Lebanon: Waiting to be Rediscovered

The Temple of Jupiter at Baalbeck

Lebanon's long history stretches back 7,000 years to Biblical times.  This crossroads of ancient civilisations has fallen under the sway of all the great empires of the Mediterranean and Near East; Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Ottomans and more recently the French have bequeathed a rich and multicultural legacy on this fascinating land.

It was from Lebanon's shores that the Phoenicians launched their 'Empire of the Sea', founding great ports such as Cadiz in Spain and Carthage in Tunisia and dominating the ancient maritime world for some 2,000 years.

Lebanon today is a surprisingly tiny country, roughly half the size of Wales, but within its boundaries lie some of the finest historical sites in the world, most notably Baalbeck, whose magnificent Temple of Jupiter was the largest temple ever built by the Romans.