This article lists historical events that occurred between 1–100 in modern-day
Lebanon or regarding
its people.
Administration
Kingdom at the Beqaa
Map of
Roman Palestine in the first century; according to
Conder (1889)
in AD 39, the district of
Iturea[a] was given by
Caligula to a certain Soemus,[b] he was also known as the
tetrarch of Lebanon by the
Romano-Jewish historian
Josephus.[4] Soemus reigned until his death in AD 49, when his kingdom was incorporated into the province of Syria (
Tacitus, Annals, xii. 23).
Coin of Herod of Chalcis, showing him with his brother Agrippa of Judaea crowning Roman Emperor Claudius I.
In AD 41, at
Herod Agrippa's request, his brother
Herod was given
Chalcis in the
Beqaa Valley, with its center of worship being
Baalbek,[5] and allowed the title of basileus by Claudius.[6] King Herod of Chalcis reigned until his death in AD 48, whereupon his kingdom was given to Agrippa's son
Agrippa II, though only as a tetrarchy.[7][8]
In the
Acts of the Apostles 12.20, in which Herod Agrippa is 'depicted as a typical persecuting tyrant', it is mentioned that the king furiously quarrelled with the people of
Sidon and
Tyre, and forbade the export of food to them. As they were dependent on delivery of food from
Judea, and Judea was affected by famine, the two cities joined and sought an audience with him. After they secured support of
Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king's country for their food supply.[9]
Agrippa II expended large sums in beautifying
Berytus (ancient
Beirut), a Hellenised city in Phoenicia. His partiality for the Lebanese city rendered him unpopular amongst his Jewish subjects.[10][11] He was forced to give up the tetrarchy of Chalcis in AD 53, but in exchange Claudius made him ruler with the title of king over the territories previously governed by
Philip the Tetrarch (
Batanea,
Trachonitis and
Gaulanitis), and
Lysanias (
Abilene).[12][13][14]
Reign of Vespasian
When the Roman emperor
Vespasian (
r. 1 July 69 – 23 June 79) and king Agrippa came to Tyre, the inhabitants of the city began to speak reproachfully of the king, and called him an enemy to the Romans; for they said that Philip, the general of his army, had betrayed the royal palace and the Roman forces that were in
Jerusalem, and that it was done by his command. When Vespasian heard of this report, he rebuked the Tyrians for abusing a man who was "both a king and a friend to the Romans".[15]
End of Chalcis
The tetrarchy of Chalcis previously surrendered by Agrippa II was subsequently in 57 given to his cousin
Aristobulus, the son of Herod of Chalcis (
Acts 25:13; 26:2,7). After the death of Aristobulus in AD 92, Chalcis was absorbed into the province of Syria.
According to
Photius, Agrippa II died at the age of seventy in the third year of the reign of
Trajan (AD 100),[16] but statements of Josephus, in addition to the contemporary
epigraphy from his kingdom. The modern scholarly consensus holds that he died before 93/94.[17] Following his death his realm of Chalcis at the Beqaa as well came under the direct rule of Rome.
Events
20s
Bronze prutah of
Pontius Pilate (worn, clipped, 15mm, 1.97g.). Obverse: ΤΙΒΕΡΙΟΥ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΟΣ surrounding
lituus. Reverse: Wreath surrounding date
LIϚ (year 16, 29/30 CE). Found in Lebanon.
Herod I dies in AD 48, passing his throne to his son, Herod Agrippa II.
50s
In AD 53, Agrippa II is forced to give up the tetrarchy of Chalcis, in exchange Claudius made him ruler with the title of king over the territories previously governed by Philip.
The tetrarchy of Chalcis is given to Agrippa's cousin, Aristobulus, AD 57.
Paul the Apostle visits Tyre in AD 58 and meet with the
Disciples and stays with them for 7 days. They pleaded with him not to go to Jerusalem due to persecution against Christians there.[29]
60s
Paul the Apostle is allowed, on his way to Rome as a prisoner around AD 60, to meet his friends in Sidon.[30]
Shortly after the acclamation of Vespasian had occurred at
Alexandria on July 1, Vespasian and
Mucianus – a prominent senator,
governor of Syria, and a man who had been instrumental in persuading Vespasian to bid for the imperial throne – hold a conference at Berytus, planning their campaign in mid-July, AD 69.[37]
The Lebanese
cartographer and
mathematicianMarinus of Tyre is born,
c. AD 70. The projection method of his charts, from the Atlantic to China, will be picked up and revived by
Mercator fourteen centuries later.[40]
80s
El-Gouth, a Lebanese folk hero who was said to be called "El-
Saleeby" by an Arabian prince for his wars against Jews and idolaters in defense of the Christian faith, is born in the year of AD 89.[36]
90s
Aristobulus of Chalcis dies in AD 92, causing Chalcis to be absorbed into the Roman
province of Syria.
