▁approximately ▁ ▁n ortheast ▁from ▁H ama ▁and ▁about ▁ ▁n ortheast ▁of ▁al - H am ra a . ▁The ▁ham let ▁is ▁separated ▁from ▁the ▁By z antine - era ▁ru ins ▁by ▁a ▁road , ▁with ▁the ▁former ▁situated ▁to ▁the ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁road ▁and ▁the ▁ru ins ▁situated ▁to ▁the ▁west . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁Sy ria ▁Central ▁Bureau ▁of ▁Statistics ▁( C BS ), ▁Q as r ▁I bn ▁Ward an ▁had ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 4 6 7 ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁census . ▁ ▁Arch ae ology ▁The ▁complex ▁of ▁a ▁palace , ▁church ▁and ▁bar ra cks ▁was ▁ere cted ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 6 th ▁century ▁by ▁By z antine ▁Emperor ▁Justin ian ▁I ▁( r .   5 2 7 – 5 6 5 ) ▁as ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁def ensive ▁line ▁( t ogether ▁with ▁Res af a ▁and ▁Hal abi ye ) ▁against ▁the ▁S ass an id ▁Empire . ▁Its ▁unique ▁style , ▁imported ▁directly ▁from ▁Constantin ople ▁and ▁not ▁found ▁anywhere ▁else ▁in ▁present - day ▁Sy ria , ▁was ▁probably ▁chosen ▁to ▁impress ▁local ▁Bed ou in ▁tribes ▁and ▁to ▁cons olid ate ▁control ▁over ▁them . ▁Bas alt ▁was ▁brought ▁from ▁areas ▁far ▁north ▁or ▁south ▁from ▁the ▁site ▁and ▁mar ble ▁columns ▁and ▁capit als ▁are ▁thought ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁brought ▁from ▁Ap ame a . ▁▁ ▁Nothing ▁remains ▁of ▁the ▁bar ra cks ▁today . ▁The ▁palace ▁was ▁probably ▁the