Dura-Europos

It was founded in 303 BC on the trade route along the banks of the Euphrates River. Dura-Europos was built according to the Hippodamian model with rectangular blocks around the central square. During the Hellenistic era, Dura-Europos monitored the trade route between the cities Antioch and Seleucia. During the 2nd century BC, Dura-Europos got under the dominion of the Parthian Empire, and it served as a border fortress. In 165 AD, it was conquered by the Romans, and later after the siege of the Sassanians between 256 and 257 AD, it was abandoned. Dura-Europos used to be a cosmopolitan city controlled by the Macedonian aristocracy. The excavations have revealed hundreds of parchments and scrolls with Greek, Roman, Hebrew and Latin texts. A Jewish synagogue, a few temples, shrines, tombs and military buildings have remained preserved in Dura-Europos. The synagogue unearthed in 1932 is one of the best preserved ancient synagogues. Initially, it was regarded as a Greek temple. However, during the disclosure of the frescos in the courtyard, frescos showing scenes from the Bible and a Torah shrine were discovered..

GPS: 34.7482420231, 40.7298588753  Edit

Altitude: 222 m  Edit

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