Back to Their Roots

In the biblical sense.

One of the First Known Chemical Attacks Took Place 1,700 Years Ago in Syria

In approximately 256 C.E. Dura-Europas, a Roman fort known as “the Pompeii of the Syrian Desert,” fell victim to a Sasanian Persian siege in what is now Syria. When archeologist Simon James investigated the site several years ago, he found traces of yellow sulfur crystals and pitch near a pile of bodies—Roman soldiers who had died in the battle. This evidence points to a different kind of death for the 19 entombed Romans. As Discovery News reports, around 1,700 years ago, Syria was site to one of the first chemical gas attacks known in history.

2 Responses to “Back to Their Roots”

1. leelu says:

   September 8, 2013 at 12:22 pm

   Some things never change.

2. Mr. Bingley says:

   September 8, 2013 at 3:20 pm

   And here I was thinking it was only traced back as far as 6 hours after the Brits invented curry.