Syria has had to roll with many invasions over the years. The new post war independent Syrian Arab Republic was confident enough to display Roman ruins. Why not, as it was the site of an even earlier Aramean temple to the storm God Hadad, perhaps indicating Syrian people are outlasting even the Gods. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
With Assad in Syria being the last of the pseudo king socialist middle eastern dictators clinging to power, it is maybe time to acknowledge that these men had their good points. They were educated and knew the areas long history and celebrated all of it, not just the narrow part that conforms to a political or religious dogma. Compare that to Antifa or the Taliban.
Todays stamp is issue A84, a 10 Piaster stamp issued by Syria in 1962. It was part of a 16 stamp issue over several years showing historic sites that was the first stamp issue of the Arab Republic government. According to the Scott Catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents. 10 Piasters is currently worth 8/1000s of an American penny.
The site in old town Damascus that holds the ruins to the Roman Temple to Jupiter was the site of a temple even before Roman times. Under the rule of Aramean King Hazael a Temple was constructed in Semitic style resembling the Temple in Jerusalem but dedicated to the storm God Hadad. The Romans conquered Damascus in 64 BC and over time tried to combine Hadad with their own God Jupiter. Eventually the temple was expanded under local architect Apollodorus. Apollodorus added on in the Roman style but was careful to give large nods to earlier Eastern styles. He is even credited with giving Roman architecture Eastern style domes.
In the late 4th century AD, Roman Emperor Theodosis decreed the Roman Empire Christian and only Christian. The Temple was rededicated to John the Baptist. The Temple in that form was even said to hold his skull.
Muslims conquered Damascus in 635 AD and for a time the Temple served both religions but 70 years later Caliph al Walid Ist converted and expanded the temple into the current Umayyad Mosque.
As a Mosque, the temple saw the first demonstration of the Arab Spring that started the still current Syrian civil war in 2011, Security forces quickly dealt with the demonstration and then carefully fenced off the already walled site. Since to date Damascus has not fallen to the other sides, the historic site remains intact.
Well my drink is empty. Come again on Monday when there will be another story to be learned from stamp collecting.