Monuments of Syria: An Historical Guide

Ancient Syria has one of the richest cultures outside Egypt, with particularly impressive and virtually unspoiled remains from the Byzantine period and the time of the Crusades. An encyclopedic survey of Syria's ancient monuments, this guidebook takes the traveller through Syria's turbulent history, linking the sites to events and historical figures.

Supplementary notes on the history and architectural influences are given for all the main sites and monuments, along with an explanation of the main architectural and foreign language term, alternative place names, and indications of the level of interest.

Ross Burns is a historian and archaeologist by training. He was an Australian Ambassador to Syria and Lebanon and is now the Australian Permanent Delegate to UNESCO and Minister at the Australian Embassy in Paris.