Resafa

Formerly Sergiopolis, it was an ancient city located southwest of Raqqa in Syria. The city dates back to the 9th century BC, when the Assyrians built a military barracks on the site. During the Roman era, the city became one of the most important defensive fortresses against the Persian Empire. During the Umayyad era, Rusafa became a summer resort after Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik developed it and added numerous buildings and palaces.