The Memory of Apolodor the Damascene
 Under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Bashar Al- Assad, The president of Syrian Arab Republic & His Excellency Carlo Azzelleo Champi The president of The Italian Republic, The memory of the great architect Apolodor the Damascene was celebrated by an exhibition that was held in khan Asa’ad Basha in Damascus 20/11/2001 – 20/1/2002, in addition to a book (Between Damascus & Rome The Architecture Of Apolodor In The Classical Culture) which was published in both Italian & Arabic languages.
The celebration was a reminder of the Damascene’s many contributions to human civilization as whole, along with the historical & profound friendly relationship that connected Damascus & Rome.
 
Arabhood of The Damascene
  On the other hand it was an occasion to discuss many historical fallacies that predominated the world of archeology.
Archeology was based on a method, which its core was comparison, and its structure was prescription and precedence, according to that, ambiguous legends and fallacies were replaced by new thesis that stabilized the concept of archaeology.
However, Dr. Ali Al Thawyni discussed one of those fallacies as he mentioned, “the fallacy of the Arabic architecture, who was born in Damascus, people of the west recognized him as a genius Roman, whereas through his biography, his architecture theory, an oriental spirit and attitude are quite obvious”.
This architect was able to bestow the whole Roman empire an honorable heritage all over history, his name was Apolodor and his title was the Damascene, since he was born in Damascus 60A.D nearby its Barada river. Apolodor was a coeval of the golden era of the Roman Empire; even more he was a basic element of its glory.
 
Celebrity of The Damascene
  The celebrity of Apolodor the Damascene came to the great invader and the sophisticated private the emperor Trajan’s (107-117) knowledge, who had a military project to invade the ancient world. So by the aid of the Arabic architect, Trajan was able to achieve his aims through military announcements, which reflected the secular conceitedness & mightiness of the Caesar, moreover this secular attitude pictured the Roman nature of employing the art of architecture for absolute authoritarian purposes.
According to that, the Damascene mounted the top of responsibility as he incarnated his unmatched talent to be simultaneously an originator sculpture & a great artist, furthermore his magnitude was revealed in monuments & constructions that spread over the whole empire.
 
Achievements of Apolodor
 One of his most celebrated productions was the arcade over the Danube at Dorbita (102-105), which was made at the first place in order to provide a military passage for the Roman army in their war with the primary Daks north of the Danube, the area that is called nowadays (Romania)
Although the arcade is chief concern, its description was mentioned by the contemporaries of that era.
Another evidence of spectacular contributions in the empire was a picture that was engraved in one of the Damascene’s epical monuments in one of the triumphal arches.
 
Iron Gate
 Furthermore, surmounting the natural obstacles made Romans qualified to be vainglorious of their magnificent exploits of establishing the giant bridge, which is called nowadays (The Iron Gate). And actually an eyewitness would imagine the amount of hindrances that faced the Romans duly, such as the velocity of water streaming in the Danube, along with the vastness of the distance between the two banks of the river (1135m)…etc. Moreover, this (Iron Gate) was built over 20 pillars that were fastened with giant cypress trunks forming firmly tied knots, which help in resisting the dragging resulted from loading the bridge.
 
Contributions in Rome
 However, above all the many traces that were contrived by the Damascene, which decorated the whole empire in the era of Trajan, we distinguish the vast rectangular ‘Field of Elites’ which centered the heart of Rome, furthermore the respective masterpiece enabled Trajan the emperor to match the geniuses of the preceding emperors and kings such as Julius & Augustus, where it incarnated an amazing preciosity in the visionary & aesthetical dimensions, in addition to an adjacent giant column that carries an inscription of the emperor’s name as well.
But when the barbarian Wandals invaded Rome they destroyed 300 years of Roman glory & grace, they crushed its traces as well.
Fortunately, when Costantine the Great, the Byzantine emperor, reoccupied Rome, he toke several monuments along with to some complementary parts of the arch back, then he added them to a triumphal arch which he established in front of Rome stadium, in order to glorify his victories.

He also gathered statues after the original ones where destroyed.
Therefore, an assemblage was harmonically created, where it contained the largest court in Rome (Obilia) within the core of the southern north field. Thereby the Damascene constructed two homologous libraries that provided a spectacular visionary balance, in addition to the temple of Trajanian genius in the northern west part of the field, where it provided a closure to the uncovered space.
Moreover, a huge statue of the emperor mounting his horse opposite to the temple donated an exceptional artistic & aesthetic value.
The Damascene had gifted the empire with its most valuable public constructions; that glorified the history of Rome in the age of prosperity, such as:
Expanding, Syrkis the great, the Gymnasium, Audionon, Trajan baths as well as memorial constructions – The Triumphal Arch (Ancor & Benevenito); those were considered as upswing in Roman triumphal arches designing as long as luxurious & voluminous shape they were designed in are concerned.
 
 Oriental Spirit
 Nevertheless, all the above-mentioned establishments, constructions and more, revealed the method of the Arabic Damascene, which was based on rejecting the exaggerated and complicated tackling that dominated Rome thereby. Especially in the designation of the most celebrate construction (Raberious). Where the Damascene assured his belongingness to the Syrian & Mesopotamian doctrines and to where he was born.
 
Impact on The Roman Empire
 On the hand, Adrian the Emperor, Trajan’s adopted son, was interested in the art of archeology, therefore he wanted to rebuild and cover the Pentium in Rome (117), so, he resorted to Syrian architects for the construction of its dome.
George Marssey, the French scientist, commented on the following era:
“ The Byzantine art had derived from Asia much more than it did from Greek, and it is not by accident that Aya Sofia was established by two eastern architects, which reflected their magnificent impact on Byzantine Empire ”
 
Apolodor the Critic
 The Damascene can be described as an open-minded architect, who did not ingratiate himself with kings or their inclinations. Apolodor was an outstanding figure even with the emperor Adrian himself, who claimed himself as an experienced architect, when he designed the two temples (Veneross & Roman) however, the damascene did not hesitate to criticize them. Apolodor’s critical eye aggravated rancor & envy inside the heart of the emperor to the extent that he killed him (125 A.D) at the age of 65.
 
Apolodor a worldwide architect
  Along with all the achievements that generally elevated the rank of the whole western world, and glorified the Roman civilization in specific, the Damascene bequeathed us with a book concerning the defensive archeology {Thesis Concerning Wars Machine}, where he provided it with his own plans & experiences. The book was dedicated to Adrian himself.

Moreover, he left his image on columns; triumphal arches in Rome as well. In addition to, two medium-sized statues of him, the 1st one is in Capitol museum in Rome, and the other one is in the Roman hall in Munich museum in Germany.
 Finally, The death of the oriental Apolodor created a massive emptiness, and stated for a new phase of civilization and a spiritual archeology that was completely transferred from East to West. Therefore, the whole humanity find itself committed to admit, that Apolodor the Damascene was one of those, whose names have to be glorified with gold in order to be a lighthouse that guides generations all the way through.