Lessons from the 8th Century

Alongside the misery that the present civil war is inflicting on the people of Syria is the physical damage to many of the classical, medieval and Ottoman sites of that beautiful and culturally diverse part of the Middle East.

As shown by the article from Le Monde last Friday, the destruction of the unique 8th century minaret of the Aleppo surely rates as a crime against civilisation in the way that there are crimes against humanity when murderous regimes, like that of Bashar Assad, turn their guns on their own people and their own historic, religious and artistic past. You can see the extent of the loss to this world heritage site on ‘You Tube’ from the end of April.

Maybe the 21st century has something to learn from the 8th century A.D., a time when the Umayyad Caliph in Bagdad swapped peaceful embassies, learned texts and African elephants with the great Western Emperor, Charlemagne?

Peter Roberts, Headmaster

Please e-mail Corrinne Finch, PA to the Headmaster's Office: cf2@kings-school.co.uk to follow up more points, or to ask questions.