Syria: Gateway to History

by Songül Arslan

Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country too much associated with what is wrong in the world today. If I didn't know better, I would think such a country as Syria was made up entirely of evil, and that and nothing but evil lived and grew there. But, of course, evil can reside everywhere and in every person, no matter his religion, background, education, location or nationality.

Sometimes I have to wonder how a country with no more than about 19 million people and an area the size of North Dakota can pose such a threat. It is important to look past the obvious and usual and to try not to see Syria through just one filter, otherwise one might forget that such a country consists of persons, of breathing men, women and children who all have their own inner desires and long for personal fulfillment. While you can look at a country many different ways--from a strategic-military point of view, from an economic point of view, and so forth--I think that if you really want to get a sense of a place, you should look at its history.

So, what is Syria beyond what is served to us by the mainstream media? First, Syria is an integral part of very ancient history. Not for nothing is one of its nicknames Gateway to History. Its history dates back as far as the fourth millenium B.C. It is said that in ancient Syria the secrets of metallurgy were discovered, which spurred developments in many different areas. It was also the first country with an alphabet, which it exported to the West.

In early ages it was a culturally well-advanced country. For example, mosaics are an age-old industry, an industry that has survived the ages to this day and can be seen as characteristic of the country. The word mosaic can also be applied to the different influences Syria received over the years. It had influences from the north, from Anatolians, from Palestinians, from Greeks, from Romans, from Persians and so on. Syria was also a spot on the silk road, a crossroads between East and West, and with the influences of three different continents: Europe, Africa and Asia. This is no surprise since it borders five different countries: Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Israel and Lebanon.

Second, Syria plays a major role in religion. Christianity began its rise in Syria and therefore the oldest Christian churches can be found there. The apostle Paul, who was first known as Saul, was converted on the road to Damascus. "The road to Damascus" is now also a figurative phrase that can be used to indicate a revelation, conversion or transformation. When Paul was still Saul he was the most anti-Christian man on earth and tried to destroy Christianity by destroying its believers by cruel and grotesque methods. One day on the road to Damascus, Jesus spoke to him and he was converted. After he became Paul he changed completely; he became one of Jesus's most loyal and faithful followers.

In modern times, the majority of Syria's population professes to be Muslim. Christianity and a tiny group of Yazidis can also be found in the country. The religion of the Yazidis is very difficult to explain, but it seems like to contain a combination fo elements from Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Manicheism and Zoroastrianism. Even in religion this country is somewhat mosaic.

To this day the history of Syria speaks loud and clear and the inhabitants are proud of this. They have come a long way. This little glimpse of something so big makes me want to dive into the history more in-depth.