Tire in the Bible. Sidon and Tire (ancient cities). Cryonics - ice immortality

The location of Thira remained controversial for a long time 1 . Its final location was established by E.R. Stern 2 at the beginning of the 20th century, who discovered it as a result of excavations in 1900 and 1912. on the territory of the courtyards of the Akkerman fortress and the fortress square there is a thick layer of the ancient period. The excavations of Thira were not systematic and were sporadic. In 1918, 1927-1930 research was carried out by Romanian archaeologists 3, in 1932, 1935, 1940 - by the scientific curator b. Akkerman Museum by V. A. Shakhnazarov. After the Great Patriotic War, the Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR began systematic research of Tira. From 1945 to 1950 the work was carried out under the leadership of L. D. Dmitrov 4. In 1953, 1958-1960 these excavations were continued under the direction of the author 5 .

The literature devoted to the history of the city is small. The results of post-war excavations have not been published in full.

Founded on the right bank of the Dniester estuary, Tire occupied a very advantageous geographical position. Scientists determine the date of the emergence of Thira differently. Some 8 - V.N. Yurgevich, E. Minns, M. Ebert, E. Diehl 7, P. Nicorescu attributed the emergence of Thira to the 7th-6th centuries. BC e. ; others 8 - E. R. Stern, A. N. Zograf, L. D. Dmitrov 9 and V. D. Blavatsky 10 believe that Tire as a city can only be talked about from the 5th century. BC e.

1 I. A. Stempkovsky. Research on the location of ancient Greek settlements. SPb., 1826, pp. 21-23; P. V. Becker. Tiras and tirits. ZOOID, vol. II, 1848, pp. 418, 419: F. K. Brun. About the location of Tiras. ZOOID, vol. III, 1853, p. 49; his own. Black Sea region, part I. Odessa, 1879, pp. 3-13.
2 E. R. Stern. About the latest excavations in Akkerman. ZOOID, vol. XXIII, 1901, pp. 33-61; his own. Excavations in Akkerman in the summer of 1912, ZOOID, vol. XXXI, 1913, pp. 92-101.
3 R. Nicorescu. Scavi e Scoperte a Tyras. "Ephemeris Dacoromana", II, 1924, p. 378-415; his own. Fouilles de Tyras. "Dacia", III-IV, 1933, p. 557-601.
4 L. D. Dmitrov. Bilgorod-Dniester archaeological expedition. AP URSR, vol. II, 1949, pp. 39-52; his own. Excavations in the city of Bilgorod-Dnistrovsky in 1947. AP URSR, vol. IV, 1952, pp. 59-64; his own. Main bags of the Izmail archaeological expedition 1949-50 pp. AP URSR, vol. V, 1955, pp. 111-123.
5 A. I. Furmanska. Archaeological monuments of Tires in the first centuries of our era. "Archaeology", vol. X, 1957, pp. 80-93; A. I. Furmanskaya and E. V. Maksimov. Excavations in Belgorod-Dnestrovsky. KSIA AN Ukrainian SSR, vol. 5, pp. 64-67; A. I. Furmanska. Excavations of Tiri in 1958 AP URSR, vol. XI, pp. 123-138.
6 T. D. Zlatkovskaya. About the initial period of the history of Tire. CA, 1959, No. 2, p. 61.
7 E. Diehl. RE, s. v. Tyras, Stuttgart, 1860.
8 T. D. Zlatkovskaya. Decree. cit., p. 61.
9 L. D. Dmitrov. Tira. “Drawings of the long-standing history of the URSR”, Kiev, 1957, p. 271.
10 V. D. Blavatsky. The process of historical development of ancient states in the North

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Information from ancient authors about Tire is very scarce. In the words of Pseudo-Scymnus (vv. 798-803): “The river Tyra, deep and abundant in pasture, provides merchants with trade in fish, and cargo ships with safe navigation. On the river lies the city of the same name, Tire, founded by the Milesians.”

