Bara, Syria
Encyclopedia
Bara also called Al-Bara is one of the former "Dead Cities
" in northwestern Syria
. It is located in the Jebel Riha, approx. 65 km north from Hama
and approx. 80 km southwest from Aleppo
.
The settlement was established in the fourth century at an important trade route between Antioch
and Apamea
. Due to good location and excellent conditions to produce wine and olive oil
it flourished in the 5th and 6th centuries. When Muslims conquered the region and trading routes were disrupted and other Dead Cities were abandoned, Bara remained inhabited, most inhabitants remained Christians and the town even became a seat of a bishopric subordinate of Antioch.
In 1098 it was conquered by crusaders
(from here they later set off to the infamous cannibalistic
massacre of Ma`arat al-Numan) led by Raymond de Saint-Gilles. In 1123 the town was reconquered by Muslims who built a small fortress. Later in the 12th century, after a severe earthquake, the town was abandoned.
Later, in the beginning of the 20th century, a modern village of the same name arose near the site of the ancient town and till today it has grown to a size of a small town.
Ruins are the most extensive of all Dead Cities and are scattered among fields, olive
groves and orchards. Among many others one can distinguish remains of at least 5 churches, 3 monasteries
, several villa
s, two pyramid
al tombs and one underground tomb.
Dead Cities
-History:The Dead Cities are a group of 700 abandoned settlements in northwest Syria between Aleppo and Hama. They date back to before the fifth century CE and contain many remains of Christian Byzantine architecture...
" in northwestern Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. It is located in the Jebel Riha, approx. 65 km north from Hama
Hama
Hama is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria north of Damascus. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. Hama is the fourth-largest city in Syria—behind Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs—with a population of 696,863...
and approx. 80 km southwest from Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
.
The settlement was established in the fourth century at an important trade route between Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
and Apamea
Apamea (Syria)
Apamea was a treasure city and stud-depot of the Seleucid kings, was capital of Apamene, on the right bank of the Orontes River. . Its site is found about to the northwest of Hama, Syria, overlooking the Ghab valley...
. Due to good location and excellent conditions to produce wine and olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
it flourished in the 5th and 6th centuries. When Muslims conquered the region and trading routes were disrupted and other Dead Cities were abandoned, Bara remained inhabited, most inhabitants remained Christians and the town even became a seat of a bishopric subordinate of Antioch.
In 1098 it was conquered by crusaders
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
(from here they later set off to the infamous cannibalistic
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
massacre of Ma`arat al-Numan) led by Raymond de Saint-Gilles. In 1123 the town was reconquered by Muslims who built a small fortress. Later in the 12th century, after a severe earthquake, the town was abandoned.
Later, in the beginning of the 20th century, a modern village of the same name arose near the site of the ancient town and till today it has grown to a size of a small town.
Ruins are the most extensive of all Dead Cities and are scattered among fields, olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
groves and orchards. Among many others one can distinguish remains of at least 5 churches, 3 monasteries
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
, several villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
s, two pyramid
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
al tombs and one underground tomb.
External links
- Simeon Citadel and Dead Cities, Suggestion to have al-Bara recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site, in 2006, as part of "Simeon Citadel and Dead Cities"-project.
- Syria Gate
- MiddleEast.com
- Tens of pictures of this dead city