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Published: January 14th 2011
This is our last little syrian excursion, and also our last entry on Syria. Yesterday we were visiting the Krak de Chevaliers. We went back to Aleppo late afternnon, had a great dinner, and took the night train to Damascus. Here we are in Damascus, arrived a 6.30am, short taxi ride to the hotel for a good hot bath, and on to the bus station for a 2 hours bus ride to Bosra. Another cheap experience at less than 3usd a ticket...really no need to get a car here, the bus drop you at the site. Only problem, they seems to have buses only every 2 hours....good news, we only waited 20 minutes for ours.
Bosra is seriously well known for his Roman theatre. After 106 AD, Bosra became the capital of the Roman Province of Arabia. It was a very important point on few trading routes in the region. It is also said that it is here that the young Prophet Mohammed got revealed his future vocation.
The theatre started as a theatre, obvious! It had a capacity of 9000 people, which is pretty amazing, 6000 seated and 3000 standing. But the most impressive part is that the
Ummayyads started to built a Fortress around the Theatre, ending the work with the last few walls just round the end of the 12th century.
There is quite an interesting point of surrounding a Theatre by a fortress. By surrounding, I would rather say encasting the theatre...is this the first line of defense of art and culture...There is two ironic points of view on the issue...it's easier to built a fortress on existing high and solid walls....or the Ummayyads wanted to defend art and cutlure at what ever price...sadly, I think the first theory may be more accurate.
This theatre is amazing, and still use every year for an international festival in August and September...what a place!
Beside the theatre, you have the Old City, this is another story. The place is way less impressive. But there is a point in this Old City too. "Modern" Bosra has grown around the Old City, and you still see between roman ruins the art of day to day life...not really modern times, but still a real experience. I must admit, I do not think life is easy and sweet for the people living around here.
This is it
for Syria. Ok, our last entry may be the least impressive one, I have to admit it. We don't have any regret to have done the bus ride to come here, but beside the theatre, there is not much to see. We made our way back to Damascus for the afternoon visiting the National Museum. no cameras are allowed here, so no pictures.
Next day...a new country...we could have spend more time visiting old roman cities, but three of us thought we had our share of it...for now...
So our next two entries will be a little different...and after that...we will still be digesting a great trip in the Middle East...
Till there, enjoy 2011...
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aspiringnomad
Jason
Love Bosra!
I once spent an entire week living in that castle with a friend. After all the tourists had gone home for the day the guards would lock us in for the night with the bats, dark tunnels and the trippy acoustics. We used to tell both locals and tourists alike that it was our castle, after a week we started to believe it ourselves...until they threw us out;-)