Syria

Syria is a country in the Middle East, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Israel to the southwest, Jordan to the south, Iraq to the east, and Turkey to the north.

The name Syria, formerly comprised the entire region of the Levant, while the modern state encompasses the site of several ancient kingdoms and empires, including the Eblan civilization of the third millennium BC. The region has seen empires come and go, among them the Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and France. Modern Syria gained independence in 1946. It struggled as a republic throughout the 1960s, finally succumbing to a one-party dictatorship in 1970.

Syria in "Departures"
Syria was a province of the Byzantine Empire. In the 7th century, it had been invaded and occupied by the Persians. The occupation lasted for about fifteen years before the Empire drove the Persians off and reclaimed the lost territory.

It was during a trading mission to Syria that Mouamet converted to Christianity.

Syria in Worldwar
Syria was a French colony. During World War II, it was ruled by Vichy France, and its government supported the Axis. Syria was conquered by the Race's Conquest Fleet.

Syria in Crosstime Traffic
In 2033, the Syrian capital Damascus was destroyed by a nuclear weapon smuggled into the city. Various countries and organizations were suspected, Syrian rebels, Israel, Turkey and the United States among them, but there was never concrete proof as to the culprits. Six decades later, it was assumed that the perpetrators were already dead - either in the blast itself or of old age - and that the truth would never come out.