Damascus, Syria
Damascus, Syria [Si].A rich oasis city that is still the modern capital of Syria. Occupied from at least the 3rd millennium bc, much of the prehistoric and Roman town lies beneath the modern city and thus is not easily accessible for excavation. However, historical accounts show something of its long history. Egyptian texts and biblical references show that it was an important international trading centre from the 16th century bc. The Aramaens conquered the town in the 2nd millennium bc, the Israelites in the 19th century bc, and the Assyrians in the 8th century bc. By 85 BC it had become the capital of the Nabatean kingdom, and by 64 BC it was a Roman city of both commercial and strategic importance. In the mid 1st millennium ad it became a major Byzantine garrison. In 635 it was captured by Arab forces and chosen as their capital by the Ummayads who were the first Islamic dynasty spanning the period AD 611 to AD 750. The Great Mosque of the caliph Al-Walid...
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