The Oxford Handbook of Palmyra

The monumental remains of Palmyra (also known as Tadmor) have fascinated travelers and scholars for centuries. The Oxford Handbook of Palmyra gives a detailed analysis of the archaeology and history of this ancient oasis city in the Syrian Desert, spanning evidence from several millennia. With contributions from thirty archaeologists, epigraphists, historians, and philologists, this book covers the city's archaeological findings and history from its earliest mentions in the pre-Roman era to the destruction of many of its monuments during the Syrian Civil War and the subsequent looting. The authors recap evidence and present significant new findings and analyses from fieldwork they or others undertook in Palmyra prior to the 2011 conflict and discuss the recent occupation by ISIS and calls to defend the site's remains from current and future threats.

A broad range of themes are covered, which not only relate to the archaeology and history of the site, but also to its standing and relationship with the rest of the ancient world as a major trade hub connecting routes from East to West during the Roman period. Thirty-seven chapters relay firsthand expert knowledge in an accessible style and include up-to-date bibliographies, making this handbook an ideal and comprehensive resource for professional researchers, students, and anyone interested in this major UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Rubina Raja is Professor of Classical Art and Archaeology at Aarhus University, Denmark and Director of the Danish National Research Foundation's Centre of Excellence for Urban Network Evolutions and the Palmyra Portrait Project. She has published extensively on culture and societies in the Eastern Roman Empire. Her monographs include Pearl of the Desert: A History of Palmyra (2022), Urban Development and Regional Identity in the Eastern Roman Provinces, 50 BC--AD 250: Aphrodisias, Athens, Ephesos, Gerasa (2012), and The Ingholt Archive (2023), published in four volumes and co-authored with Olympia Bobou, Amy Miranda, and Jean-Baptiste Yon.