Syria: Bosra – Roman Theater
The most spectacular site in Bosra is without a doubt it’s grand Roman Theater. Built in the middle of the 2nd century AD of the same black basalt rock as the rest of the city, the theater is massive and one of a kind. At 102m in diameter, it has seating for over 17,000 spectators, making it one of the largest Roman theaters ever built. It is also remarkable well-preserved despite centuries of conquest and especially more recent war in Syria (the area of Bosra was completely under the control of Islamist terrorist groups seeking to topple Assad’a government. You can see quite a few mortar and bullet holes all over the walls, and supposedly snipers took control of the theater and shot from here. The stage is 45 x 8 m and has amazing acoustics – you can whisper here and people on the seats will hear you. The theater was originally built outside the walls of the town, but was later completely enclosed by an Ayyubid fortress.
