[3] From 15 BC to AD 193, it formed part of the territory of Berytus. [70] Donne reckoned it as the town's forum. [81] When Farrukh Shah died three years later, his son Bahram Shah was only a child but he was permitted his inheritance and ruled til 1230. In Islamic mythology, the temple complex was said to have been a palace of Solomon's[41][d] which was put together by djinn[44][45][46] and given as a wedding gift to the Queen of Sheba;[18] its actual Roman origin remained obscured by the citadel's medieval fortifications as late as the 16th-century visit of the Polish prince RadziwiÅÅ. In the mid-1st century, Nero built the tower-altar opposite the temple. [134] Another 9 civilians were killed on August 7 by a strike in the middle of Brital, just south of Baalbek, and by the subsequent attack on the car leaving the scene for the hospital. [73] The one in 1170 ruined Baalbek's walls and, though Nur ad-Din repaired them, his young heir IsmaÊ¿il was made to yield it to Saladin by a 4-month siege in 1174. [89] It was seized in 1246 after a year of assaults by as-Salih Ayyub, who bestowed it upon SaÊ¿d al-Din al-Humaidi. [149] The entablature was richly decorated but is now mostly ruined. [93] From around 1300, no alterations were made to the fortifications apart from repairs such as Sultan Barkuk's restoration of the moat in preparation for Timur's arrival. [18], The Mongolian general Kitbuqa took Baalbek in 1260 and dismantled its fortifications. Cambridge University Press, Page 166. A freelance writer and former part-time Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, New York, Joshua J. [87] Sometime in spring, Ibn al-Muqaddam yielded and Saladin accepted his terms, granting him BaÊ¿rin, Kafr Tab, and al-MaÊ¿arra. Baalbek is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Though they've been ravaged by a history of armed conflict, earthquakes and the natural erosion and desecration of time, the Baalbek ruins continue to incite awe in everyone fortunate to visit them. The Romans vastly improved the site with massive building projects, walkways, aqueducts, and roads. [82] His former regent, Raymond of Tripoli, raided the Beqaa Valley from the west in the summer, suffering a slight defeat at Ibn al-Muqaddam's hands. [16] It was sacked and razed by the Byzantines under John I in 974,[18] raided by Basil II in 1000,[74] and occupied by Salih ibn Mirdas, emir of Aleppo, in 1025.[18]. The name is attested under the Seleucids and Ptolemies. [93], Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany and his wife passed through Baalbek on November 1, 1898,[70] on their way to Jerusalem. The Temple of Bacchus, still extant, is larger than the Parthenon of Athens and all of the temples of the Roman complex (of Jupiter, Bacchus, Venus, and Mercury) were spared destruction during the rise of Christianity through their use as churches; only the altar of Jupiter was torn down by Theodosius I. [45] Over the years, it has suffered from the region's numerous earthquakes, the iconoclasm of Christian and Muslim lords,[53] and the reuse of the temples' stone for fortification and other construction. [64] He then inquired whether he would return alive from his wars against Parthia and received in reply a centurion's vine staff, broken to pieces. [63] Around the same time, Constantine, though not yet a Christian, demolished the goddess' temple, raised a basilica in its place, and outlawed the locals' ancient custom of prostituting women before marriage. The modern population of Jaffa is about 60,000. [132] The hospital had been empty for four days, the most unwell patients having been transferred and the rest sent home. [73] These were surrounded by Corinthian porticoes, one of which was never completed. The tallest retaining wall, on the west, has a second course of monoliths containing the famous "Three Stones" (Greek: ΤÏίλιθον, TrÃlithon):[37] a row of three stones, each over 19 m (62 ft) long, 4.3 m (14 ft) high, and 3.6 m (12 ft) broad, cut from limestone. Ancient History Encyclopedia has a new name! Mark, published on 02 September 2009 under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. The gods that were worshipped there (Jupiter, Venus, and Bacchus) were equivalents of the Canaanite deities Hadad, Atargatis. Ancient History Encyclopedia Limited is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. [129] Just before the First World War, the population was still around 5000, about 2000 each of Sunnis and Shia Mutawalis[93] and 1000 Orthodox and Maronites. It was home to ancient Phoenician settlements at sites that continued to be important centers of trade into the modern era. [14] In Greek religion, Helios was both the sun in the sky and its personification as a god. [f][57] His idol was a beardless golden god in the pose of a charioteer, with a whip raised in his right hand and a thunderbolt and stalks of grain in his left;[60] its image appeared on local coinage and it was borne through the streets during several festivals throughout the year. [citation needed] These were probably erected in a rough state and then rounded, polished, and decorated in position. These blocks, and another one mile from Baalbek which weighs over 900 tons, are known today as the Baalbek Stones and have been the subject of much debate, study and conjecture over how they were moved and arranged. A mosque was built amid the ancient Roman temples while the Christian additions were torn down and destroyed. [93], Material from the ruins is incorporated into a ruined mosque north of downtown[157] and probably also in the Qubbat Duris on the road to Damascus. (2009, September 02). [70] It was expected at the time that natural disasters, winter frosts, and the raiding of building materials by the city's residents would shortly ruin the remaining ruins. License. It is home to the Baalbek temple complex which includes two of the largest and grandest Roman temple ruins: the Temple of Bacchus and the Temple of Jupiter. The immense weight and mass of these stones has led to much speculation concerning ancient alien activity at Baalbek and even that the site was an ancient landing pad for spaceships. [149] A westward-facing basilica was constructed over the altar during the reign of Theodosius; it was later altered to make it eastward-facing like most Christian churches. In Greek and Roman times Baalbek was also known as Heliopolis (ἩλιοÏÏολιÏ, Greek for "Sun City"). [73] The ruined temple complex was fortified under the name al-Qala' (lit. [93], In 1516, Baalbek was conquered with the rest of Syria by the Ottoman sultan Selim the Grim. