The monuments
of Tyre, Monumental Archway and Hippodrome of Tyre
Most of what remains of ancient Tyre dates from the
time of the Roman Empire. But it would be wrong to
think that Tyre was no more than a Roman colony. From
earliest Phoenician times, Tyre was one of the busiest
centers on the coast of the levant Early in the third
millennium BC a settlement was formed on a group of
rocky islands. This settlement became so prosperous
that the Phoenician king Hiram was able to put men
and resources to work to drain the lagoons that separated
the islands and form one solid land area. It was at
this time that Solomon was building his mighty temple
in Jerusalem, and Solomon wrote to Hiram asking for
the loan of his architects and masons. Solomon was
eager that his temple to Jehovah should rival in magnificence
the temple that had already been built and dedicated
to the God Melkart in Tyre.
This temple to Melkart was by no means the only object
of admiration and wonder in ancient Tyre. Tyrian commerce
and industry was well-known all over the Mediterranean
and beyond. To quote the Bible, "Your empire
exceeds the oceans, and you carry your trade into
the distant islands." Carthage, in North Africa,
was founded by people from Tyre, and would later offer
a serious threat to Rome for mastery of the world,
Hannibal was Carthaginian, and Tyrian ships traded
with Marseille, with Cadiz, and beyond.
The Bible also mentions Tyre's industry. "By
the abundance of your riches, you have enriched the
kings of the earth." Robes of Tyrian purple adorned
kings and emperors. Glass from Tyre was superior to
anything that even the Romans could produce. But Tyre
knew the anger of Jehovah. "Behold, says the
Lord, I am exceeding wroth with thee, O Tyre. And
I shall cause nations to rise up against thee, even
as the sea doth cause to rise up waves."
Tyre was a stronghold. Despite Jehovah's angry words,
Tyre was able to withstand all attacks. To do this,
she needed the advantage of a strategic position,
well constructed defenses, and ingenious and courageous
men. All of these, Tyre had. For thirteen years, long
after the rest of ancient Phoenicia had surrendered
or succumbed, Tyre held out against the invading armies
of Nebuchadnezzar and his Assyrians. Tyre finally
surrendered to Alexander the Great in the year 332
AD and then only after seven months of siege, during
which Alexander was forced to construct a great mole
to join the city with the mainland.
Tyre was the only city to dare to hold out against
the young conqueror, and she paid dearly for her courage:
for those of her people who were not killed during
the fighting were crucified at the city gates after
the final surrender.
Tyre ultimately became a part of the Roman Empire,
and it is the remains of this period that are the
most easily visible today. There is a massive Roman
and Byzantine necropolis, full of sculptured marble
sarcophagi. Many of these bear base-relief scenes
from the Odyssey or from the story of Phaedra. To
the South of the necropolis there is a vast hippodrome,
one of the largest and best-known in Roman times.
A good part of the grandstand still survives intact.
The town itself was built inland from the Egyptian
port (much of which has sadly since disappeared under
the waves: but the water is very shallow and the enterprising
swimmer can see much with a mask and snorkel). There
is a single main street with columns, marble pavement,
porticos and baths, as well as a market-place and
theatre, which was used as the site for a five-yearly
equivalent of the Olympic games.
But the ruins are by no means all Roman. There is
a cathedral dating from Crusader times. As with many
of their buildings, the Crusaders were not at liberty
to travel far for buildings materials, and they used
what they found on the spot. The cathedral at Tyre
is constructed very largely of pink granite columns
which had been brought over from Aswan centuries before.
And it is under this cathedral, or very close to it,
that archeologists hope to find the ruins of the temple
of Melkart.
- The monuments of Tyre: >> View
Movie << (2002-05-01)
- Monumental Archway: >> View
Movie << (2002-05-01)
- Hippodrome of Tyre: >> View
Movie << (2002-05-01)
- Al Bass Archaeological site: >> View
Movie << (2017-05-01)
