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Temple of Bacchus

June 22, 2023

The Temple of Bacchus is part of the Baalbek temple complex located in the broad Al-biqā (Bekaa Valley), Lebanon.[1] The temple complex is considered an outstanding archaeological and artistic site of Imperial Roman Architecture and was inscribed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.[1] This monument to Bacchus is one of the best preserved and grandest Roman temple ruins; its age is unknown, but its fine ornamentation can be dated to the second century CE.

Temple of Bacchus
General information
TypeRoman temple
Architectural styleClassical
LocationBaalbek, Lebanon
Heliopolis, Roman Phoenicia
Completedlate 2nd or early 3rd century
Height31 m (102 ft)
Technical details
Size66 by 35 m (217 by 115 ft)

History

The temple was probably commissioned by Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius (r. AD 138-161). No information was recorded about the site until a 4th-century Greek conquest, by which point the temple would likely have been closed due to the persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire. When the complex fell into disrepair, the Temple of Bacchus was possibly protected by the rubble of the rest of the site's ruins.

It was not until 1898-1903 that this was then made official by a German Expedition excavated two of the large temples and began reconstructions on the site.[2] In 1920 The State of Greater Lebanon was proclaimed and protections and repairs of the site were mandated by the Lebanese government.

In the mid-1970s the Lebanese civil war broke out and protections of the site ceased as Al-Biqā became a stronghold for Palestinian and Syrian forces. [3] In 1984 the ruins at Baalbek were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[1] Preservation of the site began in the 1990s following the end of the war.

The German Archaeological Institute's Orient Department has done a number of archaeological excavations and research on The Temple of Bacchus and the entire temple complex.[4] The site is continually being researched and assessed, such as documentation of reliefs and sculptures, archaeozoological research on fauna in the ruins, urban development and its relationship to Baalbek.

Architecture

 
The entrance to the Temple of Bacchus in the 1870s

The temple is 66 m long, 35 m wide and 31 m high, making it only slightly smaller than the Temple of Jupiter.[5] The podium on which the temple sits is on an East-West axis. The peripheral wall is adorned by a colonnade of forty-two unfluted Corinthian columns with Ionic bases, nineteen of which remain upright. There are eight columns along each end and fifteen along each side —nearly 20 m (66 ft) in height. These were probably erected in a rough state and then rounded, polished, and decorated in position. The columns support a richly carved entablature, which includes an architrave with a three-banded frieze that is decorated with alternating bulls and lions and cornice ornamented with geometric and floral patterns.

Inside, the cella is decorated with Corinthian pilasters flanking two levels of niches on each side. The parapets are decorated with dancing Maenads, supporting the attribution of the temple to Bacchus. The interior of the temple is divided into a 98 ft (30 m) nave and a 36 ft (11 m) adytum or sanctuary [6] on a platform raised 5 ft (2 m) above it and fronted by 13 steps.

The entrance was preserved as late as the 16th century, but the keystone of the lintel had slid 2 ft (1 m) following the 1759 earthquakes; a column of rough masonry was erected in the 1860s or '70s to support it. The earthquakes also damaged the area around the soffit's famed inscription of an eagle,[7] which was entirely covered by the keystone's supporting column.[7] Some historic Roman coins depict the structure of this temple along with Temple of Jupiter.[8]

The Temple is enriched by some of the most refined reliefs and sculpture to survive from antiquity.[9] There are four sculptures carved within the peristyle that are believed to be depictions of Acarina which would make them the first recognizable representations of mites in architecture.[10]

See also

Gallery

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Notes

  1. ^ a b c UNESCO World Heritage Site
  2. ^ Seyrig, Henri (1929). "La Triade héliopolitaine et les temples de Baalbek". Syria. 10 (4): 314–356. doi:10.3406/syria.1929.3414. ISSN 0039-7946. JSTOR 4236962.
  3. ^ Britannica Baalbeck
  4. ^ German Archaeological Institute
  5. ^ Sear (1982), p. 247.
  6. ^ Jessup (1881) p. 458
  7. ^ a b Chisholm (1911), p. 90.
  8. ^ Kevin Butcher, p 366
  9. ^ Jessup (1881) p. 459 459
  10. ^ Gorirossi-Bourdeau, F. (1995). "A documentation in stone of Acarina in the Roman Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek, Lebanon, about 150 AD, it will soon return into the hands of the new Roman Empire". Bull Ann Soc Ent Belgique.

