Page:History of India Vol 6.djvu/45

 PERSIAN, ROMAN, AND ARAB CONTROL 11 in the Empire. Bostra in the Bashan country, four days' journey south of Damascus, became under Trajan the beautified capital of the Roman province of Arabia, and the headquarters of the Third Legion. As a trade emporium before its capture by the Arabs it had won the title of " the market-place of Syria, Irak, and Hejaz." The spacious Roman amphitheatre at Rabbah, midway down the southeastern trade-route, may still ETTIKS OF THE TEMPLE OF NEPTUNE AT PALMYRA. be traced. Photographs shown to me by a recent trav- eller along the track disclose at many places the endur- ing work of Rome, from the straight road whose solid pavement slabs emerge above the sand, to fluted col- umns, sculptured temples, and public buildings half- buried beneath it. The Saracen Arabs who, under the conquering im- pulse of Islam, next seized the countries of the Indo- Syrian route (632-651 A. D.), soon realized its value. They were a trading not less than a fighting race, and Bassorah and Baghdad under the caliphs became the