According to tradition, the diocese of
Tripoli in Phoenicia was founded in the
apostolic age with Maron[c] chosen as the first bishop by the apostle
Peter,[41] and Tyre was the seat of one of the oldest Christian communities, dating back to the dawn of Christianity, and
Quartus was the bishop of Berytus (Beirut)
c. AD 50.[42] Traditionally, the Evangelist
Mark is considered to have been the first Bishop of
Byblos and
Silas (Silouan) the first Bishop of
Botris, both assigned to their sees by the Apostle Peter.[43]
Crucifix graffiti on the walls of the ruined Savior Church in Tyre. It was built in a place where Jesus supposedly sat down on a rock and had a meal.
The city of Tyre is mentioned in the
Gospels in a proverb quoted by Jesus himself (
Matthew 11,21); according to the testimony of
Luke (6.17), at the preaching of Jesus there were also faithful from the coast of Tyre and Sidon; and Jesus himself went to the region of Tyre and Sidon to work miracles such as the
exorcism of the Syrophoenician woman's daughter (
Mark 7,24-31). Soon a Christian community was formed in the city, which was visited by Paul the Apostle (
Acts of the Apostles 21: 3-7) on his last journey to Jerusalem before his arrest.
Arabic miniature painting of the exorcism of the Syrophoenician woman's daughter, 1684 AD.
Industry
There is evidence in Josephus of substantial Jewish interest in
silk, both in trade and production, especially in Berytus and Tyre. In the Roman period,
Jiyeh was a production site of Beirut Type 2
amphorae[d] transporting olive oil from the 1st century AD onwards.[44]
Architecture
Two lower Roman temples that date back to the 1st century AD,
Niha, Zahlé.[45]
Tower of Claudius, temple of Zeus, a sanctuary, and two altars, Qalaat Faqra, Kisrawan.
A theatre and amphitheatre, baths and
porticoes in the city of Berytus, built by Agrippa I.[46]
In the mid-1st century, a number of
Julio-Claudian emperors enriched the sanctuary of the
Temple of Jupiter, Baabek, causing it to be largely completed by AD 60 as evidenced by a
graffito located on one of the topmost column drums.[47][48][49]
^Not to be confused with
Maron, the 4th century religious figure
^The form – Beirut Type 1 – has a projecting rim and
fairly large handles. Beirut Type 2 is similar to the first form with a more defined rim and was produced in the Augustan period, suddenly ending by the late 1st century CE.
References
^Steve Mason, Life of Josephus,Brill, 2007 p.54, n.306.
^Dau, Butros. "History of the Maronites: Religious, Cultural, and Political." Lebanon, 1984, p. 51
^Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906).
"Agrippa II". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.: "In the year 50, without regard to the rights of the heir to the throne, he had himself appointed ... to the principality of Chalcis by the emperor."
^Alexander, Loveday (2007). "62. Acts". In Barton, John; Muddiman, John (eds.).
The Oxford Bible Commentary (first (paperback) ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 1028–1061.
ISBN978-0-19-927718-6. Retrieved February 6, 2019., p. 1043.
^Hoehner, Harold W. (1980) [1972].
Herod Antipas. Contemporary evangelical perspectives: biblical history (Volume 17). Zondervan. p. 108.
ISBN978-0-310-42251-8. Retrieved 2016-09-10.
^Whitehead, James; Burns, Michael (2008). The Panther: Posthumous Poems. Springfield, Mo.: Moon City Press. pp. 15–17.
ISBN978-0-913785-12-6.
^Deissmann, Adolf; Strachan, Lionel R.M. (2003). Light From the Ancient East: The New Testament Illustrated by Recently Discovered Texts of the Graeco Roman World. Whitefish, Mont.: Kessinger Pub. pp. 73–74.
ISBN0-7661-7406-9.
^Campbell, J.B. (1994). The Roman Army, 31 BC-AD 337: A Sourcebook. Routledge. p. 37.
ISBN0-415-07173-9.
^McDowell, Sean (2016). The Fate of the Apostles: Examining the Martyrdom Accounts of the Closest Followers of Jesus. Routledge. p. 247.
ISBN978-1-317-03189-5.
^admin_stj (2016-10-20).
"Who is Saint Jude?". National Shrine of Saint Jude. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
^American University of BeirutRomanamphorae in the Near East: a study of the distribution of Spanish, North African, and local types by Naseem Naji Raad
^The Roman Near East: 31 BC-AD 337 (Carl Newell Jackson Lectures) Harvard University Press (March 15, 1995) p. 282
^Josephus, De Bello Judaico (Wars of the Jews) v.iv.§ 2