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Baalbek has a mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa) with significant continental influences. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri. [80] In 1171, these captives successfully overpowered their guards and took possession of the castle from its garrison. It was submerged in 1959 during the construction of the Xinâan River Hydropower Station. [18] Most of the city's still-extant fine mosque and fortress architecture dates to the reign of the sultan Qalawun in the 1280s. The Shiite 'Usayran family, for example, is also said to have left Baalbek in this period to avoid expropriation by the Harfushes, establishing itself as one of the premier commercial households of Sidon and later even serving as consuls of Iran. During Classical Antiquity, the city's temple to BaÊ¿al Haddu was conflated first with the worship of the Greek sun god Helios[17] and then with the Greek and Roman sky god under the name "Heliopolitan Zeus" or "Jupiter". Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. [18] Having taken control of Damascus on the invitation of its governor Ibn al-Muqaddam, Saladin rewarded him with the emirate of Baalbek following the Ayyubid victory at the Horns of Hama in 1175. [63][3] In the early 4th century, the deacon Cyril defaced many of the idols in Heliopolis; he was killed and (allegedly) cannibalised. (The 6th-century chronicles of John Malalas of Antioch, which claimed Baalbek as a "wonder of the world",[62] credited most of the complex to the 2nd-century Antoninus Pius, but it is uncertain how reliable his account is on the point. In 1947, Admiral Richard E. Byrd led 4,000 military troops from the U.S., Britain and Australia in an invasion of Antarctica called âOperation Highjumpâ, and at least one follow-up expedition. Mark has lived in Greece and Germany and traveled through Egypt. The staircase is shown intact on a coin from the reign of the, The inscriptions were distinct in the 18th century, [I. 1,078 large⦠Saudi Arabiaâs 2,000 Year Old Ghost Town of Al-`Ula [18] In July 1139, Zengi, atabeg of Aleppo and stepfather of Mahmud, besieged Baalbek with 14 catapults. [129] This Aleppo Railway connected to the BeirutâDamascus Railway butâbecause that line was built to a 1.05-meter gaugeâall traffic had to be unloaded and reloaded at Riyaq. [40] The site of the present Temple of Jupiter was probably the focus of earlier worship, as its altar was located at the hill's precise summit and the rest of the sanctuary raised to its level. [95] The interior of the temple is divided into a 98 ft (30 m) nave and a 36 ft (11 m) adytum or sanctuary[155] on a platform raised 5 ft (2 m) above it and fronted by 13 steps. [120], During the 18th century, the western approaches were covered with attractive groves of walnut trees,[44] but the town itself suffered badly during the 1759 earthquakes, after which it was held by the Metawali, who again feuded with other Lebanese tribes. [93] Qalawun relocated the two western curtains[clarification needed] nearer to the western tower, which was rebuilt with great blocks of stone. [18] He was followed by al-Ashraf Musa, who was succeeded by his brother as-Salih Ismail,[18] who received it in 1237 as compensation for being deprived of Damascus by their brother al-Kamil. [143] A fifth, still larger stone weighing approximately 1,200 tonnes (1,300 tons)[144] lies in the same quarry. Inhabited as early as 9000 BCE, Baalbek grew into an important pilgrimage site in the ancient world for the worship of the sky-god Baal and his consort Astarte, the Queen of Heaven in Phoenician religion (the name 'Baalbek' means Lord Baal of the Beqaa Valley). It would be cleaned, dressed up in ribbons, and taken in a procession to the temple. [75] Zengi strengthened its fortifications and bestowed the territory on his lieutenant Ayyub, father of Saladin. [18] Toghtekin then gave the town to his son Buri. [140] The temple was ruined by earthquakes,[70] destroyed and pillaged for stone under Theodosius,[71] and 8 columns were taken to Constantinople (Istanbul) under Justinian for incorporation into the Hagia Sophia. [3] The Temple of Jupiter, already greatly damaged by earthquakes,[70] was demolished under Theodosius in 379 and replaced by another basilica (now lost), using stones scavenged from the pagan complex. Shicheng, or Lion City, is located in the Zhejiang province in eastern China. Roman architecture adopted the external language of classical Greek architecture for the purposes of the ancient Romans, but was different from Greek buildings, becoming a new architectural style. [53] One of these was taken to Rome by the emperor Elagabalus, a former priest "of the sun" at nearby Emesa,[62] who erected a temple for it on the Palatine Hill. [87] He did not permit Turan Shah to retain Baalbek very long, though, instructing him to lead