Middle Eastern History

Since Nehemiah's reconstruction of Jerusalem's city walls, the gates to this holy place have had a special significance for Jerusalem's citizens and its many visitors.

Nov 13, 2009 - Neil Gunn

His Majesty King Hussein bin Talal, widely regarded as the 'father' of modern Jordan, died on February 7,1999, after a long illness.

Nov 1, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Samarkand, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is a hugely important historical site standing proudly on the ancient Silk Route in what is now modern Uzbekistan.

Oct 25, 2009 - Neil Gunn

The BBC has recently reported that Iran has threatened to stop cultural co-operation with the British Museum if the Babylonian Cyrus Cylinder is not returned on loan.

Oct 18, 2009 - Neil Gunn

The Church of the Nativity in Manger Square in the centre of Bethlehem is one of Christianity's most revered sites. It is according to tradition the birthplace of Jesus

Sep 27, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Following the final defeats in the Holy Land, Jacques de Molay the Grand Master of the Knights Templar left Cyprus in 1294 for an extended journey through Europe.

Sep 18, 2009 - Neil Gunn

The Knights Templar emerged from the first Crusader army in order to protect Christian pilgrims moving from the Mediterranean ports to the holy city of Jerusalem.

Sep 13, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Around five hundred and eighteen years before the birth of Jesus, Darius I, perhaps the greatest of all the Achaemenid kings, founded the Persian city of Persepolis.

Aug 30, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Isfahan (Esfahan) in the Islamic Republic of Iran was chosen by the Safavid Shah Abbas (reigned 1587-1629) as his capital and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Aug 23, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Built at the foot of Mount Sinai, St Catherine's Monastery, is one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world and the original home of the Codex Sinaiticus.

Aug 16, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Once the thriving capital of the Roman province of Arabia, Bosra, now part of modern Syria, owes much to the building work of second century C. E. Roman emperor Trajan.

Aug 3, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Mount Sinai (Jebel Musa) on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula is believed by some traditionalists to be the site where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God.

Jul 26, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Bosra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and once ancient capital of the Roman province of Arabia, lies 120 kilometres south of the Syrian city of Damascus.

Jul 19, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Palmyra is one of the jewels set in the Syrian crown. In a city crammed with evocative memories and historical treasures the great Temple of Bel beckons to the curious.

Jul 12, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Palmyra, (Tadmor) Syria now a UNESCO World Heritage Site was, for many years a caravan stop on the great Silk Road that stretched from China to the Mediterranean coast.

Jul 8, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Mount Nebo, Jordan is today a place of pilgrimage for thousands of people who visit the spot, where according to the Bible, Moses saw the Promised Land.

Jul 3, 2009 - Neil Gunn

The 16th century Damascus Gate, one of a number of entry points allowing passageway through Jerusalem's ancient walls, is the largest and most ornate of the Old City gate

Jun 21, 2009 - Neil Gunn

The Crac des Chevaliers (Arabic Qal'at al-Hosn) in Syria, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the best-preserved examples of Crusader military architecture.

Jun 14, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Until the discovery in 1868 of the 9th century Mesha Stele at Dhiban (modern Jordan), scant evidence of Moab, a vassal state of the Kingdom of Israel survived.

Jun 6, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Karak Castle lies near the southern end of the Dead Sea and stands on the site of Kir Moab which in the days of Mesha resisted the attack of Jehoshaphat, King of Judah.

Jun 4, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Damascus, Syria is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and home to the Umayyad Mosque, one of the great holy sites of Islam.

May 24, 2009 - Neil Gunn

The Old Testament book of Nehemiah tells of the rebuilding of the walls and gates of Jerusalem following the Babylonian destruction of the city in 587-586 BCE.

May 17, 2009 - Neil Gunn

From the 3rd century BCE until the 2nd century CE great camel caravans made the trip from the southern shores of the Arabian Peninsula to the Mediterranean port of Gaza.

May 3, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Hatra, Iraq, capital of the first Arab Kingdom, is one of the best-preserved examples of a Parthian city and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.

Apr 29, 2009 - Neil Gunn

The Biblical city of Ur of the Chaldees, the modern Tell Muqayyar, and the Tallil airbase are to be found in Iraq, between Baghdad and the head of the Persian Gulf

Apr 19, 2009 - Neil Gunn