Bosra Ampitheatre
Bosra, Syria
October 30, 2008
Bosra, Syria
October 30, 2008
The Roman theatre at Bosra is remarkably well preserved considering its probably almost two thousand years old. Perhaps it’s survival was aided by the towered fortifications built around the exterior several hundred years later. From the outside the structure appears to be a solid black basalt Citadel which only reveals it’s true identity when you enter and emerge from the cavenous dark interior to the bright open-air splendor of the theatre. The full semi-circle of tiered seating is intact as is the multi-story stage with it’s covered upper gallery. Despite it’s grand size the space still feels intimate and I’m sure the citizens of the 1st and 2nd Century enjoyed many a fine performance there during the time when Bosra served as the regional Roman capital. Like so many of these sites, Bosra’s fortunes waned over the centuries and these days it’s barely more than a village. A few dusty streets radiate out from the archeological sites but they soon fade into the scrub of the southern Syrian landscape.