the Egyptian troops returning home in 1179 and appointing him to a sinecure in Alexandria. [142] Its weight, often exaggerated, is estimated at 1,000 tonnes (1,100 tons). World History Encyclopedia, 02 Sep 2009. Last modified September 02, 2009. It was held by:[160]. This was still the designation for the city in 15 BCE when the city became a colony of the Roman Empire. [123][124] "Baalbek, with its colossal structures, is one of the finest examples of Imperial Roman architecture at its apogee", UNESCO reported in making Baalbek a World Heritage Site in 1984. The outer city held until October 10 and the citadel until the 21st,[75] when Unur surrendered upon a promise of safe passage. [70] Most of the columns have been toppled and the stairs were entirely dismantled for use in the nearby later wall,[37][k] but a Latin inscription remains on several of their bases stating that Longinus, a lifeguard of the 1st Parthian Legion, and Septimius, a freedman, gilded their capitals with bronze in gratitude for the safety of Septimius Severus's son Antoninus Caracalla and empress Julia Domna. Baalbek is an ancient Phoenician city located in what is now modern-day Lebanon, north of Beirut, in the Beqaa Valley. They weigh approximately 800 tonnes (880 tons) each. Stefan Winter (11 March 2010). [93] An inscription dates the barbican-like strengthening of the southern entrance to around 1240. [87][88] The generosity quieted unrest among Saladin's vassals through the rest of his reign[85] but led his enemies to attempt to take advantage of his presumed weakness. [18] In the mid-10th century, it was said to have "gates of palaces sculptured in marble and lofty columns also of marble" and that it was the most "stupendous" and "considerable" location in the whole of Syria. [80], Three major earthquakes occurred in the 12th century, in 1139, 1157, and 1170. [70][95][i] Donne hyperbolised "No ruins of antiquity have attracted more attention than those of Heliopolis, or been more frequently or accurately measured and described. In Greek and Roman antiquity, it was known as Heliopolis. [83] He was then joined by the main army, riding north under Baldwin and Humphrey of Toron;[83] they defeated Saladin's elder brother Turan Shah in August at Ayn al-Jarr and plundered Baalbek. [citation needed] It is the best preserved of the sanctuary's structures, as the other rubble from its ruins protected it. [45] As late as the 16th century, the Temple of Jupiter still held 27 standing columns[99] out of an original 58;[140] there were only nine before the 1759 earthquakes[2] and six today.[when? [citation needed] Their power was broken by Jezzar Pasha, the rebel governor of Acre, in the last half of the 18th century. A series of earthquakes over the centuries further damaged the site and nothing was done in the area of preservation or excavation until 1898 CE when the German Emperor Wilhelm II visited the area and sent a team of archaeologists to begin work there. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. The sherd featured cuneiform letters. [139] The temple is surrounded by forty-two columnsâ8 along each end and 15 along each side[155]ânearly 20 m (66 ft) in height. ", List of ancient architectural records § Monoliths, Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Baalbek, Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Constantinople, "Adam's Bed: 16 Varieties of (Im)propriety", "Cleanup to Start at Old Sites in Lebanon", "Titular See of Heliopolis in PhÅnicia, Lebanon", Baumgarten, Martin von (Martinus à Baumgarten in Braitenbach), Belon, Pierre (Petrus Bellonius Cenomanus), De Saulcy, Louis Félicien Joseph Caignart, "Alliances and Treaties between Frankish and Muslim Rulers in the Middle East: Cross-Cultural Diplomacy in the Period of the Crusades", Marmont, Auguste-Frédéric-Louis Viesse de, Quaresmio, Francisco (Franciscus Quaresmius), RadziwiÅÅ, MikoÅaj Krzystof (Nicolaus Christophorus Radzivilus), "State and Rural Society in Medieval Islam: Sultans, MuqtaÊ¿s, and Fallahun", "On the Rise and Fall of Canaanite Religion at Baalbek: A Tale of Five Toponyms", Volney, Constantin François de Chasseboeuf, comte de, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Baalbek&oldid=1009595817, Populated places established in the 7th millennium BC, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2015, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from September 2015, Vague or ambiguous geographic scope from September 2015, Articles with Greek-language sources (el), Articles with Latin-language sources (la), Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2013, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Vague or ambiguous time from January 2017, All Wikipedia articles needing clarification, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from January 2017, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from September 2015, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from September 2015, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from EB9, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Articles with Classical Syriac-language sources (syc), Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Srpskohrvatski / ÑÑпÑкоÑ
ÑваÑÑки, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Titular Archbishop: Luigi Poggi (1876.09.29 â death 1877.01.22) on emeritate (promoted) as former Bishop of, Titular Archbishop: Augustinus Accoramboni (1896.06.22 â death 1899.05.17), without prelature, Titular Archbishop: Robert John Seton (1903.06.22 â 1927.03.22), without prelature, Titular Archbishop: Daniel Rivero Rivero (1951 â death 1960.05.23) (born Bolivia) on emeritate, formerly Titular Bishop of, This page was last edited on 1 March 2021, at 10:25.