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Palmyra, Page 2

Palmyra – Agora & Tariff Court
تدمر – الآغورا و قاعة الضرائب

The ancient city of Palmyra (تدمر) features an impressive agora (الآغورا), or public gathering place. While these were traditionally the center of political and social life in ancient cities, in Palmyra (تدمر) it developed a major commercial role, similar to a caravanserai. It was here that trading caravans would unload and exchange their goods, transforming the complex into a central marketplace. The area was first …

Palmyra – Baths
تدمر – الحمامات

While poorly preserved, the baths (الحمامات) of Palmyra (تدمر) offer some insight into the public amenities of this ancient city during the late Roman period. In 273, prior to their construction, Emperor Aurelian’s troops had inflicted major destruction upon the city in response to a Palmyrene rebellion against Roman rule. During the subsequent reign of Diocletian (284-305), several building projects were undertaken as part of …

Palmyra – Museum
تدمر – متحف

The modern town of Palmyra (تدمر), northeast of the ancient city, was first settled in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Prior to that, around 6,000 villagers lived among the ancient ruins. French administrators encouraged the local inhabitants to resettle to the modern town, and most had done so by 1932. The modern town’s museum (متحف) was founded in 1961, and contains a collection of …