Dead City Of Serjilla – Byzantine Village In Syria Struggling To Survive The Middle Of A War Zone

Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – In a country like Syria where ongoing conflicts have destroyed many significant ancient historical buildings and artifacts, it’s a relief to see these old ruins that are still standing more or less intact in the middle of a war zone.

Serjilla is located not far from Aleppo in Syria. Credit: Manar al Athar, University Of Oxford

The Byzantine village of Serjilla is one of the best-preserved of the “Dead Cities” in Syria. Serjilla has survived earthquakes, foreign invasions and one wonders how much longer these Byzantine ruins will last without being smashed to pieces.

Will The Byzantine Village Serjilla Survive Syria’s Modern Conflict?

The remains of this Byzantine settlement are located in the Jebel Riha, approximately 65 km north from Hama and 80 km southwest from Aleppo. It’s a sensitive region where intense battles between the Syrian army and rebels are fought regularly.

Several cultural sites have already been damaged or destroyed by war and no one knows whether Serjilla can endure this modern conflict.

Syria was once home to a great and powerful ancient empire. It contained many beautiful “flourishing cities set in a densely populated countryside whose inhabitants built churches and houses of elegantly carved stone.

In the sixth century, the country suffered an unparalleled series of disasters in the form of earthquakes, plague, and foreign invasion.

Early in the seventh century, it passed under the control of Persians, who had barely left when the victorious armies of Islam definitely removed it from the orbit of Constantinople and Christianity. This was not the end, but the beginning of another glorious epoch in which Syria became the center of a vast empire famed for its great cities and monuments.” ¹

Syria is a country with a rich and interesting history, but its past glory is long gone.  Now it no longer a matter of power and prestige but survival. Though few think about Serjilla this small Byzantine village still stands there awaiting its verdict.

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