Bosra
It is a very ancient town,being mentioned in tablets by “Thutmose the Third” and “Akhnatoun”, in the 14th century B.C.
Bosra is situated on the plain of Horan,140kms.south of Damascus.It has been one of the first Nabathean cities in the second century B.C. named “Bohara” whereas in the Hellinistic period it bore the name “Bostra”. Then the Romans arrived,and during the King Trojan days made it a capital of the State of the Djezire under the name of “Niatrojana Bostra”.
At that time the city underwent a great housing development being an important center for caravans as well as the seat of the emperial ruler.Even after the Roman domination,Bosra maintained its role during the early Christianity as well as at the rise of Islam.
In this place lived a Nestorian monk named “Buheira”. One day he met a young man named “Mohammed ben Abdullah”, who was passing with his caravan and predicted his prophecy,and his call for Islam.
The most spectacular site of Bosra,most certainly, would be its famous Roman theatre that dates back to the 2nd century, and is considered to be as one of the most intact and the most beautiful Roman theatres known to us.
It seats fifteen thousand spectators. Its stage is 45 m long and attains 8 m.An annual festival is held in which local entertainments as well as Pan Arabic and international ones are shown.
The town has many other vestiges such as Nabathean ruins (remnants of walls), Roman ones (a Triumph Arch and public baths), Byzantine traces(a cathedral and remnants of the church of “Buheira” the monk) and finally some Islamic vestiges such as the Mabrak and the Arous mosques, the citadel and the pool. The most ancient Islamic square minarets can be seen in this town.
A new international hotel has been inaugurated to welcome visitors.
Hanan Shamout