Bibliography

  • Butcher, Kevin (2003). Roman Syria and the Near East. Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum. ISBN 9780892367153. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  • Gorirossi-Bourdeau, F. (1995). "A documentation in stone of Acarina in the Roman Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek, Lebanon, about 150 AD". Bull Ann Soc Ent Belgique.
  • Jessup, Samuel. Ba'albek (Picturesque Palestine, Sinai and Egypt) Ed. Appleton & Co. New York, 1881 ([1])
  • Lewis, Norman N. (1999). "Baalbek Before and After the Earthquake of 1759: The Drawings of James Bruce". Levant. 31 (1): 241–253. doi:10.1179/lev.1999.31.1.241.
  • Quintero, Mario; Seif, Assaad (2011). A Proposal for an Integrated risk preparedness strategy. Lebanon: Directorate General of Antiquities. ISBN 978-90-8169-530-5. Retrieved 14 November 2018. at "A Proposal for an Integrated Risk Preparedness Strategy."
  • Sabel, Pennie (2002). "Baalbek Keeps its Secrets". Stone World. 19 (9): 156–162. ProQuest 213631469.
  • Sear, Frank (1982). Roman Architecture. UK: B T Batsford Ltd, UK. ISBN 9781134635788. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  • Segal, Arthur (2000). "Colossal Engimas". Archaeology Odyssey: 50–53, 56, 58, 60–61.
  • Wood Foreign Correspondent, Josh (August 18, 2015). "Music returns to Baalbek ruins, defying Lebanon's security concerns". National. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  • "Lebanon: Baalbek Festival". The Globe and Mail (1936-Current). May 7, 1997. ProQuest 1400733423.

  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Baalbek". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek.
  • The Temple of Bacchus at Great Buildings
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • UNESCO World Heritage Baalbek Documents
  • Britannica Baalbeck
  • German Archaeological Institute
  • Baalbek International Festival

