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Sergiopolis
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Sergiopolis
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The site dates back to the 9th century BC, when a military
camp was built by the Assyrians. During Roman times it was a
desert outpost fortified to defend against the Sassanids.
It flourished as its location on the caravan routes linking
Aleppo, Dura Europos, and Palmyra was ideal. Resafa had no
spring or running water, so it depended on large cisterns to
capture the winter and spring rains. Fortunately, the rainfall
in the area was more than sufficient. Resafa was planted right
in the path of the Persian-Byzantine wars and was therefore a
well defended city with massive walls that surrounded it without
a break. It also had a fortress.
The city is mentioned in the Bible (Isaiah 37:12) but little
else is heard of it until the 4th century when it became a
pilgrimage town for Christians coming to venerate Saint Sergius.
Sergius was a Roman soldier who was persecuted for his Christian
faith and was brought to Resafa for his execution as well as he
became a martyr for the city.
A church was built to mark his grave and the city was renamed
Sergiopolis.
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