Heliopolitan Triad
Encyclopedia
The cult of the Heliopolitan Triad was Phoenicia
Phoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...

n in essence but the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....

 adopted it when they conquered the city of Baalbeck in the Beqaa Valley
Beqaa Valley
The Beqaa Valley is a fertile valley in east Lebanon. For the Romans, the Beqaa Valley was a major agricultural source, and today it remains Lebanon’s most important farming region...

 of Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

. The Phoenician deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....

, Hadad
Hadad
Haddad was a northwest Semitic storm and rain god, cognate in name and origin with the Akkadian god Adad. Hadad was often called simply Ba‘al , but this title was also used for other gods. The bull was the symbolic animal of Hadad. He appeared as a bearded deity, often shown as holding a club and...

 became Jupiter Heliopolitanus, Astarte
Astarte
Astarte is the Greek name of a goddess known throughout the Eastern Mediterranean from the Bronze Age to Classical times...

, the great goddess became Venus Heliopolitana and Adon
Adon
Adon is the Northwest Semitic for "lord", mostly used of deities.It may also refer to:*in the Tanakh Adon may be used for men and angels as well as to El*Adonai "my lord" in Jewish tradition is used as a euphemism to refer to God...

, the god of spring turned into Mercury. The Romans built magnificent temples for the Heliopolitan Triad in the ancient city of Baalbeck, or Heliopolis, the City of the Sun. Votives dedicated to the cult were also found in the village of Bechouat
Bechouat
Bechouat is a Lebanese village in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon. The village is famous for the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Bechouat, a Marian shrine and the site of Christian pilgrimage. Divine miracles have been reported and attributed to Our Lady of Bechouat.The people of Bechouat are Lebanese and...

in Lebanon.
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