NOTES REGARDING HISTORICAL SITES
SYRIA
 2009 H.G. HARKER
December 2009
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
S.D.A. CHURCH OFFICE- East Mediterranean field ................................................... 3
VISAS .......................................................................................................................... 3
CURRENCY ................................................................................................................ 3
PHOTOGRAPHS ETC ................................................................................................. 3
RELIGION ................................................................................................................... 3
SYRIA TODAY ............................................................................................................ 3
CURRENCY ................................................................................................................ 3
HISTORY..................................................................................................................... 3
TRAVELLING TO SYRIA ............................................................................................. 4
BUSRA ........................................................................................................................ 4
DERAYA ...................................................................................................................... 4
DAMASCUS ................................................................................................................ 4
The Damascus Document ........................................................................................ 5
Umayyad Mosque .................................................................................................... 5
Straight Street .......................................................................................................... 5
The Citadel and Bazaars .......................................................................................... 6
The National Museum .............................................................................................. 6
Damascus University................................................................................................ 6
Suleiman’s Tekkiyeh (El Tekieh Suleimaniah) .......................................................... 6
The Great Mosque ................................................................................................... 6
The Mausoleum of Saladin (Salah ed-Din) ............................................................... 7
Azem (Axim) Palace ................................................................................................. 7
The House of Ananias .............................................................................................. 7
The City Walls and the East Gate............................................................................. 7
Paul’s Window and Cathedral .................................................................................. 7
Jebel Kassium – or Jabel Kasium............................................................................. 7
Other Places to Visit ................................................................................................. 8
HOMS.......................................................................................................................... 8
KRAK DES CHEVELIERS ........................................................................................... 8
TADMOR - PALMYRA ................................................................................................. 8
The Temple of Bel .................................................................................................... 9
The Street of Columns ............................................................................................. 9
The Temple of Bel Shameen (Baal Shamin) ............................................................ 9
The Tombs of the Towers ........................................................................................ 9
Underground Tombs ................................................................................................ 9
HAMATH ..................................................................................................................... 9
MAARET EN NAAMAN.............................................................................................. 10
EBLA ......................................................................................................................... 10
Claims Made from the Library Find......................................................................... 10
ALEPPO (BEROEA, HALEB)..................................................................................... 11
DEIR SAMA’AN (FORTRESS AND MONASTERY OF SIMEON STYLITE) ............... 11
DURA EUROPOS (AS SALIHIYAH) .......................................................................... 11
The Christian Church ............................................................................................. 11
The Synagogue ...................................................................................................... 11
MARI ......................................................................................................................... 12
UGARIT (RAS SHAMRA) .......................................................................................... 12
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S.D.A. CHURCH OFFICE- EAST MEDITERRANEAN FIELD
Address: Ferdous Street; Sabtieh, Beirut, Lebanon
Phone:
+961 (1) 690 290
Fax:
+ 961 (1) 692 490
Email
meunion@adventistmeu.org
VISAS
 A visa is necessary to enter Syria.
 A further requirement is the US$100 must be exchanged on entering Syria.
 Contact must be made with the Public Security Department within five days of arrival.
 Health clearances and vaccinations for cholera and typhoid are required.
CURRENCY
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The unit of currency is the Syrian Pound (Lira) and is divided into 100 piastres.
PHOTOGRAPHS ETC
 Syrians often resent photographs being taken of them. Take care in this regard.
 Conversation references to Israel are most unwise.
 Your airline ticket should be written out so that it does not show you have been in
Israel.
RELIGION
 Most of the population is Moslem - but there are a few Jews and Christians.
 Most of the Christians are Orthodox and comprise less than ten percent of the
population.
SYRIA TODAY
 The western part of Syria is mountainous, with desert and steppe land in the north
and west.
 In much of the country the summers are hot and dry, and except near the coast, frost
and some now can be expected in winter.
 Syria’s principal industry is agriculture, and principally it produces cotton and wheat.
CURRENCY
 The unit of currency is the Syrian Pound.
 It is divided into 100 piastres.
HISTORY
 From the invasion of Syria by Semetic Amorites around 2900 – 2500 BC, Syria has
been controlled by many countries or peoples.
 Among these are Babylonians, Persians, Romans and more recently Arabs and
Turks.
