Member-only story
End of Assad In Syria
history behind a dictatorial dynasty
News:
You know the news. Bashar al-Assad is in Moscow. His government fell swiftly — a stunning turn of fortunes for this short-lived dynasty of dictators.
History Behind News:
Syria has a rich history. After the Roman-Persian antiquity period, Damascus was the capital of the first Islamic empire (Umayyad) and has consistently been the prime prize in the Middle East — an important center of commerce, cultures and creeds. Even the faintest attempt at telling Syria’s history would require 100s of pages. So, in this post, I’ll highlight some developments from its recent past that could, perhaps, enrich your perspective.
1. What’s In A Name?
The origin of the term Syria goes back to Assyria, an ancient Mesopotamian civilization (c. 2025 BC — 609 BC) and empire (from the 14th century BC). After Islam, the term Shām and later Bilad al-Sham were used to refer to a larger region that encompassed modern-day Syria. The use of the term Suriyah became prevalent in the 19th century.
2. Ottoman Syria:
Syria’s period of Ottoman rule ended in 1918 after the British-backed Arab Revolt (1916–18).
