Syria is rich in history, in fact there are over 13,000 religious artifacts that can be seen in syria, such as the temple of Baal, Straight street that the apostle Paul used as the Road to Damacus and the first organized Christian Church was established in Antioch. In the 7th century, Syria was conquered by the Arabs and the influences of the Islamic faith. In the 12th Century Frankish rules held Syria briefly, as did the Mongols in the 13th century. By the end of the 15th century, the discovery of a sea route from Europe to the Far East ended the need for a trade route through Syria. Shattered by the Mongols, Syria was part of the Ottoman Empire from the 16th - 20th centuries, and found itself apart from and ignored by world affairs. After WWII, that empire was dissolved, and in 1922 Syria was split up by the League of Nations with the UK receiving the Transjordan portion and Palestine and France receiving what would be in the future the areas of Syria and Lebanon.
Create your own MySpace Slideshow! During the second millennium BC, Syria was occupied successively by Canaanites, Phoenicians and Arameans, Peoples of the Sea. The Hebrews eventually settled south of Damascus, in the areas later known as Palestine. Eventually the Persia took control of Syria as part of their general control of Southwest Asia; this control transferred to the Greeks following Alexander the Great’s control, thereafter to the Romans and Byzantines (Many of the castles in Syria were begun in this time and show reference to the Byzantine crusaders). In the time of Rome, the city of Antioch was the great capital of Syria and one of the largest cities in the world at that time with a total estimated population of 500,000, the city was one of the largest centers of trade and industry in the ancient world. As one of the wealthiest and more populous provinces of the Roman Empire, it is In the 3rd century Syria was home to another Roman emperor, namely Elagabalus, who reigned from 218 - 222. Elagabalus' family held rights to a priesthood of the sun god El-Gabal; Elagabalus was the high priest at Emesa or the city of Homs today.
An independent Kingdom of Syria was begun in 1920 by King Faisal, a Hashemite. King Faisal late became the King of Iraq. Syria’s liberation quickly ended during the Battle of Maysalun, where Arabs and French forces fought. Subsequently, the League of Nations put Syria under a French mandate, to which Syria and France constructed a treaty for Syria’s Independence in 1936. French troops occupied Syria later that year after the LON put Syria under French mandate. France betrayed Syria on its new treaty and refused to make it right. And during the fall of France the WWII of 1940, Syria was once again under the control of foreigners, namely the Vichy Government, this lasted only a year or until England and the French occupied the country again in 1941, giving Syria her liberation once more. However, it was not until 01/01/44 that it was recognized as an Independent Republic. Because of the war declared on Germany and Japan by Syria, the were forced to evacuate their troops from Syria all together due to the pressure of the Syrian peoples and England.
Between 1946 - 1956, Syria had up to 20 different cabinets and created four separate constitutions. In 1948, Syria was involved in the Israeli War, but Syria secured their position on the Golan Height and managed to keep it until today. Several military coups occurred from 1949 to 1970 and you can find the details thereof in any history book. What is important today is that on 11/13/70, The Minister of Defense Hafiz Al-Assad effected a bloodless military coup, ousting the civilian party leadership and became the President of Syria.
Hafiz Al-Asad died on 06/10/00, after 30 years in power. Immediately following President Al-Asad's unfortunate and untimely death, Bashar Al-Assad subsequently President of the Syrian Arab Republic on 07/10/00, wavering 97.29% of the vote.