 It had one of the ten cities of the Decapolis in Biblical times.
 Then its area was much larger including what is now Syria, Lebanon, some of Israel
and sometimes Jordan.
 The Great Arab Revolt of 1916 commenced more modern history.
 Syria has been occupied by the British in 1942, then the French until 1946.
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In 1958, Syria merged with Egypt in the United Arab Republic.
It seceded in 1961 to become known as the Syrian Arab Republic.
TRAVELLING TO SYRIA
 Entrance to Syria will often be made from Amman with the border crossing at
Ramtha.
 Coming from Turkey entrance is via Antakya (Antioch) to Haleb (Aleppo) in Syria.
 Catch an early morning bus from Amman to arrive in Damascus in the afternoon.
 Your bags will be checked before boarding which saves many checks by taxi and at
the border.
 The bus is cheap, fast and hassle-free.
 Entering Syria from Beirut is quick and inexpensive. A shared taxi can cost as little
as US$6.00 from Beirut to Damascus.
BUSRA
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After crossing the border at Ramtha a stop at Busra is worthwhile.
Here is an old Roman fortress – still well preserved today.
In the centre of this old fortress is a large theatre.
DERAYA
 It is a village situated some 15 km south southwest of Damascus.
 In Arabic it means “Place of Vision”.
 According to Tradition, it was here that Paul was struck blind by a vision of the Lord
on his way to Damascus.
DAMASCUS
 Is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities of the world.
 It was a garden spot for desert travellers over the Fertile Crescent.
 It lies at the foot of Mount Qassiom - 682 m (2275 ft), and on a plain at the edge of
the Ghouta Oasis.
 It is located some 103 km southeast of Beirut and about 210 km northeast of
Jerusalem.
 It is nearly 700 m above sea level.
 The Barada River runs through the centre of the city.
 From the vantagepoint of Mount Qassiom you can distinguish clearly the effects of
the oasis and the dryness of the Syrian deserts sands.
 The shortest caravan route from Egypt to Mesopotamia in ancient times went by way
of this city.
 It also was on the main highway crossing Syria and Trans-Jordan and connecting
Anatolia and northern Mesopotamia and southern Arabia.
 Parts of the old city wall are preserved, although only the lower courses reach back
to New Testament times.
 It was here that Paul escaped being lowered down over the wall in a basket.
 The railway station is on the south side of Hedijaz Square in the centre of the city.
 The tourist in Damascus may receive help from the Syrian Tourist Office located
directly north of the railway station on the corner of Port Said Street and Salhien
Street.
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The Damascus Document
 A document was found in Egypt, called the Damascus Document, and tells of a sect
of Jews who migrated to Damascus
 They were organised into a community like the Qumran community.
 They were called the Sons of Zadok – and the fragment is sometimes referred to as
the Zadokite fragment.
 In Cave Six of Qumran, more fragments from the Zadokite sect have been found,
indicating that the Essenes knew of the Zadokites and their community regulations.
Umayyad Mosque
 Damascus is a city of many mosques.
 The most impressive mosque is the Umayyad Mosque.
 It was built by Justinian as a Christian Church, but later transformed into a mosque.
 From the courtyard the shape and dimensions reveal the shape of the church.
 On this site there was once a temple dedicated to Hadad about 1000 BC.
 Later a Roman Temple of Jupiter was built on the site.
 The four minarets of the mosque distinguish this huge building from all other
mosques in Damascus.
 It was the greatest monument of the Umayyad Empire (c. 635 AD).
 It was decorated with fine mosaics of coloured glass, gold, and mother of pearl used
to make natural scenes, decorative plants, and buildings.
 There are claims that in this mosque is the body of John the Baptist.
 Moslems believe that Jesus will return to the “Jesus Minaret” and will judge the
world.
 The Greek inscription on the south door read, “Thy kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations” (Psalm 145:13).
 This inscription was visible from the roof of a shop built against the mosque – but
now the inscription is plastered over.
 Here is where Christians converted the worshippers of a pagan Roman temple and
thronging it to sing songs of praise to a resurrected Lord.
 The centre gates of the Roman temple are the eastern gates of the Umayyad
Mosque.
