Transforming the Semitic, Canaanite God Baal into the Roman God Jupiter
Trying to locate Baalbek in history and in the Bible...
Ancient records have nothing at all to say about Baalbek, it seems, though human habitation there is quite old. Archaeological digs reveal evidence of human habitation at least back to 1600 BCE and possibly going to 2300 BCE. The name Baalbek means "Lord (God, Baal) of the Beqaa Valley" and at one time archaeologists thought that it was the same place as the Baalgad mentioned in Joshua 11:
Today, though, this is no longer the consensus of scholars. Some also have speculated that this is the site mentioned in 1 Kings:
That, too, is not widely believed anymore.
The Baalbek complex of Roman temples is founded upon an older site dedicated to Semitic gods worshipped by the Phoenicians who were part of the Canaanite religious and cultural tradition. Baal, which can be translated as "lord" or "god," was the name given to the high god at nearly every Phoenician city-state. It's likely then that Baal was the high god at Baalbek and it it's not at all implausible that the Romans chose to build their temple to Jupiter on the site of a temple to Baal. This would have been consistent with Roman efforts to blend the religions of conquered people with their own beliefs.
Ancient records have nothing at all to say about Baalbek, it seems, though human habitation there is quite old. Archaeological digs reveal evidence of human habitation at least back to 1600 BCE and possibly going to 2300 BCE. The name Baalbek means "Lord (God, Baal) of the Beqaa Valley" and at one time archaeologists thought that it was the same place as the Baalgad mentioned in Joshua 11:
- As the Lord commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses. So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same; Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them. Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle. [Joshua 11:15-19]
Today, though, this is no longer the consensus of scholars. Some also have speculated that this is the site mentioned in 1 Kings:
- And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether, And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land, And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. [1 Kings 17-19]
That, too, is not widely believed anymore.
The Baalbek complex of Roman temples is founded upon an older site dedicated to Semitic gods worshipped by the Phoenicians who were part of the Canaanite religious and cultural tradition. Baal, which can be translated as "lord" or "god," was the name given to the high god at nearly every Phoenician city-state. It's likely then that Baal was the high god at Baalbek and it it's not at all implausible that the Romans chose to build their temple to Jupiter on the site of a temple to Baal. This would have been consistent with Roman efforts to blend the religions of conquered people with their own beliefs.
Source...