The Damascus Events: The 1860 Massacres and the Making of Modern Syria

In this talk, Oxford historian Eugene Rogan revisits one of the most traumatic episodes in the history of the Levant: the 1860 Damascus massacres, when communal violence claimed thousands of lives and shattered the city's delicate social balance. Drawing on new research, Rogan explores the roots of the violence, the Ottoman Empire’s efforts to restore order, and the long process of rebuilding trust among deeply divided communities. This talk offers a compelling lens on how societies torn apart by conflict attempt to repair their civic fabric, and what lessons might resonate today. Speakers

• Eugene Rogan, Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History, University of Oxford; author of "The Damascus Events: The 1860 Massacre and the Destruction of the Old Ottoman World" (Penguin Books, 2025)