 The Roman Arch (triumphal Arch) was part of the western propylaea of the Temple
of Jupiter. It still stands in from of the Umayyad Mosque.
 The pediment of the Arch stands on six columns, 15.5 m high and crowned with
Corinthian capitals.
 The mosque is closed to tourists on Fridays.
Straight Street
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The ‘Street Called Straight’ – where Paul received his sight – is still one of the
longest (3 km) and straightest streets in the city.
Its modern name is Sultaniyeh.
The Souq et-Tawileh – the Long Bazaar – occupies a considerable portion of the
street.
Excavations show that this was once a magnificent thoroughfare flanked by
colonnades.
Only a monumental arch remains to bear witness to its ancient splendour.
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In an alley that comes off Straight Street is the house of Ananias. The house is
about 6 m below street level and is used as a Christian chapel.
At the other end of the Street is the House of Jude where Paul was baptised.
The Citadel and Bazaars
 This area gives the best photos of narrow Damascus streets.
 Damascus has always been a manufacturing city.
 Our work “damask” bears witness to its fame as a textile centre.
 Weavers and artisans in mother-of-pearl, brass, leather, and jewellery make
shopping a delightful experience in Damascus.
 A visit to the Damascus Bazaar – Souq Hamidiyeh (Hamidieh) is a must for any
visitor and is famous for its cloths etc.
 This bazaar is the most famous of all in Damascus and was built by Sultan Abdul
Hamid II.
 Half-way through another bazaar, Souq el Khouja, which adjoins Souq Hamidiyeh, is
the 13th century Citadel el Qalaa.
 This citadel was built on the site of an earlier Roman and Byzantine fortress.
 The Syrian Mounted Police have their headquarters there and part of it is a state
prison.
The National Museum
 Is one of the most outstanding museums of the world.
 Exhibits are beautifully arranged in one of the four areas (1) Syro-Oriental antiquities,
(2) Syrian antiquities in the Greek, Roman and Byzantine periods; (3) Arab and
Moslem art, and (4) modern and contemporary art.
 In the first department are important objects from Mari (3000 – 2000 BC), Ras
Shamra (1500 – 1300 BC0, and a stone from Ugarit that has the world’s oldest
known alphabet inscribed on it.
 The synagogue of Dura Europas is a must when visiting here.
Damascus University
 Is located a short distance to the southwest from the National Museum.
Suleiman’s Tekkiyeh (El Tekieh Suleimaniah)
 This is a hostelry near the museum.
 It was built in 1554 by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent on the site of the Beybars’
Black and White Palace.
 It was built for pilgrims en route to Mecca.
 Its slim minarets and large cupola are very picturesque.
The Great Mosque
 Originally it was a Roman pagan temple.
 First was the ruins of a temple to Rimmon.
 Then a Temple to Jupiter was built here.
 When Christianity gained the ascendency it became a church with the famous relic of
the head of John the Baptist.
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Afer being shared by both Christians and Muslems it became a mosque and
decorated even more lavishly than previously.
The Mausoleum of Saladin (Salah ed-Din)
 It is accessed through a side door from the Great Mosque.
 This is an elaborately decorated tomb which has the body of Saladin (1138 – 93 AD).
 Saladin captured Jerusalem in 1189 AD.
 The mausoleum is located near the Umayyad Mosque.
 The cupola was donated by the German emperor Wilhelm II during his visit late in
the 19th century.
Azem (Axim) Palace
 It is situated near The Great Mosque
 This palace was built in 1750 AD by Asad el Azem.
 He was a governor of Damascus under the Turks.
 It is an excellent example of an old Arab palace.
 The decorations of wood in the walls and ceilings were made by skilled Damascus
craftsmen, who developed such a beautiful style of woodcraft that today this type is
called Damascene all over the world.
 Marble fountains, courts, trees and flowers all help to make this palace beautiful.
 The Haramlik (quarters for women and children) houses a folklore museum – a mustsee for a look into wealthy Arabic life.
The House of Ananias
 The Church of Saint Ananias marks the traditional site of the house of Ananias.
The City Walls and the East Gate
 Little remains of the ancient Roman wall that encircled the city.
 Lower levels of large stones date prior to the twelfth century.
 The East Gate (Bab Sharqi) is the only one of the seven Roman gates to survive.
