After the fall of the Roman Empire and conquest by the Muslim Arabs, many Roman cities fell into obscurity or ruin. Ancient Bosra was the exception. The city continued to thrive as an essential stopping point for pilgrims to Mecca and a strategically fortified defence against the crusaders. 

In the early twenty-first century, Bosra continued to flourish by trading off its ancient past. People even continued to live among the ruins of the ancient city.

 Then, in 2011, the Syrian civil war broke out, devastating the lives of Bosra’s modern citizens — and threatening the survival of the remains of its past. 

However, despite the continuing challenges in the region, there is hope for Bosra — ancient and modern.

Arabic Bosra

Bosra fell to Muslim Arabs in 634AD. However, unlike many Roman towns in the Middle East, it did not fall into obscurity. Instead, it flourished because of its location on the road to Mecca and its association with the prophet Mohammed himself. The town also became a site of conflict during the crusades, leading to its fortification.

Many of Bosra’s Roman features were reutilised and recycled, adding to the defence and prosperity of the medieval Islamic city. They still survive today.

Features of particular interest include:

The Monastery of Bosra. Situated next to the makeshift modern bazaar, this Christian monastery, dating to the fourth century AD, has a special significance to the prophet Mohammed. According to legend, the prophet visited the town as a boy, and it was at the monastery that he met with one of its monks, Baheira. The two began a theological conversation that reputedly satisfied the monk of his young companion’s future destiny as a prophet.

· The Mosque of Omar. Situated not far from the old Roman forum, this mosque was reputedly built the year after the Arab conquest of Bosra, making it one of the oldest mosques in the world

· The Roman Reservoir and the Hammam Manjak Baths. Bathing facilities continued to be an important public service in Bosra well into the Middle Ages when the 120 x 150m roman reservoir acquired a different function. Instead of storing water, it was used by pilgrims who wished to bathe when they stopped at the town on the way to Mecca. The Hammam Manjak was also added in the fourteenth century as a purpose-built pilgrim’s bathhouse.

· The Roman Theatre/Fortress. The theatre was initially fortified in the tenth century when it was walled and turned into a citadel. Fortification continued sporadically until the twelfth century when attacks by Crusaders led the Ayyubids who held Bosra to strengthen the structure further. The result was a substantial fortress with reinforced walls and eight towers.

Modern Bosra Before the Civil War

The trend for recycling the remains of Bosra’s ancient past continued into the early twenty-first century, with the archaeological remains of the ancient city forming not only the livelihood of modern Bosrans but also their homes. 

A village grew up amongst the ruins, with houses built from fragments of ancient stonework lining Bosra’s Roman roads. In 2008, fallen columns, capitals, and Byzantine window frames were still acting as gateposts and were built into garden walls.

In 2009 the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM) began encouraging the resettlement of the families living within the ruins into new houses outside the ancient site in a bid to protect it.

Then in 2011, the Syrian civil war broke out

The Syrian Civil War

 As with other Syrian sites, such as Palmyra, the conflict devastated Bosra as it became caught in the crossfire between the Syrian government and rebel forces. 

In 2015, the city was captured by rebel opposition forces, cutting off heritage professionals in Bosra from the government funding that paid their salaries — and that helped protect the vulnerable and beleaguered ancient site. Bosra continued to be at the centre of conflict between the two sides until it was recaptured by government forces in 2018, in whose hands it ostensibly finds itself today.

The conflict devastated Bosra, damaging both the modern town and the ancient ruins. Bosra’s ancient theatre was partially destroyed by bombing by Syrian government forces and the Russian airforce as they retook the city, whose museum collections had already been damaged and looted. 

In 2013 the ancient ruins were added to the UNESCO list of world heritage sites in danger — even though UNESCO cannot intervene directly on the site as it has been inaccessible to their cultural experts since 2011. 

As for the people of Bosra, finding the resources to repair the ancient ruins hasn’t been a priority — as much as they might need them to rebuild the local economy as and when the tourists return. 

However, help is at hand.

The Future of Bosra

Cultural experts may not be able to enter Bosra to assess and repair directly — but certain organisations are helping modern Bosrans to help themselves. The American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR) protects and preserves endangered archaeology across North Africa and the Middle East. As part of its cultural heritage initiatives, the organisation helps support damage surveillance and instigate emergency response projects and post-war reconstruction. Since early 2022, the organisation has been assisting Syrians to reclaim their heritage — and Bosra is one of the sites on their radar.

ASOR has helped fund an emergency response project in Bosra, with grants funding equipment and paying the wages of local people involved in the work on the site. 

With the help of the funding, locals have started the laborious job of assessing damage to the ancient city — even removing explosives left over from the conflict. In addition, they have packed and removed the remaining artefacts for removal to safe storage. Repairs to ancient Bosra have also begun— including clearing and repairing the damaged Roman theatre. 

More money is required, and there is more to be done. But this vital outside funding is helping the modern residents of Bosra empower themselves and rebuild their lives — and ensure the continuity of ancient Bosra.