Shmemis

Lore & Background

The castle was first built in the 1st century BC by Sampsiceramus I, the first Priest King of the Royal family of Emesa, atop an extinct volcano. Most of the original structure was destroyed by an earthquake, and later it was destroyed by the Persian king Khosrau II in AD 613. It was rebuilt by al-Mujahid Shirkuh (Shirkuh II), an Ayyubid governor of Homs and a descendant of the earlier Assad ud-Din Shirkoh, with the date of reconstruction disputed: Abu Fida set it at 626 AH (AD 1228), while Muhammad Kurd Ali fixed it at 627 AH (AD 1229).

Reader's Guide

Shmemis castle's significance lies in its strategic location atop an extinct volcano, allowing observation of a circular area more than 50 km in diameter. This made it an important defensive and surveillance point in central Syria. Its history reflects the region's turbulent past, with destruction by natural disaster (earthquake), Persian invasion (Khosrau II), Mongol conquest (1260), and Tatar attack (1401), followed by rebuilding efforts, notably by the Ayyubid governor Assad ud-Din Shirkoh. The castle housed a royal palace and foundations for housing soldiers, indicating its role as both a military fortification and a residence. The disputed reconstruction dates (1228 vs. 1229) highlight the challenges in precisely dating medieval Syrian structures. Today, as ruins with partially preserved walls, Shmemis stands as a testament to the layered history of the region, from the Priest Kings of Emesa to the Ayyubid and Mongol periods.

Did You Know?

• The date of its reconstruction by al-Mujahid Shirkuh (Shirkuh II) is disputed: 1228 or 1229.
• The castle's location allows observation of a circular area over 50 km in diameter.