Abstract
The temple of Jupiter at Baalbek in Lebanon is one of the most complex architectural projects ever conceived. Several issues remain unsolved about this site; in particular, the relative chronology and the dates of construction of the two ‘podia’ of the temple are unsure, as well as the true nature of the cult of Jupiter practiced there. We present here a new architectural analysis based on the orientation and on other features of the temple, which clearly point to a unified project originally conceived under Herod the Great.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
It should, however, be noted that the dates of Heliacal phenomena are always difficult to identify in a precise way. In particular, a more prudential estimate (by increasing the distance in height from the Sun, or by decreasing the assumed magnitude of the asterism, or both) would lead to shift the date later in May.
- 2.
The presence of Roman sketch engravings of the temple pediment on one of the blocks of the Trilithon has been claimed as a proof of contemporaneity. Of course it is not: the Roman architects used to sketch their projects on pre-existing monuments, for instance on the paved floor in front of Augustus mausoleum a precise drawing of Hadrian’s Pantheon pediment can be seen. Another proof should be that in the lower course of Podium II a piece of a column drum was used instead of a block; however—if it was not a Arab repair—the small piece does not appear to belong to the huge columns of the Julio-Claudian phase and may come from the Herodian temple.
References
Abdul Massih, J. (2015). The megalithic quarry of Baalbek: Sector III the megaliths of H. ajjar al-H. Ibla. Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies, 3(4), 313–329.
Bahat, D. (1994). The Western Wall tunnels. In H. Geva (Ed.), Ancient Jerusalem revealed (pp. 97–118). Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society.
Belmonte, J. A., Shaltout, M., & Fekri, M. (2009). Astronomy, landscape and symbolism: A study on the orientations of ancient Egyptian temples. In J. A. Belmonte & M. Shaltout (Eds.), In search of cosmic order, selected essays on Egyptian archaeoastronomy (pp. 211–282). Cairo: Supreme Council of Antiquities.
Boutsikas, E. (2009). Placing Greek temples: An archaeoastronomical study of the orientation of ancient Greek religious structures. Archaeoastronomy, 21, 4–19.
Boutsikas, E., & Hannah, R. (2012). Aitia, astronomy and the timing of the Arrhephoria. Annual of the British School at Athens, 107, 233–245.
Boutsikas, E., & Ruggles, C. L. N. (2011). Temples, stars, and ritual landscapes: The potential for archaeoastronomy in ancient Greece. American Journal of Archaeology, 115(1), 55–68.
González-García, A. C., Belmonte, J., & Polcaro, A. (2016). A diachronic analysis of orientation of sacred precincts across Jordan. Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, 16(4), 133–141.
Hannah, R., & Magli, G. (2011). The role of the sun in the Pantheon design and meaning. Numen, 58(4), 486–513.
Kropp, A. J. M. (2009). The cults of Ituraean Heliopolis (Baalbek). Journal of Roman Archaeology, 22, 365–380.
Kropp, A. J. M. (2010). Jupiter, Venus and Mercury of Heliopolis (Baalbek). The images of the “triad” and its alleged syncretism. Syria, 87, 229–264.
Kropp, A. J. M., & Lohmann, D. (2011). ‘Master, look at the size of those stones! Look at the size of those buildings!’ Analogies in construction techniques between the temples at Heliopolis (Baalbek) and Jerusalem. Levant, 43, 38–50.
Lohmann, D. (2008). Recent architectural research on the planning and development of the sanctuary of Jupiter. In M. van Ess (Ed.), Baalbek-Heliopolis. Results of archaeological and architectural research 2002–2005. Colloquium Berlin 2006 (pp. 153–160). Beirut: Direction general des Antiquites.
Lohmann, D. (2010). Giant strides towards monumentality: The architecture of the Jupiter Sanctuary in Baalbek/Heliopolis. Bolletino di Archeologia, 1, 29–30.
Magli, G. (2006). The acropolis of Alatri: Architecture and astronomy. Nexus, 8, 5–16.
Magli, G. (2015). Archaeoastronomy. Introduction to the science of stars and stones. New York: Springer.
Ritmeyer, L. (1992). Locating the original Temple mount. Biblical Archaeology Review, 18, 2445–2449.
Segal, A. (2013). Temples and sanctuaries in the Roman East: Religious architecture in Syria, Iudaea/Palaestina and Provincia Arabia. Oxford: Oxbow Books.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Magli, G. (2019). The Archaeoastronomy and Chronology of the Temple of Jupiter at Baalbek. In: Magli, G., González-García, A., Belmonte Aviles, J., Antonello, E. (eds) Archaeoastronomy in the Roman World. Historical & Cultural Astronomy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97007-3_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97007-3_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-97006-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-97007-3
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)