 It dates from the 2nd century AD and opened onto the Street Called Straight.
 The Little Gate (Gate of Chaqour) on the south side dates from the 12th century.
Paul’s Window and Cathedral
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A part of the town wall has been restored.
A cathedral has also been built here, and a window designated as the window of St.
Paul.
Jebel Kassium – or Jabel Kasium
 It is to the west of the city of Damascus (take a taxi) going up Mt Qassopun or
Qasiyun.
 There is a mosque here with the Tomb of Abel and the place of the first murder.
Even the very stone used in the murder is shown.
 Here is also Adam’s Cave where he is reported to have taken up residence. The
Cave is sometimes referred to as “:The Cave of Blood”.
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Other Places to Visit
 The Al-Walid Mosque
 The Virgin’s Belt Church
 St. Elian Church.
HOMS
 Is located some 150 km north of Damascus.
 Homs is the place for oil pipelines crossing and also a refinery.
KRAK DES CHEVELIERS
 Is located some 40 km east of Homs
 Is the castle ruins from the time of the Crusaders.
TADMOR - PALMYRA
 The town of Tadmor is about 1 km from the ruins of Palmyra.
 It is called “Palmyra” also “Adrianopolis” and described as “Bride of the Desert”.
 The road to Palmyra is through arid and desolate country with huge sandy mountains
to the north and flat open country to the south.
 It is situated some 300 km northeast of Damascus by way of Homs, and 160 km east
of Homs.
 It was an oasis city on the northern edge of the Syrian Desert.
 The 300 km of useless waste make the sudden appearance of the impressive ruins
all the more incredible.
 Palmyra was originally built by Solomon (2 Chron 8:4).
 Assyrian inscriptions show that Tadmor (Palmyra) already existed in the time of
Tiglath-Pileser I (1100 BC).
 Today it has one of the most extensive Roman ruins.
 Past glory will never be repeated here.
 Gigantic temples and colonnades in the middle of the enormous desert give a surreal
beauty.
 It is traditionally the largest area of ancient ruins in the world.
 At the height of its glory, a population of 30,000 lived swarmed its streets.
 It is no doubt one of the most important archaeological sites in Syria.
 Many Aramaic inscriptions found at Palmyra are important for the knowledge of the
late phases of Semetic religion.
 In the age of Augustus, a temple of Bel was built here.
 Trajan the Roman emperor destroyed the city.
 Hadrian rebuilt the city calling it Adrianopolis.
 Under the rule of Odenathus and his successor Queen Zenobia, Palmyra became an
important power even conquering Egypt.
 Later the city was sacked by Aurelian, never to rise to importance again.
 The Christian church made some progress and Palmyra sent its Bishop to the
Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.
 The Agora, the Theatre, the Forum, Baths, and Banquet Hall are all typical of Roman
ruins.
 The Sulphur Baths are located about1.5 km from the oasis on the road to Homs.
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A museum houses many of the finds of Palmyra
The Fortress Fakhr-ed-Din al Maani may be seen on the summit of a hill to the
northwest of Palmyra.
The Temple of Bel
 This edifice dominates the amazing scatter of ruins.
 Of the original 390 columns of the temple, only 7 survive.
 The northern niche of the temple was the Holy of Holies and contained the
Palmyrene triad: Bel, Yarihibol, and Aghbol.
 Its monolithic ceiling is decorated with the seven planets encircled by the twelve
signs of the zodiac.
 A stairway leads to the top and a view of Palmyra.
 In the temple precincts rock carvings show Bel with the fruit of prosperity and the sun
and moon gracing his head.
 The relief of Baal is on stone at the entrance.
The Street of Columns
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The beautiful Street of Columns leads from the Triumphal Arch entry.
Originally there were 375 columns nearly 10 m high but only 150 remain.
These stand like sentinels against the desert’s eerie waste.
The Temple of Bel Shameen (Baal Shamin)
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The Temple of Bel Shameen is in the northeast corner of the ruins near the hotel.
It is the most complete temple in Palmyra and dates to 130 AD.
During the Byzantine period it served as a basilica.
The Tombs of the Towers
 The 150 Tombs of the Towers are peculiar to the Palmyrenes.
 They are square and built in three or four tiers.
 The walls of the rooms were designed to hold coffins of the dead.
