Nahleh village, located north-east of Baalbek, houses the remnants of a Roman temple.
Toponym
Nahleh is identified with the name Aphaca according to the Suda – a 10th century Byzantine encyclopedia of the ancient Mediterranean world. At a certain stage, the area would be known as the “Land of Nakleh”, thus Nahle, without concrete proof of this sudden change of appellation.
Timeline
The temple dates back between the 2nd and the 3rd century AD.
Structure
The temple has preserved only the foundation block and the podium of the structure, which are quit massive. The remaining elements have been pillaged over time, especially during the Lebanese civil war.
The cella of the temple is, unfortunately, full of grass and debris from nearby houses.
During our visit, we spotted several rock carriers that locals claimed it was used to feed the city of Heliopolis (Baalbek) with stones for construction. We also noted remnants of possible shrines or habitations that have been vandalized in search of gold.
Karim Sokhn
Tour Operator & Tour Guide
References:
La vie Religieuse Au Liban Sous L’Empire Romain – Julien Aliquo
The temple foundation and podium