34°00′22″N 36°12′15″E / 34.006079°N 36.204038°E / 34.006079; 36.204038

June 22, 2023
temple, bacchus, part, baalbek, temple, complex, located, broad, biqā, bekaa, valley, lebanon, temple, complex, considered, outstanding, archaeological, artistic, site, imperial, roman, architecture, inscribed, unesco, world, heritage, site, 1984, this, monume. The Temple of Bacchus is part of the Baalbek temple complex located in the broad Al biqa Bekaa Valley Lebanon 1 The temple complex is considered an outstanding archaeological and artistic site of Imperial Roman Architecture and was inscribed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 1 This monument to Bacchus is one of the best preserved and grandest Roman temple ruins its age is unknown but its fine ornamentation can be dated to the second century CE Temple of BacchusGeneral informationTypeRoman templeArchitectural styleClassicalLocationBaalbek LebanonHeliopolis Roman PhoeniciaCompletedlate 2nd or early 3rd centuryHeight31 m 102 ft Technical detailsSize66 by 35 m 217 by 115 ft Contents 1 History 2 Architecture 3 See also 4 Gallery 5 Notes 6 Bibliography 7 External linksHistory EditThe temple was probably commissioned by Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius r AD 138 161 No information was recorded about the site until a 4th century Greek conquest by which point the temple would likely have been closed due to the persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire When the complex fell into disrepair the Temple of Bacchus was possibly protected by the rubble of the rest of the site s ruins It was not until 1898 1903 that this was then made official by a German Expedition excavated two of the large temples and began reconstructions on the site 2 In 1920 The State of Greater Lebanon was proclaimed and protections and repairs of the site were mandated by the Lebanese government In the mid 1970s the Lebanese civil war broke out and protections of the site ceased as Al Biqa became a stronghold for Palestinian and Syrian forces 3 In 1984 the ruins at Baalbek were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site 1 Preservation of the site began in the 1990s following the end of the war The German Archaeological Institute s Orient Department has done a number of archaeological excavations and research on The Temple of Bacchus and the entire temple complex 4 The site is continually being researched and assessed such as documentation of reliefs and sculptures archaeozoological research on fauna in the ruins urban development and its relationship to Baalbek Architecture Edit The entrance to the Temple of Bacchus in the 1870s The temple is 66 m long 35 m wide and 31 m high making it only slightly smaller than the Temple of Jupiter 5 The podium on which the temple sits is on an East West axis The peripheral wall is adorned by a colonnade of forty two unfluted Corinthian columns with Ionic bases nineteen of which remain upright There are eight columns along each end and fifteen along each side nearly 20 m 66 ft in height These were probably erected in a rough state and then rounded polished and decorated in position The columns support a richly carved entablature which includes an architrave with a three banded frieze that is decorated with alternating bulls and lions and cornice ornamented with geometric and floral patterns Inside the cella is decorated with Corinthian pilasters flanking two levels of niches on each side The parapets are decorated with dancing Maenads supporting the attribution of the temple to Bacchus The interior of the temple is divided into a 98 ft 30 m nave and a 36 ft 11 m adytum or sanctuary 6 on a platform raised 5 ft 2 m above it and fronted by 13 steps The entrance was preserved as late as the 16th century but the keystone of the lintel had slid 2 ft 1 m following the 1759 earthquakes a column of rough masonry was erected in the 1860s or 70s to support it The earthquakes also damaged the area around the soffit s famed inscription of an eagle 7 which was entirely covered by the keystone s supporting column 7 Some historic Roman coins depict the structure of this temple along with Temple of Jupiter 8 The Temple is enriched by some of the most refined reliefs and sculpture to survive from antiquity 9 There are four sculptures carved within the peristyle that are believed to be depictions of Acarina which would make them the first recognizable representations of mites in architecture 10 See also EditList of Ancient Roman temples Temple of Jupiter Roman Heliopolis Gallery Edit Notes Edit a b c UNESCO World Heritage Site Seyrig Henri 1929 La Triade heliopolitaine et les temples de Baalbek Syria 10 4 314 356 doi 10 3406 syria 1929 3414 ISSN 0039 7946 JSTOR 4236962 Britannica Baalbeck German Archaeological Institute Sear 1982 p 247 Jessup 1881 p 458 a b Chisholm 1911 p 90 Kevin Butcher p 366 Jessup 1881 p 459 459 Gorirossi Bourdeau F 1995 A documentation in stone of Acarina in the Roman Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek Lebanon about 150 AD it will soon return into the hands of the new Roman Empire Bull Ann Soc Ent Belgique Bibliography EditButcher Kevin 2003 Roman Syria and the Near East Los Angeles J Paul Getty Museum ISBN 9780892367153 Retrieved 12 November 2014 Gorirossi Bourdeau F 1995 A documentation in stone of Acarina in the Roman Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek Lebanon about 150 AD Bull Ann Soc Ent Belgique Jessup Samuel Ba albek Picturesque Palestine Sinai and Egypt Ed Appleton amp Co New York 1881 1 Lewis Norman N 1999 Baalbek Before and After the Earthquake of 1759 The Drawings of James Bruce Levant 31 1 241 253 doi 10 1179 lev 1999 31 1 241 Quintero Mario Seif Assaad 2011 A Proposal for an Integrated risk preparedness strategy Lebanon Directorate General of Antiquities ISBN 978 90 8169 530 5 Retrieved 14 November 2018 at A Proposal for an Integrated Risk Preparedness Strategy Sabel Pennie 2002 Baalbek Keeps its Secrets Stone World 19 9 156 162 ProQuest 213631469 Sear Frank 1982 Roman Architecture UK B T Batsford Ltd UK ISBN 9781134635788 Retrieved 12 November 2014 Segal Arthur 2000 Colossal Engimas Archaeology Odyssey 50 53 56 58 60 61 Wood Foreign Correspondent Josh August 18 2015 Music returns to Baalbek ruins defying Lebanon s security concerns National Retrieved 16 November 2018 Lebanon Baalbek Festival The Globe and Mail 1936 Current May 7 1997 ProQuest 1400733423 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Baalbek Encyclopaedia Britannica 11th ed Cambridge University Press External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek The Temple of Bacchus at Great Buildings UNESCO World Heritage Site UNESCO World Heritage Baalbek Documents Britannica Baalbeck German Archaeological Institute Baalbek International Festival 34 00 22 N 36 12 15 E 34 006079 N 36 204038 E 34 006079 36 204038 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Temple of Bacchus amp oldid 1156467970, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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