Then the climate changed.
Drought and increased temperature caused the land to become unproductive.
Eventually, the villages were abandoned and the settlers headed for other cities that were flourishing under the Arabs.
Photo credit:Shane Horan/Flickr
One of the largest and most impressive of the dead cities is Al-Bara.
It is spread over 6 square kilometer and located 90 km southwest of Aleppo.
An earthquake in 1157 left the town uninhabitable.
Yet another well-preserved church from the second half of the fifth century is located in the village of Mushabbak.
The villages are now part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
