Damascus: A History (Cities of the Ancient World)

This is the first book in English to relate the history of Damascus, bringing out the crucial role the city has played at many points in the region's past. Damascus traces the history of this colourful, significant and complex city through its physical development, from the city's emergence in around 7000 BC through the changing cavalcade of Aramaean, Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Mongol and French rulers right up to the end of Turkish control in 1918. In Damascus, every layer of the history has built precisely on top of its predecessors for at least three millennia, leaving a detailed archaeological record of one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The book looks particularly at the interplay between the western and eastern influences that have provided Damascus with such a rich past, and how this perfectly encapsulates the forces that have played over the Middle East as a whole from the earliest recorded times to the present. Lavishly illustrated, Damascus: A History is a compelling and unique exploration of a fascinating city. BOOK COVER......Page 1 TITLE......Page 4 COPYRIGHT......Page 5 DEDICATION......Page 6 CONTENTS......Page 8 ILLUSTRATIONS......Page 10 ABBREVIATIONS......Page 13 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......Page 14 INTRODUCTION......Page 16 PART 1......Page 22 1 THE EMERGENCE OF DAMASCUS (9000–1100 BC)......Page 24 2 DIMASHQU: Damascus from the Aramaeans to the Persians (1000–532 BC)......Page 31 3 A GREATER GAME: Assyrians, Persians, Greeks (732–300 BC)......Page 44 4 THE SOWING OF HELLENISM: Ptolemies and Seleucids (300–64 BC)......Page 54 5 PAX ROMANA (64 BC–AD 30)......Page 68 6 METROPOLIS ROMANA (AD 30–268)......Page 82 7 HOLDING THE LINE (269–610)......Page 103 8 ‘FAREWELL OH SYRIA’ (611–750)......Page 119 9 THE UMAYYADS (661–750)......Page 131 PART 2......Page 148 PREFACE: When did the ancient end?......Page 150 11 ISLAM RESURGENT (1098–1174)......Page 169 12 SALADIN AND THE AYYUBIDS (1174–1250)......Page 193 13 MAMLUKS (1260–1515)......Page 218 14 THE OTTOMAN CENTURIES (1516–1840)......Page 247 15 REFORM AND REVITALISATION (1840–1918)......Page 272 EPILOGUE......Page 294 NOTES......Page 296 GLOSSARY......Page 320 MAPS OF DAMASCUS AND ENVIRONS......Page 332 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 348 INDEX......Page 384 Damascus: A History Traces The Story Of This Colourful, Significant And Complex City Through Its Physical Development, From Its Obscure Origins In The Bronze Age Through The Changing Cavalcade Of Aramaean, Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Turkish And French Rulers Right Up To The End Of Ottoman Control In 1918--jacket. The Emergence Of Damascus (9000-1100 Bc) -- Dimashqu : Damascus From The Aramaeans To The Persians 1000-532 Bc) -- A Greater Game : Assyrians, Persians, Greeks (732-300 Bc) -- The Sowing Of Hellenism : Ptolemies And Seleucids (300-64 Bc) -- Pax Romana (64 Bc-ad 30) -- Metropolis Romana (ad 30-268) -- Holding The Line (ad 269-610) -- 'farewell Oh Syria' (611-750) -- The Umayyads (661-750) -- Decline, Confusion And Irrelevance (750-1098) -- Islam Resurgent (1098-1174) -- Saladin And The Ayyubids (1174-1250) -- Mamluks (1260-1515) -- The Ottoman Centuries (1516-1840) -- Reform And Revitalisation (1840-1918). Ross Burns. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 325-359) And Index. Blessed with few natural advantages until the Barada River's summer inundation could be tamed by irrigation, Damascus evolved to play a significant role in Persian and Roman times. Its fame as the gateway between the desert and the Hellenised world of the eastern Mediterranean perhaps determined its choice as the capital of the first Arab empire of the Umayyads.Ostracised when the capital of the Islamic world moved to Iraq, Damascus recovered its vital role during the struggle against the Crusaders. Its influence in scholarship and architecture was significant. Though partly eclipsed when the Mamluks chose Cairo as their capital, it has continued to play a central role in the development of the modern Arab world following the collapse of Turkish rule in 1918. Roads to Damascus The emergence of Damascus, 9000-1100 BC Dimashqu : Damascus from the Aramaeans to the Persians, 1000-532 BC A greater game : Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, 732-300 BC The sowing of Hellenism : Ptolemies and Seleucids, 300-64 BC Pax Romana, 64 BC-AD 30 Metropolis Romana, AD 30-268 Holding the line, AD 269-610 'Farewell, oh Syria', 611-750 The Umayyads, 661-750 Decline, confusion and irrelevance, 750-1008 Islam resurgent, 1098-1174 Saladin and the Ayyubids, 1174-1250 Mamluks 1260-1515 The Ottoman centuries, 1516-1840 Reform and reaction, 1840-1918.