 They were built about 50 – 150 AD.
 The Jamblichos Tower was built in 83 AD.
 Here archaeologists found mummies wrapped in silk from China.
Underground Tombs
 The Underground tombs have many statues and decorations.
 The Tomb of the Three Brothers – dating from 140 AD is the most important.
 It has 65 bays, each with six recesses for the dead – or 390 in all.
 The reliefs and frescoes are very beautiful and show the Oriental influence in the
Greco-Roman art of the period.
HAMATH
 Is situated some 45 km north of Homs.
 In Arabic the name Hamath means “fortress”.
 It is in a strong agricultural area and features potatoes and pistachios.
 The outstanding feature of the town are the huge wooden water wheels – called
“Nouria ‘.
 There are 16 of them.
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Originally they scooped the water from the Orontes River for irrigation and domestic
use. Today they are mainly for asthetic and tourist drawcards.
The sound of the wheels are heard throughout the city – giving it the name of
“Melodious City”.
These water wheels date from Roman times.
In Hamath are to be seen people from all over Syria dressed in their different
costumes.
Sit near the water wheels for a time and observe and listen.
MAARET EN NAAMAN
 Is situated on the road north from Hamath.
 It derives its name from Biblical times and from the story of Naaman.
EBLA
 Is situated some 40 km south of Aleppo.
 It was called Tel Mardikh – now known as Ebla.
 Here between 11,000 and 17,000 tablets or fragments of tablets were discovered
with cuneiform script.
 This discovery of the Library in the Royal Palace was made 9in 1975 by Paolo
Matthiae from the University of Rome.
 Ebla once had 250,000 inhabitants and dates back for 4500 years to the 3rd
millenium BC.
 The people from here worshipped up to 500 gods familiar from the Old Testament
including Dagon, El, Adad etc.
 From the palace ruins, you can look down at the burnt room where the largest group
of burnt tablets in the oldest known Semetic language were discovered.
 The documents included administrative and economic texts, ration lists for palace
personnel, envoys to and from foreign ports, offerings for the gods and their temples,
historical and judicial texts, official letters on matters of state, royal decrees, legal
contracts of sale and the purchase and division of property, plus collections of laws
centuries older than Hammurabi of Babylon.
Claims Made from the Library Find
 It confirms the story of Abraham.
 The Hebrew alphabet existed 1000 years before Moses.
 Salem is mentioned – the original name of Jerusalem.
 “Time” magazine on 18 October 1976 said this is “the best evidence to date that
some of the people described in the Old Testament actually existed”. Names such
as Abraham, Saul and David were mentioned.
 Since then some claims have been questioned or retracted.
 The Biblical Archaeology Review of March/April 1979 claim Syrian political pressure
was responsible. It is possible that original statements of the find may have
exaggerated – though this does not detract from very significant finds.
 Proto-Syrian history is sought by Syria from the finds rather than corroboration of
Biblical details.
 Very recent scholarship discounts some of these claims, and downgrades the
importance of the discoveries of Ebla.
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ALEPPO (BEROEA, HALEB)
 Is situated about 130 km north of Hamath.
 This was an ancient caravan centre and is Syria’s major commercial and industrial
centre and the second most important city.
 Nearly half the people here are Christian.
 Tradition says that Abraham milked a cow on the top of the hill at Aleppo.
 This was a Hittite fortress on the Acropolis, and has been excavated by the German
Kohlmeyer very recently.
 Modern Aleppo has blotted out any ancient remains.
 The Museum however houses some extra-ordinary finds from Mari, Ras Shamra and
Ebla, and has some good Hittite reliefs.
 One tablet the size of a book cover mentions 290 cities of Palestine.
 An Oriental atmosphere is found in the old quarters with the khans, bazaars, baths,
DEIR SAMA’AN (FORTRESS AND MONASTERY OF SIMEON STYLITE)
 Some 40 km northwest of Aleppo is the Monastery of Simeon Stylite.
 He was born about 390 AD.
 He lived on the top of a 26 m pillar (88 ft) for 27 years.
 From the pillar he preached to his disciples. They came from great distances to hear
him.
 A Cathedral has been built over the pillar – some of which remains.
 The Monastery of Saint Simeon Stylite is about half a km from the cathedral.
