Palmyra’s romantic history is dominated by the beautiful desert queen Zenobia who humbled Rome. It is one of the great sites of the ancient world.

Located on the silk road, it housed the many great caravans of the ancient world; its springs afforded the essential water for desert travelers `and spaciousness promoted trade among the resting merchants.

Palmyra (Tadmor), the city of palm trees rose to its ascendancy when the Romans invaded Syria in the first century BC. Taking full advantage of her isolation which gave it protection against military coups and her importance as a link between the oriental and Mediterranean worlds.

At the center of the caravan route, Palmyra levied heavy taxes on the merchants in transit. Zenobia, palmyra’s queen hired out her camel troops to the Roman armies. Zenobia, from her desert fortress negotiated skillfully with her powerful neighbors the Romans and the Persians.

After 129 AD. when the Emperor Hadrian recognized Palmyra as a free city, the city's main temples were either built or enlarged. The Agora was built and residential quarters grew up on both sides of the city’s great colonnaded avenue.At the end of the first century Palmyra enjoyed new favors. Her ancient rival Petra (in present day Jordan) was no longer a threat to her wealth.

In 217 Palmyra was proclaimed a Roman colony freeing the city’s merchants from taxes. The wealth of the city grew as spices  perfumes, ivory and silks from the East and Phoenician objects of art were traded there.

During this period the grand colonnade was extended and another was built at an angle to it, leading to the temple of Bel. To the east of the city lie the “houses of the dead”, underground palaces decorated with fine sculptures and frescoes.

The remnants of this city’s great wealth can be seen in the statues erected on the city’s innumerable columns depicting a wealthy bourgeoisie splendidly dressed.

Palmyra grew from a merchant republic governed by a senate to a kingdom under Odenathus who named himself the “king of kings”.

His brilliant military record had won him Rome’s gratitude. After his armies defeated the Persians twice, the Roman senate named him the “corrector of the East”.

In 267, Odenathus and his son were assassinated. Zenobia his second wife was reputed to be involved in the crime. However, immediately after the assassination the queen proved herself an exceptionally able ruler. Her boundless ambition led to her possession of the whole of Syria, and Lower Egypt. Her armies extended across Asia minor as far as the Bosphorus.

Zenobia and her son defied Rome and had coinage struck in their name.

In doing so they rivaled Aurelian who at the time was having difficulties on the German borders of the Empire.

The Emperor Aurelian retaliated by sending an army across Anatolia and routing the Palmyrians from their position at Antioch and Emesa (Homs) and laid siege on Palmyra which fell after a few weeks. Zenobia was imprisoned and taken to Rome where she died shortly after learning of the pillage of her city.

Palmyra then became a mere Syrian frontier stronghold. Under Diocletian (293-303), the Romans established a military camp.

Under the Romans her temples were converted into churches and under Islamic rule became mosques. In the 12^th century the walls around the shrine of Bel were used as a fortress. Later in the 17^th century, the Emir Fakhr Al Din built a castle overlooking the shrine.

The site divides naturally into four distinct areas:

the great colonnade and the monuments along its length, the museum, the great temple of Bel, the tombs and the Arab castle.