Mysterious Ancient City Anqa May Be Dura-Europos's Twin
The famed ruins of the 2,300-year-old city of Dura-Europos in Syria may have an exact mirror twin just across the border in Iraq.
The ancient city of Dura-Europos in Syria has served as a window into the worlds of the Hellenistic, Parthian, and Roman eras.
However, in recent years, Dura-Europos has become difficult to access due to ongoing conflict. But a new study, published in the Journal of Near Eastern Studies, suggests a surprising alternative.
Not far away lies another ruined site that appears to be a desert mirage of Dura-Europos.
An Ancient 'Twin City' on the Euphrates
According to SciTech Daily, it's a far less prominent set of structures than Dura-Europos. Only a large mound, a polygonal inner wall circuit, and a substantial outer defensive wall remain.
The site is located almost directly across the Syria-Iraq border from Dura-Europos, in Iraq's al-Qaim District of Anbar province.
This 'mirror city' is called Anqa.
According to the research team led by archaeologist Simon James of the University of Leicester in England, Anqa is situated at a point where the broad Euphrates floodplain narrows considerably. As such, it would have controlled the route between the densely populated valley upstream and the downstream trade routes linking Syria, northern Mesopotamia, and Babylonia, making it a site of immense strategic and economic importance in antiquity.
The ancient city was largely ignored by archaeologists until 1850 when it was visited by a British expedition.
A more detailed survey was conducted in the late 1930s, including aerial photographs of standing structures.
However, due to geopolitical factors, including the history of imperial interference in the region in the early 20th century, Anqa has remained largely forgotten.
According to the new study, Anqa is in fact very similar in size, plan, and likely archaeological importance to its famous ruin across the border.
A Potential 'Middle Eastern Pompeii'
While it may not have as much visible remains on the surface as its 'twin,' the 'mirror city' of Anqa has the potential to become another "Pompeii of the Middle East," as Dura-Europos has been dubbed, if properly excavated.
Summary
An ancient city in Iraq, called Anqa, has been rediscovered and is believed to be a twin of the famous Dura-Europos in Syria. Anqa, located just across the border, is similar in size, plan, and potential archaeological importance to its larger counterpart. Despite being largely neglected by archaeologists, Anqa has the potential to become another major archaeological site, providing insights into the ancient world of the Middle East.