R'safah  (Sergiopolis) Syria North gate of town c. 530 A.D.

Sergiopolis was a frontier fort and town for two pilgrimage churches. Notice, very classical, sculptural acanthus. The all stone architecture in Syria stayed classical longer and did not follow the new styles developing in Constantinople at the time. Monumental gates remained more antique Roman in style, even in Constantinople.
 

From Krautheimer's "Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture"