Syria

Overview

Civilization has existed in the region for many millennia which when coupled with the its location between East and West has meant that most groups have had an influence here. This results in historical sites that partly catalogues excellence in human architectural endeavour. The capital, Damascus has Greek ruins and Aramaen temples on the same site, the Omayyad Mosque near glass blowers whose practice has lasted thousands of years contrasted with modern technology for sale created only in the last fifty. Moving between cities is the only way to appreciate the treasures of the whole country. There are the waterwheels of Hama before seeing the Crusader castle of Krak des Chavaliers. Dead cities such as Al Bara and Qalbe Lbrse and the medieval castle of Qal'at al-Hosn that controlled the gateway to Syria at the Homs Gap should be seen.

The desert should not be neglected, especially as it is where the Roman ruins of Palmyra are located. Perhaps Aleppo with its own fortress will be of interest as well as the stone bazaar. Silk weavers, like the glass blowers are still practicing their art which with Syrian brocade are important industries.

History

Archaeologists have demonstrated that Syria was the center of one of the most ancient civilizations on earth. Around the excavated city of Ebla in northern Syria discovered in 1975 a great Semitic empire spread from the Red Sea north to Turkey and east to Mesopotamia from 2500 to 2400 B.C. The city of Ebla alone during that time had a population estimated at 260 000. Scholars believe the language of Ebla to be the oldest Semitic language.

Syria was occupied successively by Canaanites Phoenicians Hebrews Arameans Assyrians Babylonians Persians Greeks Romans Nabataeans Byzantines and in part Crusaders before finally coming under the control of the Ottoman Turks. Syria is significant in the history of Christianity; Paul was converted on the road to Damascus and established the first organized Christian Church at Antioch in ancient Syria from which he left on many of his missionary journeys.

Damascus settled about 2500 B.C. is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It came under Muslim rule in A.D. 636. Immediately thereafter the city's power and prestige reached its peak and it became the capital of the Omayyad Empire which extended from Spain to India from A.D. 661 to A.D. 750 when the Abbasid caliphate was established at Baghdad Iraq.

Damascus became a provincial capital of the Mameluke Empire around 1260. It was largely destroyed in 1400 by Tamerlane the Mongol conqueror who removed many of its craftsmen to Samarkand. Rebuilt it continued to serve as a capital until 1516. In 1517 it fell...more