Aleppo has stood at the crossroads of trade routes across Syria throughout history. In the current war and the 2022 earthquakes, the city endured significant damage. But neither of these events marks the first time Aleppo has experienced destruction, nor were they the worst. Considered by many as the world’s oldest continually inhabited city, Aleppo may have been inhabited since as far back as the sixth millennium BC. The Amorites are the first recorded inhabitants with documented traces dating back to the third millennium BC.

Aleppo changed hands many times among rival powers over the centuries. It was conquered by the ancient Greeks in the 3rd century BC, who named it Beroea, transforming it into an important commercial hub. Later, it became part of the Roman Empire in the 1st century BC, thriving as a prime destination for merchant caravans. However, the Sassanids, the last pre-Islamic Iranian Empire under King Khosrow I, pillaged and burned Aleppo in 540 AD. Almost 100 years later, the Arabs conquered the city under Khalid ibn al-Walid in 637.

By 1138, Aleppo had successfully withstood Crusader attacks until what is known as one of the deadliest earthquakes in recorded history struck the city and surrounding areas. Although estimates from this time are very unreliable, it is believed that up to 230,000 people died as a result. The city was devastated. Some decades later, during the Ayyubid dynasty in the early 12th century, the citadel was rebuilt, the traditional souks and bazaars were expanded, and the defensive walls and gates were fortified. Aleppo saw extensive fortifications during this time.

In 1260, the Mongol leader Hulagu Khan overran Aleppo in collaboration with the Crusaders, causing heavy damage to the city and citadel, burning its Great Mosque and massacring its Muslim population and many of its Jews. Later, in 1400, the Turko-Mongol conqueror, Timur or Tamerlane, invaded Aleppo, causing unforgettable damage and massacres. This event led to the establishment of many districts being built outside the historic walls during the 15th and 16th centuries, including when Christian communities migrated northwest of the city walls and established the renowned and beloved quarter of Jdeideh (meaning “new”) in 1420.

During that time, another phase of Aleppo’s city center expansion was taking place, involving the extension of the souks and the construction of several new caravanserais. By the 16th and 17th centuries, Aleppo was the third-largest city in the Ottoman Empire. It hosted many European merchants, their families, and consulate offices, including the British, Dutch, French, and Italian.

In 1986, the Ancient City of Aleppo, characterized by its mansions, narrow alleys, incredible covered souqs, and ancient caravanserais, was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Soon thereafter, in the 1990s, the Aga Khan Trust for Development carried out extensive restorations of the old city. With the outbreak of the war in 2011, Aleppo was once again severely impacted, and the old city was not spared. In addition, the horrific earthquakes of 2023 further hindered any progress. Today, Aleppo once again attempts to rebuild despite the severe economic crisis and trauma. If anything, this is a tale of reverence for a city forever hosting the wild throes of humanity.