Bosra


Roman Amphitheatre in Bosra
Photo by: seier+seier+seier, Creative Commons

A lot of people visit Syria because of its ancient ruins. For some reason, the tourists seem to be magnetized by the history that is told by each site that was built centuries ago. The castles and towers always manage to amaze people so much that the spectators almost always gasp in awe at the first sight them.

So where exactly can you find the ruins? Well in most cases, the tourists are lead to believe that they can only be found in the key cities namely Damascus, Aleppo and Palmyra. But while those cities have their own share of ruins to boast of, none of them hold the greatest remnant of the Roman Empire – a huge amphitheater. And this amphitheater can be found in the ancient city of Bosra.

This structure is said to have been built during the 2nd century BC. During its prime, it became the heart of the metropolis that served as a home to one of the Emperor’s vast legions. Today, if you are given the chance to see it, you will find that the site is more than overwhelming. The towering walls and the seats that are comparable to the coliseums in Rome still remain intact. This is probably one of the reasons why it is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.

Finally, let us tackle the question that you may have in your mind right now: How exactly can you go there?
In terms of location, Bosra is not really far from Damascus. If you want, you can either ride a bus or hire a driver that will be willing to drive you to the sites. Either way, the trip from Damascus will only last for 1.5 to 3 hours at a maximum. The travel might seem long, but it is worth it because if your hired driver or your bus took a path to the old roads of Shahba – Suweida, you will be able to pass by a lot of interesting ruins. Now if you have time to spare, you might as well ask your driver to pull over so that you will be able to take snapshots of the great sceneries.

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