- The Temple of Melqart was a famous Temple, located in the ancient city of Tyre, and built by King Hiram of Tyre (969-936 BCE). Annual pilgrimages were made from other Phoenician cities to visit this Temple.
- Melqart was known as the ‘Lord of Tyre’, and as Hercules to the Greeks and Romans. The Kings of Tyre were thought to be descended from Melqart. The High Priest of the Temple was second in importance only to the King of Tyre.
Pillars of Hercules
- Herodotus
- The Temple of Melqart was described by Herodotus (c.484-c.420 BCE) as having one pillar of gold and another of Emerald.
- Herodotus thought that the Temple was 2,300 years old.
- Strabo
- Strabo wrote about two Bronze Pillars in the Temple of Hercules in Cadiz which were generally believed to be the Pillars of Hercules.
- However, after he had closely examined the Pillars, he decided the claim was untrue.
Temple of Melqart in Carthage
- The Temple of Melqart in Carthage was established by the discovery of an inscription on a Stele.
- Carthage had to send one tenth of its annual profits to the Temple of Melqart at Tyre, until the latter was destroyed by Alexander the Great in 333 BCE.
Temple of Melqart in Cadiz
- Hannibal is said by Livy to have visited the Temple of Melqart in Cadiz before embarking on the Second Punic War (218-202 BCE).
Other Temples of Melqart
- Tyre compelled all new colonies to build a Temple to Melqart. Other Temples to Melqart existed at Ibiza, Cartagena, Lixus in Morocco, Malta and Cyprus.
Tyre, Lebanon