Photos show the ruins of Palmyra, the ancient splendor in Syria that endures through war and time

PALMYRA, Syria (AP) — The stately remnants of 2,000-year-old columns and temples rise from the sand in the ancient city of Palmyra, known to locals as the “Bride of the Desert.”

Once the capital of a Roman client state under Queen Zenobia, Palmyra stood as a key hub on the Silk Road linking Rome and Asia.