 At one time it housed 500 monks who attempted agriculture in the rock-covered
rolling country.
DURA EUROPOS (AS SALIHIYAH)
 It is situated some 24 km northwest of Mari on the right bank of the Euphrates River.
 It was a Seleucid Fortress established around 300 BC.
 The main caravan route eastwards from Palmyra came through here.
 After the Seleucids, the Romans controlled the city.
 Later it was taken and destroyed by the Sassanian Persians in 256AD.
 Clark Hopkins made the discovery of the synagogue at Dura Europos in 1932.
 The best view of the city is from the top of the main gate.
 From there you can see over the palace ruins.
 Architectural remains indicate Greek and Oriental or Mithraic temples here as well as
the synagogue and Christian church.
The Christian Church
 The earliest known Christian church is to the right as you come through the gate.
 This Christian church has been reconstructed in a museum in the USA.
 There is a baptistery here with paintings of the white sarcophagus of Jesus, three
Marys, and also a picture of Jesus walking beside the Sea of Galilee.
The Synagogue
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Coming through the main gate, the Synagogue is on the left.
It has an extensive painting featuring the Torah Shrine.
Here pictures of Isaac bound on Mount Moriah are depicted along with a ram and
Abraham with an up-raised knife.
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The western wall of the Synagogue is the best preserved.
Here you can also see Queen Esther with a three turreted gold crown with King
Ahasuerus; Hamaan leading Mordecai on a horse, Moses Smiting the Rock; Aaron in
the tabernacle; Pharoah’s daughter rescuing Moses from the Nile River; Samuel
annointing Saul etc.
The Synagogue is being reconstructed in the Damascus Museum.
MARI
 It is located around 225 km east of Palmyra on the right bank of the Euphrates River.
 It is also about 23 km southeast of Dura Europos on the same plateau by the river.
 The city ruins are not in a good state of preservation.
 It seems the city was at its height at the beginning of the 2nd millenium BC.
 Ishtup II was the founder of Mari at this time.
 Hammurabi of Babylon destroyed the city about 1700 BC – though some scholars
say he destroyed it two centuries earlier.
 The site was excavated by French archaeologists between 1933 and 1938.
 Sculptures, wall paintings, bronzes and information on the palace and temple
architecture was found.
 Over 20,000 cuneiform clay tablets were discovered in the 300-room palace.
 These were mainly letters and administrative and economic documents.
 They dated mainly between 1813 and 1781 BC.
 The records of Mari mention a 10,000 army kept here.
 These tablets through brilliant light on the era of Hammurabi and the patriarchs.
 Many parallels to the Old Testament are found.
 Besides the Great Palace of the King where the tablets were found, The Temple of
Ishtar and the Ziggurat tell of their religious customs.
UGARIT (RAS SHAMRA)
 Some 11 km north of Lätakia (Lattakia) is Ugarit.
 It is one of the oldest sites in the world.
 It was one of the city-states of the Phoenicians.
 Library texts from here date to 1500 BC and shed light on Canaanite religions.
 Much knowledge of the background to the Old Testament has been gleaned from
here.
 The Bible never mentions Ugarit – but these tablets contemporary with Moses and
written in an archaic Semetic dialect closely related to Hebrew have been of
immense value to the study of the Old Testament.
 The tablets found here tell of the myths, the rituals and historical traditions of the
inhabitants/
 The discovery of Ugarit was made in 1929 by the French Archaeologist Claude
Schaeffer.
 Here was found the only Cuneiform Alphabetic script.
 A tablet describes the divorce of a queen. The prince could go with his mother but
would have to leave his clothes on the throne – indicating his abdication to any
rights. This helps us to understand Jonathan giving his garment to David in 1
Samuel 18:3,4.
 Numerous statues of Baal were discovered here along with an altar with a “Solar
Pillar” in the home of Ugarit’s high priest. This illustrates the sun worship of the time.
 Replicas are only available here of copies of Baal, etc.
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Letters to Egypt, correspondence with the Hittites, bills of shipping to Tyre, Sidon,
Cyprus, Crete Byblos and other places were found.
Inscriptions in no less than five scripts and seven languages have been found here.
Besides these documents lexicons and syllabaries were found which have aided in
understanding these languages.