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معبد

Damascus – Roman Ruins
دمشق – الآثار الرومانية

Damascus (دمشق) was conquered by the Romans in 64 BCE, which marked the beginning of their long rule over the city. Although the Romans based their administration of Syria in Antioch (modern Antakya, Turkey), there were several substantial building projects undertaken in Damascus (دمشق) during the centuries of Roman rule. These included improvements in city planning, construction of an aqueduct system to bring water from …

Palmyra – Temple of Bel
تدمر – معبد بل‎

One of the most impressive monuments in Syria is the magnificent Temple of Bel (معبد بل). Located in the southeastern quarter of the ancient city of Palmyra (تدمر), this massive Roman temple complex is one of the best preserved in the Middle East. The site of the temple had been used for religious purposes as far back as 2200 BCE, and as recently as 1929 …

Palmyra – Temple of Baal-Shamin
تدمر – معبد بعلشمين

The Temple of Baal-Shamin (معبد بعلشمين) is one of the most well-preserved temples in the ancient city of Palmyra (تدمر). In Semitic tradition, Baal-Shamin was the “Lord of the Heavens”, responsible for rain and harvest and often equated with the Greek Zeus. Located in the far north of the acropolis, portions of the temple complex date back as early as 17 CE, with numerous phases …

Palmyra – Funerary Temple
تدمر – المعبد الجنائزي

Located in the northwestern periphery of the ancient city of Palmyra (تدمر), at the end of the main colonnaded street, is a remarkable funerary temple (المعبد الجنائزي). Surprisingly little is known about this temple tomb, as no inscriptions have been discovered, but it is believed to date from the late second or early third century. This particular style of tomb represents the later stages of …

Palmyra – Camp of Diocletian
تدمر – معسكر ديوقلسيان

The area known as the Camp of Diocletian (معسكر ديوقلسيان) was a late Roman expansion to the ancient city Palmyra (تدمر), located at the western edge of the acropolis. The district was built to serve as a military outpost after Rome’s eastern frontier had become destabilized by Sasanian attacks from Persia and Zenobia’s revolt (267-271). It was under Emperor Diocletian’s rule, between 284 and 305, …

Athriya
اثريا

The small desert village of Athriya (اثريا) was once the site of the ancient Roman settlement of Seriana. Remains of its beautiful third century temple, relatively well-preserved, survive in this harsh desert landscape located about one hundred and thirty kilometers from Hama (حماة) and about equal distance from Homs (حمص). Once an important crossroads, and considerably more fertile than it is today, Athriya (اثريا) marked the point where the route between …

Ain Dara
عين دارة

The fascinating temple of Ain Dara (عين دارة), located northwest of Aleppo (حلب) near the Kurdish town of Afrin (عفرين), is an incredible example of religious architecture from the Hittite period. The temple, constructed on a hill overlooking the Afrin River valley, is one of the best preserved of the Hittite sites in Syria. While the remains are modest in scale, the architectural style is …

Baqirha
باقرحا

Baqirha (باقرحا), situated on the northern edge of Jebel Barisha (جبل باريشا) and overlooking the Plain of Amuq (to the east of Antioch), is arguably the most interesting archaeological site on this mountain range. Baqirha (باقرحا) has remains from both the Roman and Byzantine periods, including the best preserved Roman temple in the northwest of Syria. The Roman temple, whose surprisingly intact remains stand on the southern edge …

Jebel Sarir
جبل سرير

At the peak of Jebel Sarir (جبل سرير) can be found the remains of a Roman temple dedicated to Zeus, built during the reign of Hadrian and dated by inscription to 116 AD. The temple was constructed when the road from Antioch to Aleppo (حلب) was being developed for military traffic to support Roman campaigns to the east. Aside from the foundations, the site is largely a …

Amrit
عمريت

Amrit (عمريت) was a Phoenician religious center, and in terms of the visible remains it is arguably the most impressive Phoenician site in Syria. The ruins include a temple complex and numerous tombs, though the site was also a continental port for the settlement on Arwad (ارواد) island. The architectual styles show Persian and Egyptian influence, and the Romans built a stadium here in the 4th century. Amrit (عمريت) …