. Palestine and Syria with the chief routes through Mesopotamia and Babylonia; handbook for travellers;. into a citadel at an early period. As a fortress it was important in thewars of the middle ages. In 1139 the town and castle were captured byEmir Zenghi, and in 1175 the district of Baalbek came into possessionof Saladin. In 1260 Baalbek was destroyed by Hulagu (p. Ixxxiv), andit was afterwards conquered by Timur. The ancient *Acropolis of Baalbek, surrounded by gardens, andrunning from W. to E., rises to the W. of the little town. It iscovered by the remains of two temples of the 2nd cent.
. Palestine and Syria with the chief routes through Mesopotamia and Babylonia; handbook for travellers;. into a citadel at an early period. As a fortress it was important in thewars of the middle ages. In 1139 the town and castle were captured byEmir Zenghi, and in 1175 the district of Baalbek came into possessionof Saladin. In 1260 Baalbek was destroyed by Hulagu (p. Ixxxiv), andit was afterwards conquered by Timur. The ancient *Acropolis of Baalbek, surrounded by gardens, andrunning from W. to E., rises to the W. of the little town. It iscovered by the remains of two temples of the 2nd cent. , whichwere erected upon massive substructions and were preceded by courts. Erection of the temples, see above. Coins of Septimius Severus (193-211)show the outlines of these two temples, as do also coins of later date;but it is unknown whether the larger was ever finished. From the votiveinscriptions of Antoninus Pius it would appear that the larger temple wasdedicated to all the gods of Heliopolis; the smaller was the temple ofBacchus. Both temples most probably date from the same period. The. case g ^IdestrovBdl Acropolis. BAALBEK. 39. Route. 321 Arabs converted them into a fortress. They afterwards fell into the middle of the 16th cent, the ruins of Baalbek were rediscoveredby Europeans, but they have again suftered severely from earthquakes,particularly from that of 1759. Various interesting details were broughtto light by the German excavations of 1900-1904, while portions in dangerof falling were restored. The Entrance (tickets 1 mej. each) is at the E. side. The broadflight of steps which formerly here led up to the Propylaia is nowrepresented by a narrow modern staircase, erected by the GermanEmperor among the luxuriant fruit-trees. The Propylaea stand about 19 ft. above the adjoining orchard,on a platform supported by a large vault. They consist of a portico,ca. 66 yds. in length and 13 yds. in width, flanked by two front the portico had twelve
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