The latter is confirmed by the fact that the inhabitants of Tire used the Milesian calendar, preserved in inscriptions from the villages of Chobruchi and Korotnoye and almost completely coinciding with the calendar of Miletus and its colonies 11. Meanwhile, the foundation of the Milesian colonies on the western and northern coasts of the Black Sea dates back to the 7th-6th centuries. BC e., and by the end of the 6th century. BC e. the process of colonization of these shores was largely completed. Appearance large settlements on the banks of the Dniester estuary at this time is also confirmed by excavations of the Roksolan settlement 12. All this allows us to believe that Tire, like its closest neighbors - Olbia and Istria, was founded no later than the 6th century. BC e., which, however, is not yet sufficiently confirmed by archaeological data. Finds of Ionian ceramics mentioned in the literature 13 and the handle of an Ionian jug 14 from the 6th century found in 1960. BC e. only indirectly confirm the likelihood of this date.

Excavation data and random finds of coins, ancient ceramics, and sculptures make it possible to determine that in ancient times the city occupied an area of ​​over 20 hectares. The remains of ancient Thira are located under the medieval Akkerman fortress, the fortress square and the streets closest to the fortress. The liminal part of the city was destroyed both by the waters of the estuary and by later structures. The Acropolis occupied an elevated and protected site, where a medieval fortress was later built.

The necropolis of the city has not yet been discovered.

The location of the so-called Scythian grave and the grave near the village. Salgany 15 allows us to suggest that in the first centuries AD the necropolis was located on the shore of the estuary, 1.5-2 km south-southeast of the city.

At the present stage of archaeological research in Thira, it is still difficult to reconstruct the general socio-economic history of the city. In this work, we will try, on the basis of literary information and new archaeological material, to outline only in general terms the course of the historical development of the city.

The early stage of the city's history (VI-V centuries BC) is little known. Building remains of the 6th-5th centuries. BC e. not found yet. Currently, we have only isolated finds of things from the 6th - early 5th centuries. BC e. and relatively big amount material from the second half of the 5th century. BC e. These are predominantly black-glazed and red-figured Attic ceramics, indicating ties between Thira and Athens, which especially intensified at the end of the 5th century. BC e. It is unlikely that the expansion of these ties should be explained by the results of Pericles’ expedition to Pontus and the inclusion of Thira among the members of the Athenian Maritime League, assumed by some scientists. The latter is generally very doubtful.

Mr. Black Sea region. Sat. “Problems of the history of the Northern Black Sea region in ancient times,” M., 1959, pp. 13, 14.
11 V. N. Yurgevich. Opened in 1867 in the village. Chobruchi Greek inscription ancient city Shooting ranges. ZOOID, vol. VI, 1867, p. 15. V. V. Latyshev. About the calendars of Olbia, Tira and Chersonese Tauride. “ΠΟΝΤΙΚΑ”, St. Petersburg, 1909, pp. 25-40; F. Bilabel. Die ionische Kolonisation. Leipzig, 1920, S. 70.
12 M. S. Sinitsyn. Roksolan settlement according to excavations of 1958-1960. Report read on March 18, 1961 at the Scientific Session of Odessa State University and Odessa State archaeological museum, dedicated to the results of field archaeological research in 1960.
13 E. R. Stern. Excavations in Akkerman in the summer of 1912, ZOOID, XXXI, p. 100; R. Nicorescu. Scavi e Scoperte..., p. 383-384.
14 Funds of the Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, inv. No. 328.
15 L. D. Dmitrov. Main bags of the Izmail archaeological expedition 1949-50 pp. page 117.

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It is not easy to illuminate the question of the nature of the economy of Thira at this stage, since clothing material is almost completely absent. One can only agree with the assumption made by T.D. Zlatkovskaya 16 about the agricultural nature of the economy of Tira in the early times and the opinion of A.N. Zograf that the economy of Tira “as an established urban organism was built primarily on agriculture and trade in grain” 17 . Indeed, the typology of the early coins of Tyra with the image of Demeter, ears of corn, wreaths of ears of ears testifies to the development of agriculture, images of a bridled horse and a bull indicate the important importance of cattle breeding. Considering the location of Thira between Olbia and the Western Pontic cities, the mutual connections of which through coastal navigation are confirmed by a number of monuments, it seems possible to assume that intermediary trade also played a certain role in the city’s economy at this early stage.

