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Raqqa was the first provincial capital Assad lost in 2013, and soon after it became the de facto capital of ISIS’s “caliphate,” symbolizing the height of jihadist power. In 2017 U.S.-backed forces liberated the city, leaving it in ruins and turning Raqqa into a symbol of both ISIS’s brutality and the immense challenges of postwar recovery.

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This image shows the ruins of Raqqa, once ISIS’s capital, chosen to represent both the group’s brutality and the city’s struggle to rebuild.

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Tarsus is an old city in southern Turkey. It is the birthplace of St. Paul’s and where Cleopatra met Mark Antony. Its farmland and key mountain pass made it valuable to many empires like Assyrians and Romans. The larger region, Cilicia, was long fought over because it was the main link between Turkey and Syria.

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This is the coast near Tarsus, Turkiye, an ancient city known as the birthplace of St. Paul and the meeting place of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. I chose it because Tarsus’s farmland and mountain pass made it valuable to great empires, showing how geography shaped its long history.

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Fez used to be the capital of Morocco before Rabat took that role. Fez has a lot of artisan workshops that still function since long ago, souks and alleyways people can walk through, and is the center of the spiritual and cultural heart of morocco.

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Fez was once the country’s capital and still its cultural heart. I chose this picture because Fez’s medina, with its artisan workshops and souks, shows how the city has kept its traditions alive for centuries.

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Qayrawan was the first Arab-Muslim base in North Africa, and grew under the Aghlabids. It gained fame for its Great Mosque and renowned scholars, and today it remains recognized for its spiritual significance.

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This is the first Arab-Muslim base in North Africa. I chose it because Qayrawan became a major center of faith and learning under the Aghlabids, and it still symbolizes the city’s spiritual importance today.

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Egypt’s first Arab city and capital, centered on Ibn al As' mosque. It thrived on trade as well as glass and ceramics, but after Cairo became the new capital, Fustat declined and was burned to stop the Crusader capture. Right now, al Fustat is a part of Old Cairo. 

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This image shows Fustat, Egypt’s first Arab capital founded in 641. I chose it because it marks the origins of Islamic Cairo.

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This river is one of the two great rivers of Mesopotamia; it flows through Iraq alongside the Euphrates. It has been central to the rise of civilizations like Assyria and Babylon because it provided them with water for farming, trade routes, and city life in places such as Baghdad. Over time, it has remained very important for Iraq’s economy and culture, but today it faces challenges such as drought and pollution. 

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This is the Tigris River in Iraq, one of the rivers that made Mesopotamia possible. I picked this picture because it shows the natural beauty and greenery surrounding the river.

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They stretch nearly 1000 miles across the southwestern part of Iran which forms a separation between them and Mesopotamia. They were the home to a lot of people like the Kurds and Lurs and were considered boarders to great empires like the Ottoman empire.

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This is the Zagros Mountains in Iran, a range that shaped empires and sheltered many peoples. I chose this picture because it captures their rugged look that made them both a barrier and a homeland.

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This is the river where the Tigris and Euphrates join in southern Iraq before reaching the Persian Gulf. It has been a lifeline for farming and trade, but also a flashpoint in the Iran-Iraq War, and today it still faces struggles with disputes and pollution just like the Tigris.

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This is the Shatt al-Arab in Iraq, where the Tigris and Euphrates join. I chose this picture because it shows a river that is very important for trade.

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An ancient city in the Syrian desert that grew rich because it was a trading hub that linked Rome, Persia, and Asia. It is famous for its grand temples and colonnades which are now just ruins but very symbolic of the Syrian history.

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This is Palmyra in Syria. It is a desert trading hub that grew rich in ancient times. I chose this picture because its ruins still show the city’s past glory.

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Ctesiphon is a city on the Tigris river, and used to be the capital of Parthian and then the Sasanian empires. It became popular because it has a massive arch caled Taq Kasra. 

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Taq Kasra was once the capital of the Parthian and Sasanian empires. I chose this picture because the massive ruin still shows the power and scale of Persia’s past. I also wanted to showcase the arch.