Northern Syria

The region of Northern Syria is defined here as the Idlib province in Syria’s northwest and the area north of the Euphrates valley, which constitutes the country’s northeast. This landlocked zone in modern Syria has a rich archaeological history, much of which was photographed by Kidner. Northern Syria contains a large number of sites that epitomize stone architecture dating between the fourth and seventh centuries CE, otherwise known as the Late Roman period (alternatively known as the Early Byzantine or Early Christian period). The assemblage of Late Roman sites numbers over 700, most of which are separated only by a few kilometers, and as a whole are colloquially known as Syria’s ‘Dead Cities’ or ‘Forgotten Cities’. This archaeological zone is situated between Aleppo and Idlib and provides a unique look into rural life in the Late Roman world, which was primarily focused on the production of olives and olive oil. The area is highlighted by the Monastery of Saint Simeon Stylites, one of the most famous monastic and pilgrimage centers of the period, but most other sites are secular in character, as exemplified by the remains of impressive houses and basilicas. Today, the area is under threat due to the on-going civil war in Syria, adding extra importance to the photographs which preserve a record of these sites. The region of North Syria is also home to the city of Aleppo, which was one of Syria’s most important cities in the Islamic and Crusader periods. Along the Euphrates river near to Syria’s border with Iraq, the region of Northern Syria is also home to the city of Dura Europos. Dura Europos represents the eastern most edge of the Roman Empire’s presence in Syria, as well as some of the oldest surviving Christian and Jewish art.