Of great interest is the question of the relationship between Tira and the population of the Dniester region. The results of excavations suggest that by the time of the arrival of Greek settlers, the middle and partly upper Dniester region was inhabited by a settled agricultural population. Local settlements of the 7th-6th centuries. BC e. on the Lower Dniester we don’t know. The picture of the settlement of tribes in this part of the Black Sea region becomes clearer only from the 4th century. BC e. When studying the settlements of the Middle Dniester region, no monuments of ancient culture of the early period were discovered until recently. And only recently, in 1958-1960. during excavations of an agricultural settlement near the village. In Ivan Pusta Melnitsa, Podolsk district, Ternopil region, O. D. Ganina discovered a small number of fragments of amphorae from the second half of the 6th - early 5th centuries. BC e. It is also necessary to take into account individual finds of ancient material from the mounds of Western Podolia 18 and southern Moldova 19 .

If at this early stage, in terms of its size and population, Thira was a city less significant than its closest neighbors Olbia and Istria, then, undoubtedly, the initial stage of its history prepared the flowering of the city’s economy and culture at the subsequent, second stage of its development (V- III centuries BC). Excavations recent years make it possible to trace the growth of the urban area from the end of the 5th - beginning of the 4th century. BC e. Opened basements of 4th century buildings on the fortress square. BC e. indicate the inclusion of this square into the city in the V-IV centuries. BC e. The city was located in a terrace-like manner, with transverse streets running along the estuary, and longitudinal streets running perpendicularly. On this square in the 4th century BC. e. public buildings were located. The same type of plans for the basement floors of the buildings, separated by a small alley (1.60 m wide), the large dimensions of the premises themselves allow us to consider them as public buildings. Construction in Tyre, as well as in Olbia, is characterized by the construction of basement floors. The walls of the basements were built on leveled rock, and special pits were cut out in the mainland, the walls of which were closely adjacent to the rubble masonry of the basements, lined with slabs from the inside. The slabs are laid on clay mortar, almost dry. The walls of these premises are distinguished by their monumentality (the thickness of the external walls is 0.80 m, and the internal ones - more than 1.0 m) and the thoroughness of the square masonry from well-hewn rectangular slabs.

Epigraphic monuments of this time make it possible to judge the state system, economic relations and cultural life cities.

Inscription from the end of the 4th-3rd centuries. BC e. 20 is a decree of the council and the people

16 T. D. Zlatkovskaya. Decree. cit., p. 66 seq.
17 A. N. Zograf. Antique coins. MIA, No. 16, M., 1949, p. 111.
18 T. Sulimirski, Scytowie na Zachodniem Podolu. Lwow, 1936, str. 119.
19 A. I. Melyukova. Monuments of the Scythian time of the forest-steppe middle Dniester region. MIA, No. 64, M., 1958, p. 90.
20 P. O. Karyshkovsky. Materials for the collection of ancient inscriptions of Sarmatia and Taurida. VDI, 1959, No. 4, p. 112.

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th meeting about awarding a certain citizen of Tyre with a golden wreath and then crowning him during all the festivities together with other “benefactors” for his valor and benevolence towards the people. Along with the council and the people, the college of archons and agonothetes are also mentioned, that is, the authorities and officials usual for the Greek polis. This inscription, along with another honorary inscription from the end of the 3rd-2nd centuries. BC e. 21 indicates a further increase in property inequality, the identification of wealthy citizens who have provided “good deeds” to the city.

By the second half of the 4th century. BC e. refers to the beginning of the minting of the city of Thira’s own coin. Unlike Olbia, but like most other cities of the Black Sea region, the first coins of Tire were minted from silver 22. By the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 2nd century. BC e. golden staters of the Lysimakhov type appear, which indicates, according to A.N. Zograf 23, an attempt by Tira to enter the arena of broader trade relations. This assumption of A. N. Zograf is fully confirmed by the mentioned inscription, which attests to the connections of Thira with Olbia, Cyzicus and Rhodes.

