In May 2015, Islamic State captured the modern city of Palmyra. The adjoining Unesco world heritage site is a breathtaking archaeological complex like no other. In the 2nd century AD this oasis city in the Syrian desert was one of the grandest and wealthiest places in the world, with a total population about the size of modern Cardiff.
Much of the ancient civic and sacred architecture still survives. Perhaps most evocative is the colonnaded street more than 1km in length: in antiquity, caravan traders from all over the Middle East would have processed along this road with their spices and silks towards the city’s religious heart, the magnificent temple of Bel, eyed from above by hundreds of statues of Palmyrene benefactors.
[TOP RATED COMMENT] "Isis’s fascistic monoculturalism"
Which from a historical perspective is not without precedence. The Islamic prophet Mohammed conducted a similar act in Mecca, which was previously also, like Palmyra, a 'multicultural' city of pilgrimage and trade (for Christians, Jews and even Hindus). This was all destroyed.
[2ND] Exactly. There isn't a single crime ISIS has committed (including executions, rape and slavery) that Mohammed himself didn't do.
When ISIS claim they are following in the prophet's footsteps, they're 100% right.
[3RD] "And yet nobody seems to be doing anything about it..."
Well no-one wants to be called an imperialist by the Noam Chompsky set, let it burn. [Guardian Cif] Read more
