( ar, ميادة الحناوي; born October 8, 1959) is a Syrian singer. She lived a part of her life in Egypt where she collaborated with many famous Egyptian musical composers like Mohamed El Mougy and Mohamed Abdel Wahab, ...

– singer *

XXXTentacion Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion ga ...

– born to a family of possibly Syrian origin; rapper, singer, songwriter

Former political prisoners and prisoners of conscience

Ali al-Abdallah Ali al-Abdallah () is a Syrian writer and human rights activist. He was arrested in Syria in March 2006. He was again arrested and jailed in 2007 after trying to revive the Damascus Declaration. He was released from Adra Prison on June 23, 2 ...

– writer and human rights activist *

Michel Kilo Michel may refer to: * Michel (name), a given name or surname of French origin (and list of people with the name) * Míchel (nickname), a nickname (a list of people with the nickname, mainly Spanish footballers) * Míchel (footballer, born 1963), ...

– writer, political prisoner *

Haytham Manna Haytham Manna (al-Awdat) is a Syrian writer; he spent three decades as a human rights activist who helped create and became spokesperson for the Arab Commission for Human Rights (ACHR). In 2011, during the early stages of the Syrian civil war, he r ...

– writer, spent three decades as a human rights activist *

Haitham al-Maleh Haitham al-Maleh ( ar, هيثم المالح, born August 15, 1931) is a Syrian human rights activist and former judge. He is a critic of the current Syrian government under Bashar al-Assad and has been imprisoned by the Syrian government because ...

– human rights activist and former judge *

Riad al-Turk Riad al-Turk ( ar, رياض الترك, born 1930 in Homs) is a prominent Syrian opposition leader, former political prisoner for about 20 years in Syria, and supporter of democracy, who has been called "the Old Man of Syrian opposition." He was ...

– prominent Syrian opposition leader, former political prisoner for about 20 years in Syria

References

{{Reflist * Lists of Arabs

Leaders and politicians

Ancient

Modern and contemporary

Scholars

Modern and contemporary

Writers, poets and authors

Miscellaneous

Businesspeople

Actors/actresses

Archaeologists

Architects

Artists

Athletes

Footballers

Criminals

Film directors

Musicians

Former political prisoners and prisoners of conscience

See also

References