The Ruins of Palmyra.details

Ancient cities. Within the limits of Asiatic Turkey, were anciently many cities of great celebrity; among which were Nineveh, the capital of Assyria; Babylon, the capital of Babylonia; Troy, Ephesus, Miletus, and Halicarnassus, in the western part of Asia Minor; Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia; Tyre, Sidon, and Cæsarea, on the coast of Syria; Antioch, on the Orontes; and Balbec and Palmyra on the interior. These have all been long since destroyed; most of them are now nearly or quite desolate; and some of them exhibit magnificent ruins.

Palmyra and Balbec are celebrated for their ancient monuments. The most remarkable ruins found in each, are the remains of magnificent temples of the sun. (p. 148)