Syria contains Palmyra, the ancient city that became a major caravan centre in the Syrian Desert.
Palmyra lies in central Syria at an oasis northeast of Damascus. Its springs supported settlement in an otherwise arid landscape, helping the city connect commercial routes between the Mediterranean world and Mesopotamia. The ancient settlement was also known by the Aramaic name Tadmor.
Palmyra reached great prosperity during the Roman period. Its surviving ruins include a monumental colonnaded street, temples, arches, and a theatre. The Temple of Bel was one of the site’s most important religious buildings, though it suffered severe destruction during the Syrian civil war.
Palmyra is often associated with Queen Zenobia, who ruled the Palmyrene Empire in the third century CE before Roman emperor Aurelian defeated her forces. The archaeological site became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.