The majestic Colonnaded Street of the ancient city of Apamea Syria

Apamea. Syria. View of the votive column and beautiful Prestige facade crowned by a triangular pediment from the majestic Colonnaded Street of the ancient city of Apamea. The grand colonnaded avenue or cardo maxims is lined with tall columns with Corinthian capitals is one of the longest and widest in the ancient world and runs nearly two kilometres long. Founded around 300 BC by Seleucus I –an officer of Alexander the Great- Apamea flourished as an important military base and Hellenistic provincial centre for a few hundred years. The city eventually fell to the Romans under Pompey and then suffered serious damage after a severe earthquake in AD115. The city was rebuilt after this period and all the archaeological remains seen today are from the second century AD. The celebrated ancient city was notable enough to be visited by Cleopatra and Mark Anthony and at its height had a population of 500, 000.