But there is hardly anything left of it.
Already then, a colonnade avenue was built, which was practically destroyed in the year 115.
Apamea and other cities were completely destroyed.
Trajan ordered immediate reconstruction, starting with the imposing colonnade, whose construction spanned the entire second century.
The avenue is oriented on the north-south axis of the city, following thecardo maximus.
Location of Apamea in Syria.
The inner street was 20.79 meters wide and paved with large polygonal stones.
The porticos under the colonnade were decorated with large mosaics.
In any case, it remained one of the largest column avenues in the Roman world.
Its definitive end would come because of another earthquake, in 1152.
Interestingly the Greeks called Apamea kibotos, which means chest of money, possibly because of its abundant wealth.
This article was originally published inLa Brujula Verde.
It has been translated from Spanish and republished with permission.
Photo:Alessandra Kocman/Flickr
Remains of the shops of the Great Colonnade of Apamea.
