Antique period in the history of Syria

The ancient period in the history of Syria - the history of Syria in the IV century BC. e. - V century BC e.

Conquest of Syria by Alexander the Great

In 333 BC e. the troops of Alexander the Great entered Syria. After the battle of Issus (333 BC), Alexander, instead of pursuing Darius III , went to Syria. Parmenion captured the entire convoy of the Persian army in Damascus , and Alexander himself occupied Phenicia . Thus, Syria in 332 BC. e. became part of the Macedonian kingdom .

Syria under the Seleucids

During the struggle for power between the dialects of Alexander, Syria repeatedly passed from hand to hand. After the Battle of Ips (301 BC), Syria became the political center of the Seleucid state .

During the first Seleucids in Syria, numerous Greek cities and settlements were founded ( Antioch , Laodikea , Dura-Europos , etc.), which enjoyed considerable autonomy. Many of them were considered formally independent allies of the king. Widespread Greek language and culture.

After the Syrian wars between the Seleucids and the Ptolemies, Syria remained under the rule of the Seleucids. However, the huge state of the Seleucids was fragile. Separate parts that became independent states fell away from it one after another.

Taking advantage of the weakening of the Seleucids, the Armenian king Tigran II subjugated Syria. After the defeat inflicted by Tigran II by the Roman commander Lucius Lucullus in 69 BC. e., Syria again became formally independent.

Syria under the Romans

In 64 BC e., after the victory of Gnei Pompey over Mithridates VI and Tigranes II, the Romans conquered Syria and turned the country into a Roman province, and Judea was included in its structure. Syria constantly suffered from the invasion of the Parthians . During the Roman-Parthian and Roman-Sassanian wars, the border regions of Syria repeatedly passed from hand to hand. Interested in supporting the local population of Syria during the wars with the Parthian kingdom , the Roman emperors granted the cities of Syria the status of allies, freeing them from taxes and duties.

Antioch soon became the most important city of the province of Asia and the third city of the entire Roman Empire. In both Antioch and the rest of Syria, the educated sections of society still spoke Greek and preserved Greek customs and customs.

Beginning in the second century, Christianity spread rapidly in Syria.

In the 60s of the III century, Palmyra became virtually independent.

Monuments

Despite the actions of ISIS , valuable architectural monuments of Palmyra of the 2nd – 3rd centuries have been preserved: tower tombs, temples of local deities, etc.

In Dura Europos found basilica and synagogue (III century).

Literature

Shifman I. Sh. Imperial and Polis lands in Hellenistic-Roman Syria // Palestinian collection. - Vol. 15. - M. - L., 1966.