Dmeir (ancient Almedera or Thelsae) is located northeast of Damascus towards Palmyra and the Euphrates. It is the last major settlement of the Damascene region in that direction. Evidence exists of Nabataean presence in Dmeir as early as the 1st century C.E.
Five kilometers east of the town, a Roman military camp was constructed for the purpose of defending the oasis of Damascus and the road to Palmyra against the incursions of the nomadic tribes. Still in use in the 5th century C.E., it fell into ruin less than a 100 years later when the Ghassanids erected a new fortress known as al-Bourj further south.
Seen is a basaltic altar from the 1st-3rd century C.E. It is near cubical in shape an has a height of 63 cm and a width of 29 cm. Surmounted by a bowel (recipient for the offerings), it has four faces depicting four different men.
A. A bearded man crowned by a laurel wreath.
B. A Roman youth whose hairstyle evokes that of Emperor Trajan (reigned 98-117 C.E.).
C. Alexander the Great.
D. An oriental monarch? possibly the Nabataean Aretas IV (reigned 9 B.C. - 40 C.E.).
The National Museum of Damascus
Five kilometers east of the town, a Roman military camp was constructed for the purpose of defending the oasis of Damascus and the road to Palmyra against the incursions of the nomadic tribes. Still in use in the 5th century C.E., it fell into ruin less than a 100 years later when the Ghassanids erected a new fortress known as al-Bourj further south.
Seen is a basaltic altar from the 1st-3rd century C.E. It is near cubical in shape an has a height of 63 cm and a width of 29 cm. Surmounted by a bowel (recipient for the offerings), it has four faces depicting four different men.
A. A bearded man crowned by a laurel wreath.
B. A Roman youth whose hairstyle evokes that of Emperor Trajan (reigned 98-117 C.E.).
C. Alexander the Great.
D. An oriental monarch? possibly the Nabataean Aretas IV (reigned 9 B.C. - 40 C.E.).
The National Museum of Damascus
Thomas M. Weber
Sculptures from Roman Syria
Wernersche Verlagsgesellschaft. Worms
2006
الضمير
تقع الضمير (Almedera أو Thelsae في العهود الكلاسيكية) شمال شرق العاصمة السوريّة وهي آخر مستوطنة كبيرة في منطقة دمشق باتجاه تدمر والفرات وهناك أدلّة على وجود الأنباط فيها منذ القرن الأوّل الميلادي. بنى الرومان معسكراً على بعد خمسة كيلومترات شرق الضمير بهدف الدفاع عن واحة دمشق وطريق تدمر ضدّ غارات البدو ولكنّه تداعى حوالي القرن السادس للميلاد وبنى الغساسنة لاحقاً قلعة جديدة عرفت بالبرج إلى جنوبه.
الصورة تمثّل لقطات للوجوه الأربعة لمذبح من الضمير يعود للفترة ما بين القرن الأوّل والقرن الثالث الميلادي وهو من البازلت بارتفاع ٦٣ سم وعرض ٢٩ سم. الوجه A لرجل ملتح يعتمر إكليل الغار. الوجه B لفتى أمرد روماني المظهر يذكّر زيّ شعره بالإمبراطور Trajan (حكم ٩٨-١١٧ للميلاد). الوجه C للإسكندر الأكبر. أخيراً علّ الوجه D لملك شرقي لربّما كان النبطي الحارثة الرابع (حكم من ٩ ق.م. إلى ٤٠ م). يعلو المجسّم حوض لاستقبال القرابين.
متحف دمشق الوطني
متحف دمشق الوطني
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