Photo of the Day 198

Palmyra Ruins, Syria, 1999

Photograph by Annie Griffiths Belt

These monumental stone pillars are among the incredible remains of the second century B.C. kingdom of Palmyra, Syria, an oasis and trade crossroads in the Syrian desert.

Roman forces sacked Palmyra in A.D. 273 after its powerful queen Zenobia challenged imperial rule. The city continued to be an important landmark after Roman conquest, hosting silk caravans from China, spice traders from India, and perfume merchants from Arabia.

(Photo shot on assignment for, but not published in, "Lawrence of Arabia: A Hero's Journey," January 1999, National Geographic magazine)

Photo of the Day 141

Saint Simeon Church, Syria, 1978

Photograph by James Stanfield

The isolated ruins of the Church of Saint Simeon stand beneath a turquoise sky in the Syrian desert. This sprawling complex, located on a hill 37 miles (60 kilometers) from the nearest city (Aleppo), was built between A.D. 476 and 491 to honor St. Simeon Stylites, the famed ascetic monk who spent nearly 40 years in prayer atop a 40-foot (12-meter) pillar. The remains of the pillar can still be seen in the church's courtyard.

(Photo shot on assignment for, but not published in, "Ebla: Splendor of an Unknown Empire," December 1978, National Geographic magazine)