'Pearl of the desert' had survived millennia

Palmyra, the ancient Syrian city that has fallen to the Islamic State jihadist group, has withstood the last 2,000 years with its immaculate temples and colonnaded streets.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the "Pearl of the Desert" is a well-preserved oasis 210 kilometers northeast of Damascus.

Palmyra, which means City of Palms, is known in Syria as Tadmor, or City of Dates. Its name first appeared on a tablet in the 19th century BC as a stopping point for caravans traveling on the Silk Road and between the Gulf and the Mediterranean.