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SYRIA THROUGH THE AGES Syria is one of the earliest homes of civilization. More than 8000 years ago the first settlements were founded in the fertile landscape at the upper reaches of the Euphrates and in the location of modern Damascus. Even at that early date, the plough tilled its soils; oars smote sea waves along its coast; its earth and rocks were used to build villages and settlements, and metal entered its every day life at Tal-Halaf, Ugarit, Mari, Ebla and other centres. Syrias location at the crossroad of trade gave rise to mankinds first alphabets.
6,000 B.C. Beginning of Neolithic settlements in the area of Damascus. 2,000 B.C. First indication of an Amorite settlement on the site of present-day Damascus. 1,000 B.C. City conquered by Tuthmose III of Egypt. 732 B.C. City taken by the Assyrian king, Tiglath Pileser III. 572 B.C. The Chaldean armies, under Nebuchadnezzar, conquer Syria and occupy Damascus. 539 B.C. The Persian leader, Cyrus, takes Damascus and declares it the capital of the Fifth Satrapy (administrative district) of the Persian Empire, which incorporated Syria, Phoenicia, and Palestine. 334 B.C. Alexander the Great takes Syria. Beginning of Greek settlement in Damascus. 312 B.C. Seleukos Nicator, the successor of Alexander, takes power. 64 B.C. The Roman general, Pompeii, incorporates Syria and Damascus into the Roman Empire. 20-30 A.D. Christianity comes to Damascus. 31 A.D. Arrival of Saul [of Tarsus] and his assumption of his new name, Paul, upon conversion to Christianity. 395 A.D. Division of the Roman Empire into Western and Easter (Byzantine) Empires. Damascus under Byzantine control. 635 A.D. Damascus taken by Khalid ibn al-Walid. Arab Muslim conquest of Syria. 661 A.D. The Caliph Muawiyya I. makes Damascus the capital of the Umayyad Empire. 750 A.D. Fall of the Umayyad Dynasty. Damascus falls to the 'Abbasids and the capital of the Muslim empire is transferred to Baghdad. 969-1076 A.D. Rule of the Fatimids, based in Cairo. 1076-1174 A.D. Rule in Damascus of the Prince of Turkish origin, the Seljuks and Atabegs, including the rule of Nur al-Din (Atabeg) (1146- 1176) and the beginning of the Crusader campaigns(1096). 1174-1260 A.D. The Ayyubid Dynasty, founded by Salah al-Din (Saladin), rules Damascus. 1260 A.D. Tartar invasion, led by Hülagü (son of Ghengis Khan), repulsed by Sultan Baybars. 1260-1516 A.D. The Mamluke, an Egypt-based dynasty, rule Damascus. 1400 A.D. Devastation of Damascus by the Mongols, led by Tamerlane. 1516 A.D. The Ottoman Turks take power. 1918 A.D. The Ottomans are driven out of Syria at the end of the First World War by the combined forces of the Western Allies and Arab forces. 1918-1920 The Kingdom of Syria lasts for twenty months. 1920-1946 French occupation. 17.April 1946 Syrian independence.
Syria's varied landscape is part of the country's charm. Europeans travelling to Syria expect desert dunes with passing camel caravans, and mysterious oriental cities with lively bazaars. Well, some of this the traveller will find, but other impressions as well - high mountains shrouded in snow during the winter, romantic valleys and flowering steppes with Bedouins herding there animals in spring, colourful field and plantations of apricots, pistachios, pomegranates, cotton, fruit and vegetables in autumn. This is because Syria lies between the Mediterranean area with is slightly moist climate and the dry continental area of Asia.
Syria is home to many cultures, ethnic groups like Arabs, Kurds, Armenians, Turkmen, Circassians and Assyrians and religious groups like Sunnite and Shiite Muslims, oriental Christians and others. All these groups are free to exercise their customs and coexist peacefully. The main Christian and Islamic holidays are observed publicly. Syria might thus be a good example for other countries - Islam and Christianity have existed here beside each other for centuries. An good impression for this is found in Resafa on the Euphrates, where a Christian cathedral and an Umayyad mosque formed an architectural ensemble for centuries, from the 8. - 13.century AD. |
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Cuneiform writing |
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Apamea |
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At Palmyra |
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A Roman Mosaic |
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The Noria Waterwheels |
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The Hamidiyeh Bazaar |
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Wall Decoration |
