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| Baalbek, also
called Heliopolis |
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Source:
Picturesque Palestine, vol. 2, p. 235. |
The Large Stone in
the Quarry, Ba'albek
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We reached the outskirts of Ba'albek at noon, and paused to survey the scene. At
our feet were the quarries from which the great hewn stones of yonder temples
were taken. In front were the green gardens and groves of Ba'albek, watered by
the great fountain, Râs el 'Ain. One-third of a mile to the north, above the
poplar and mulberry orchards, rose the stately walls and columns of the
matchless temples of the Ba'albek Acropolis. The Great Stone, as it is called,
lies in the quarry, hewn smooth on the top, the sides, and south-east end, the
west end not yet being detached from the native rock . . . .On the under side
it is cut away, remaining attached to the bed rock in the middle along its
entire length. This is called by the Arabs the "Hajr el Hûbla," or stone of the
pregnant woman, and is the wonder of architects, scholars, and practical men
from all parts of the world. It is sixty-eight feet four inches in length,
seventeen feet in width, and fourteen feet seven inches in height. It is
computed to contain thirteen thousand cubic feet, and to weigh more than eleven
hundred tons, or two million two hundred and seventy thousand pounds. (Source:
Picturesque Palestine, vol. 2, pp. 215-216.) |
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Lebanon Range and Baalbek |
Source:
Picturesque Palestine, vol. 2, facing
p. 218. |
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The plain on which the ruins stand is
level, forming the outlet of the fine stream
which runs down to the Sahlet Ba'albek from
the fountain Râs el 'Ain, half a mile distant
to the south-east in a valley of Anti-Lebanon.
The ruins stand on a platform of titanic
masonry evidently of Phoenician origin, about
one thousand feet in length, six hundred feet
broad, and varying in height from fifteen to
thirty feet. This prodigious mass of masonry
is composed of large cut stones, the smaller
of which are from twelve to thirty feet in
length, nine feet broad, and six feet thick;
and three, on the west side, are the
celebrated "Three Stones," which gave the
temple the name trilithon. One of them
is sixty-four feet long, another sixty-three
feet eight inches, and the third sixty-three
feet; in all one hundred and ninety feet eight
inches, and they are thirteen feet in height,
and not less than this in thickness . . . .The
ancient walls of the city of Ba'albek were
some two miles in extent, but hardly a trace
of them now remains, excepting on the
south-west side, where its shattered towers
and battlements stand out on the hillside in
bold relief against the sky. (Source:
Picturesque Palestine, vol. 2, pp. 218, 229.) |
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Source:
Picturesque Palestine, vol. 2, p.
234. |
The Temple of Venus, or
Circular Temple |
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The Temple of Venus, or Circular Temple . . . , stands about one hundred and fifty yards
from the south-east angle of the Temple of the
Sun. It is a beautiful little Corinthian
structure, circular within and without, with
handsome niches at regular intervals each
flanked by two columns, so as to gave the
building the appearance of an octagon. Wreaths
hang gracefully from the cornice over each
niche. The cella is thirty-eight feet in
diameter. The number of columns is six, each
nine feet distant from the wall. The
entablature supported by these projecting
columns does not run continuously from column
to column, but recedes in a graceful curve
almost to the wall of the cella, giving the
whole an appearance of lightness and elegance
rarely equalled. It is looked upon as the gem
of Ba'albek. In the days of Maundrell it was
used as a Greek Church, although seriously
shattered by earthquakes . . . .The Greeks no
longer worship in it, but it is still
beautiful, even in decay. It is now called "El
Barbara," in honour of St. Barbara. (Source:
Picturesque Palestine, vol. 2, p. 228.) |
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Baalbek, Temple Reconstruction |
Source:
Photographs of Charles Lee Feinberg. |
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The most ancient allusion to Ba'albek is in
the prophecy of Amos i. 5 (787 B.C.): "I will
cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven
(Bikath Aven);" the Hebrew word Bika is the
same with the Arabic Bukâ'a. Aven is given in
the Septuagint as On, the domestic name of the
Egyptian Heliopolis. The allusion is clearly
to the Bukâ'a of Ba'albek . . . .The voice of
Syrian tradition, among all sects and in every
district, is that Solomon built the cyclopean
walls of Ba'albek, assisted by the genii who
were under his control. Dr. Robinson, whose
learned chapter on the history of Ba'albek
leaves nothing to be desired, states that "the
name Heliopolis, 'City of the Sun,' implies
that this city, like its namesake in Egypt,
was already consecrated to the worship of the
sun. Indeed, the sun was one of the chief
divinities in the Syrian and Asiatic worship,
and to him was applied in their mythology, as
well as to Jupiter and some other gods, the
name of Baal, or 'Lord.' . . . The name was in
old times attached to places innumerable, and
Ba'albek was no doubt the centre of the Syrian
Baal-worship. (Source:
Picturesque Palestine, vol. 2, pp. 230-32.) |
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Baalbek, Lion's Head Decoration |
Source:
Photographs of Charles Lee Feinberg. |
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In the second and third centuries . . .
Ba'albek was a Roman colony, and enjoyed the
boon of the jus Italicum, only granted to
favoured provincial cities . . . .[T]here is
strong evidence in favour of Antoninus Pius
(who died A.D. 161) having contributed to the
Acropolis one of its stately temples . . . .
"When the power of the state, under
Constantine, began to be wielded in favour of
Christianity, . . . the emperor founded here
an immense basilica, and consecrated a bishop
with his presbyters and deacons, although
there were but few Christians in the city. . .
." The heathen rites and customs of the people
were too deeply rooted to be at once
eradicated, and the accession of Julian the
Apostate to the imperial throne (A.D. 361) was
the signal for the violent suppression of
Christianity. It was at this time that the
people of Heliopolis distinguished themselves
by deeds of violence and cruelty, in revenge,
it is said, for the restraints formerly
imposed upon them. Under Julian's immediate
successors the tide again slowly turned in
favour of Christianity. (Source:
Picturesque Palestine, vol. 2, pp. 232-35.) |
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See
Bacchus
Temple,
Temple
Courts,
Temple
of Jupiter,
Palmyra,
Palmyra Grand
Colonnade,
or
Cedars of
Lebanon |
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