The outpost city of Dura Europus was built by Macedonian Greeks at the end of the 4th century BC. It subsequently changed hands many times.
It was rediscovered in the 1920s and an extraordinary array of buildings, carvings, frescoes and wall paintings were uncovered.
Strategically located on the Euphrates river, Dura Europus controlled the military and commercial traffic moving along the important trade route from the Mediterranean Sea to Mesopotamia. The Greek city fell without a struggle to the Parthians around 113 BC and it became one of the westernmost outposts of the Parthian Empire, growing in size and prosperity.
Evidence for their occupation of the city is found in figures appearing in Parthian dress, fashion and hair styles in paintings and terracottas. Much Parthian green glazed pottery was also found.
The city was captured by the Roman emperor Trajan in AD 115; the Parthians retook it in AD 117, but it fell to the Romans again in AD 165. It became an outpost for Rome's eastern frontier and was garrisoned with Roman troops. The Sassanian king Shapur 1 captured it after a siege in AD 256. The city was abandoned and left to decay.
