Palmyra, the name given by the Geeks to a great and splendid city of Upper Syria. Its original Hebrew name was Tadmor, which, like the Greek word means ‘city of palms’.
According to the writers of Book of Palmyra Kings and Chronicles, the city was built by Solomon in the 10th century BC.
The city had long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian Desert and was known as the ‘Bride of the Desert’.
It soon became an important emporium of commerce and must have been a splendid place when it was sacked by Nebuchadnezzar 600 BC, together with Jerusalem and Tyre.
The first author of antiquity who mentions Palmyra is Piny the Elder. Afterwards it was mentioned by Appian, in connection oath a design of Mark Anthony to let his cavalry plunder it.
The Seleucids took control of Syria in BC, and Palmyra was left to itself and became an independent state. In the first century AD, Palmyra was already an important trade centre. There is early testimony of trade with Seleucia on the Tigris from 19 AD.
After the end of the Nabataean kingdom in 106 AD, Palmyra became Rome’s most important resupply base for the Eastern trade with Parthia and India.
In the second century AD, it seems to have been beautified by the emperor Hadrian. In the beginning of the third century AD, it became a Roman colony under Caracalla (211 - 217 AD) and received the jus Italicum.
Ancient city of Palmyra
