Straight Street

(ῥύμη εὐθεῖα), one of the ancient thoroughfares of Damascus, on which was situated the house of Judas, where Paul was visited by Ananias (Ac 9:11). It still subsists as a narrow lane, which runs away westward from the Bab es-Shurky, or East Gate, as far as the eye can follow it among the confused labyrinth of buildings. It retains the same name in an Arabic form, Derb el-Mustakim. It is not quite straight now, nor is its architecture peculiarly imposing, yet there cannot be a doubt of its identity. In the Roman age, and down to the time of the Mohammedan conquest, a noble street extended in a straight line from this gate westward through the city. It was divided by Corinthian colonnades into three avenues, opposite and corresponding to the three portals. The visitor may still trace the remains of these colonnades. Wherever excavations are made in the line, bases of columns are found in situ, and fragments of shafts lying under accumulated rubbish. This street was like those still seen in Palmyra and Jerash. Its length was an English mile, and its breadth about 100 feet. See Porter, Handb. for Palestine, p. 451; Bädeker, Palestine, p. 480. SEE DAMASCUS.