SYRIA, WASTED THROUGH THE CENTURIES

Egypt and Mesopotamia were the earliest civilizations. Syria formed the land conduit between the two for expansion, conquest and superiority. Through the centuries wave after wave of civilizations and kingdoms had conquered that part of Mediterranean land. Its geography, resources, plants and populace had been razed, raped, wasted, and exhausted many times over. Until today it is an unsettled and contested area. Can Assad remain for long?

Damascus was once a great centre of trade and study. Many other sites had their own historical achievements - Aleppo, Arwad, Tartus, Latakia ...
Under Egyptian empire (L), under Mesopotamia (R)

Syria was part of the Phoenician civilization that gave an outshoot empire at Carthage, north Africa that is now the maghrib region. They were great sea-fearers and had their own alphabets.

Under Assyrian (L), conquered by Alexander (R)

Under Roman empire (L), Byzantine (R)

The Latin kingdom was established in the coastal part of Syria when the 1st Crusade captured Baitul Maqaddis in 1099. Salahudin al-Ayubi recaptured  Jerusalem in 1244.

Under Mameluke (L), Ottoman (R)

The civil strife will put Syria much waste again this time by its own effort. May Allah bless Syria.