Detection of the lower parts of the western wall of the ancient city of Shahba

Sweida-Sana

The National Exploration Mission of the Department of Antiquities of Sweida was able to uncover the lower parts of the western wall of the archaeological city of Shahba and to show the foundations and dams that were not visible and know its extension.

Dr. Nashaat Kiwan, head of the Department of Archeology, explained in a statement to SANA Bulletin of Tourism and Society that during the current excavations in Khirbet Al-Juba area within the walls of the archaeological city of Shahba, which is carried out by the National Mission in the Department of Archeology of Sweida with the participation of a number of graduates and students of the Department of Archeology Upper, civil engineering and architecture The lower parts of the double wall were shown, showing a corridor next to the fence, which was gradually reinforced to tilt the earth towards the rocky cliff down west.

Kiwan pointed out that the stone wall surrounding Shahba, which was built during the reign of Emperor Philip the Arab between 244 and 249 AD to protect and fortify the city because of its geographic and geological nature takes the form of a rectangular irregular length of about 1200 meters and a width of 1000 meters and is the longest in the southern region and the most preserved form and ranges Its height is between 5 and 7 meters and is pierced by four main gates with large corridors and some defensive towers, in addition to the fact that some parts of the fence are doubled, which is supported and this is what we see on the western side of the city.

Kiwan pointed out that this discovery contributes to increase knowledge of construction techniques used and how architects deal with the levels of the land and architectural solutions to this topic in addition to the detection and show more archaeological monuments of the city of Shahba, which is one of the most important classical cities in southern Syria and witnessed a prosperity during the reign of Emperor Philip the Arab in the century The third century AD being his birthplace where he wanted to make it an ancient city compete with the greatest cities of the West, especially Rome, called the city of "Philipopolis" and built many of the buildings that are still witness to its heritage and continued settlement in the fourth century and Fifth in the Byzantine era.

One of the most prominent monuments that are still present today in the Shahba Roman Theater and the great archaeological baths and burial “Philippines”, which is an imperial square-shaped mausoleum built of harsh basalt stone as a funerary temple for the family of Emperor Philip the Arab in addition to the Roman Imperial Temple and the Shahba Museum which contains many Mosaic paintings.

Suhail Hatoum