Palmyra, Syria
Early May
2002
This is the 'if you're only
going to see one thing in Syria, see this' sight. And due to all the
turmoil in other parts of the Middle East, it's pretty much free of
tourists - great if you like wondering around fantastic Roman ruins by
yourself - bad if you are a tour guide or in camel hire and trying to make
a living. . It was this place that convinced me that the only place
to see ruins is the middle east. Italy with all the crowds is just
unpleasant.
View of Palmyra from Qala'at ibn Maan - a marmuluke fort overlloking
Palmyra.
Some
History (courtesy of Lonely Planet)
Palmyra was at one time a
Greek outpost of considerable importance. It was an Assyrian caravan
town for over 1000 years but only enjoyed it's later Greek period of glory
for two centuries. It was annexed by Rome in AD217 and became a
centre of unsurpassed wealth.
The city's most famous
character was Zenobia, the half-Greek, half-Arab queen who claimed descent
from Cleopatra. She was a woman of exceptional ability and ambition,
and after the death in suspicious circumstances of her husband Odenathus,
she became ruler of Palmyra from AD267. She set her sights on Rome,
but her troops were soundly beaten by the forces of Aurelian in 271, and
the city was put to the torch by him two years later.
This was the beginning of
the end for Palmyra. It fell to the Muslims in 634 and was finally
completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1089.
Some
Links
Cool
Pictures By Stuart Whatling
Temple
of Baal-Shamin
Temple
of Bel
The sanctuary in the great
Temple of Bel
The sanctuary in the great
Temple of Bel from the front
The north Adyton
Colonades and archways on the Cardo Maximus
Archway and columns with the
Tetrapylon in the background.
Columns
'Triumphal' arch
Bryan and I on camels. He got the ugly one.
And with our guide.
Inscriptions in arabic on Roman stone.
Columns of the Cardo Maximus and the Tetrapylon
The
Roman Theatre
The theatre
Other
Shots Of Palmyra
Ruins
Funerary
towers of Yemliko
Funeral tower of Yemliko
Bryan and I tired out
walking to the fortress of Qala'at ibn Maan.
On The
Road To Palmyra
Palmyra is in the middle of
nowhere, 150km (93mi) from the Orontes River to the west and 200km (124mi)
from the Euphrates to the east ... and Baghdad.
Sheep in the morning at our
campsite near Palmyra. I woke up with these animals nosing around
the entrance to my tent.
Flock of sheep in the
desert.
Mobile radar installation near an air force base. Also saw lots
of tanks around as well.
On the truck.
Next:
Syria,
1. Aleppo, 2. Hama,
3. Palmyra, 4. Krak des
Chevaliers, 5. Damascus
|
