Syria discovers 1,600-year-old Roman mosaic in excavation

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Syrian officials have publicized the discovery of a Roman-era mosaic, dating from the 4th century, on an estate in the city of Rastan. According to experts, it is the most important archaeological discovery since the beginning of the civil war in the country in 2011.

The work features images based on Hellenistic mythology, such as scenes from the Trojan War and the Roman god Neptune, in addition to the rare representation of Amazon warriors. The panel consists of small colored stones of rectangular shape, with approximately one centimeter each.

In Greek mythology, the god of War, Ares, appoints his daughter Hippolyta as queen of the Amazons —women warriors also daughters of Ares—and presents her with a magical belt. Legend has it that the son of Zeus, Hercules, was tasked with killing Hippolyta and stealing the belt, in one of the 12 jobs that King Erystheus entrusted to him.

It is also said in mythology that Hippolyta’s sister, Penthesilea, fought in the Trojan war against the Greeks and was killed by the famous hero Achilles, who fell in love with her during the confrontation.

Hammam Saad, director of excavations and archaeological studies at the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums, said the portion of the mosaic discovered so far is 20 meters wide by 6 meters long. He stressed that other parts may still be revealed.

“There is no such discovery. The details and names of the Greek kings who participated in the Trojan War appear clearly,” he told the AFP news agency. Although not the oldest work to be found in Syria, “it is the most complete and exceptional”.

This is the ninth mosaic found in the region of Rastan — a city located between the two most populous centers, Homs and Haman. The region was a rebel enclave heavily attacked by the regime of Bashar Al-Assad in May 2018, when the leader regained control of the territory.

A site of archaeological treasures, Syria was the land of millenary civilizations – from Canaanites and Umayyads, through Greeks, Romans and Byzantines. The civil war that has been going on for more than ten years, however, has led to the destruction of many sites and works.

In the city of Homs, the Oum al-Zinar church was burned, the Khalid Ibn al-Walid mosque was damaged, and in Rastan, mosaics were stolen. Between 2015 and 2016, the country saw the destruction of temples and mausoleums and the looting of treasures and relics by the Islamic State.

In the city of Palmyra, the terrorist group devastated entire monuments and archaeological cities. At the time, an archeology association pointed to 900 sites and works affected or destroyed in the context of the civil war.

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