Bosra amphitheatre & baths
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Bosra's superbly preserved Roman amphitheatre, a not-so-easy day trip from Damascus.
Bosra
is a friendly, attractive place of black basalt stone built onto Roman
foundations in varying styles from different and distant architectural
periods. The Roman theatre above, embedded in an Arab fort, epitomises
the curious but appealing mix of styles in the town.
Less appealing are the hotel or restaurant offerings so it may be
advisable to make this a long day trip - a couple of hours each way
- with a packed lunch.
Bosra, once the capital of Petra's famous builder nation the Nabataeans and an major trading town en route from Damascus to Amman [Jordan] during Roman times, was taken by Muslims forces in the 7th century AD and became a fortress town with the strongest defences built around the Roman theatre pictured above. Bosra then - due to a legendary visit by the Prophet Mohammed - morphed into a popular stopping point for Muslims on their Haj [pilgrimage] to Mecca. These days Bosra is no more than a small but rewarding tourist destination.
Roman public baths and colonnades, Bosra.
Information: Syria Travel Guide | Syria Map | Tours
Other Images: Palmyra | Aleppo
Bosra Photos Syria © Watson