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Nahle, Lebanon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nahlé
Village
Map
Country Lebanon
GovernorateBaalbek-Hermel
DistrictBaalbek
Nahlé
نحله
Nahle, Lebanon is located in Lebanon
Nahle, Lebanon
Shown within Lebanon
Location6 kilometres (3.7 mi) northeast of Baalbek
RegionBaalbek
Coordinates34°03′30″N 36°17′58″E / 34.05833°N 36.29944°E / 34.05833; 36.29944
History
CulturesRoman
Site notes
ConditionRuins
Public accessYes

Nahlé (Arabic: نحله Nahlah), is a village situated 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) northeast of Baalbek in Baalbek District, Baalbek-Hermel Governorate, Lebanon.[1] It has the ruins of a Roman temple.

Name

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The Lebanese town of Nahlé derives its name from the Arabic word “نحلة” (Nahleh), meaning “honeybee.” This interpretation reflects a connection to nature, potentially emphasizing the industrious and community-oriented qualities associated with bees. Additionally, Nahlé is known for its ancient history, including Roman-era ruins, suggesting that the name could also carry historical or cultural significance tied to its origins.

History

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Nahle was probably founded during Roman rule of the region, that was called in the first century Roman Phoenicia.[citation needed]

The 13th-century geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi listed Nahlah in his geographical dictionary, with its entry being "a village lying 3 miles from Ba'labakk".[2]

In 1838, Eli Smith noted Nahleh as a Metawileh village in the Baalbek area.[3] Actually Nahle is located above a valley.[citation needed]

Roman temple

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There are the ruins of a Roman temple in the village that are included in a group of Temples of the Beqaa Valley.[4]

The temple foundations are made of gigantic blocks of stone, upon which sit the remains of a podium. The podium has a long inscription written on it that is now almost impossible to read.[1] The huge foundations indicate that there was a huge temple over these foundations during Roman centuries.[5]

This sanctuary consisted of two parts: an open air court and a large room with a ceiling where notches for the wooden beam still exist. Only a few courses of stone are still standing.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b George Taylor (1967). The Roman temples of Lebanon: a pictorial guide. Dar el-Machreq Publishers. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  2. ^ Le Strange, Guy (1890). Palestine Under the Moslems. London: A. P. Watt. p. 514. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  3. ^ Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, 2nd appendix, p. 145
  4. ^ Othmar Keel (1997). The Symbolism of the Biblical World: Ancient Near Eastern Iconography and the Book of Psalms. Eisenbrauns. pp. 159–. ISBN 978-1-57506-014-9. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  5. ^ Nahle Roman temple

Bibliography

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