Bosra - Syria today, June 2023

Bosra, is an ancient city south of Damascus, almost on the border with Jordan.
It was a Nabataean capital (like Petra in Jordan).
It was later conquered by Emperor Trajan and became an important city of the Roman Empire.
In 634 it was occupied by the Muslims and by the Crusaders in the 12th century, but they were unable to maintain their rule.
It is famous for its beautiful theatre dating back to the 2nd century A.D., which is perfectly preserved, and for the citadel, which was inhabited by 80,000 people in its heyday.
Everything was built entirely of black basalt stone.
Before the war, the theatre hosted numerous cultural and musical events. In 2004, it hosted the Italian conductor Riccardo Muti who conducted the Damascus Philharmonic in Beethoven's 'L'eroica'. It had a capacity of 15,000 people and sitting on its steps is a unique emotion.
Bosra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the local population still lives among the ancient ruins.
Walking inside, many children peep out of houses, intrigued by us visitors.