Agriculture remains the mainstay of the city's economy. The emergence of most settlements in the territory adjacent to the city dates back to this time: near the present village. Peremoyashoe, near the village. Shvdenne-Saria, Semenovka. A number of settlements arise south of Thira near the village. Shabo, Budaki and other places. According to intelligence materials from employees of the Odessa Museum 24, the settlements on the western bank of the Dniester estuary date back to the 4th-2nd centuries. BC e.; Of these, the settlement at the station is of greatest interest. Bugaz (Zatoka). Settlement IV-II centuries. BC e. was also discovered near a stone quarry, between Belgorod-Dnestrovsky and the village. Salgany. Antique ceramics are found along the entire coast of the estuary. The appearance of these settlements indicates the expansion of the city's agricultural district, the increased development of agriculture and, perhaps, even its specialization.

A number of data indicate the development of various crafts. Near the suburb of Peremozhny, ceramic kilns were discovered in the pre-war years; amphoras with the mark ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΟ[Υ] on the handles were found in them. Molds for making terracotta have been found in small quantities.

Single casting molds, copper and iron slags indicate the development of metalworking craft. Finds of spindle whorls indicate weaving craft. The wide scope of urban construction suggests the existence of local stonemasons and builders.

As we noted above, by the end of the 6th - beginning of the 5th century. BC e. The beginning of economic relations between Tira and the population of the Dniester region should be attributed. Treasure of metal objects V--IV centuries. BC e. (helmets, knemids, lamps), found in Olonesti, near the station. Bessarabskaya (kept in the museum in Chisinau), probably came here also through Tira, like earlier objects. In the IV-III centuries. BC e. these connections become more regular and intense. Antique ceramics appear in settlements (for example, at the Sakharnyanskoe settlement, at settlements near the villages of Vykhvatintsy, Golerkany) 25. At the Butuchen settlement, Orhei district, at a settlement near this settlement 26 and near the village. Roksolana, located on the opposite bank, almost opposite Thira, coins of Thira of the 4th-3rd centuries were found. BC e. 27

21 A. I. Furmanskaya. New epigraphic monument from Thira. SA, 1960, No. 4, pp. 173-179.
22 A. N. Zograf. Coins of Tyra, pp. 19-26.
23 Ibid., p. 27.
24 I. B. Kleiman, K. I. Revenko. Archaeological guards at the entrance to the birch of the Dniester estuary. MAPP, c. II, Odessa, 1959, p. 118.
25 A. I. Melyukova. Decree. cit., p. 95 seq.
26 L. L. Polevoy kindly informed us about the finds of these coins in 1959.
27 A. G. Salnikov. Before learning about the trade ties of ancient settlements on the banks of the Dniester estuary from Greece in the VI-II centuries. BC e. MAPP, c. III, Odessa, 1960, p. 31.

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Among the coins of Istria, Olbia, Chersonesos, Panticapaeum, found at the Kamensky settlement, there was also a coin of Thira from the second half of the 4th century. BC e. 28

The growth of the city's agricultural district and the established regular connections with the population of the Middle Dniester region provided the economic basis for the development of broad connections in Tira. Thira continued to trade with Athens. At the end of the 5th and during the 4th century. BC e. red-figure and black-glazed pottery arrives in Tire; and in the 3rd century. BC e. Attic imports are replaced by vessels decorated with paintings applied with liquefied yellow clay and white paint on a dark background, manufactured in the cities of Asia Minor. Thira traded with Thasos, Heraclea, Sinope, Rhodes, Cyzicus, Cnidus, Olbia, Chersonesus and, apparently, with the cities of Bosporus, in which silver coins of Thira were found 29; in addition, single fragments of Bosporan tiles were found in Tire. The quantity of Thassian imports in Tire and the surrounding settlements is not very large; It dates back to the 4th-3rd centuries. BC e. 30 The importation of Heraclean amphorae dates back to the same time.

Chersonese stamps in Tyre date mainly to the 3rd century. BC e. Imports of Sinopian tiles, architectural details and amphorae date mainly from the 4th to 2nd centuries. BC e., and imports from Rhodes, exceeding imports from other centers, date back to the 3rd-2nd centuries. BC e. Many wheel-shaped stamps of unknown origin were also found in Tire.

Coins from Istria, Olbia, Vol. Coins of Tyra IV-III centuries. BC e. found in Chersonesos. Inscription from the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 2nd century. BC e. from Thira indicates that at the end of the stage under consideration, Thira was directly connected with Cyzicus; the narrowing of its economic ties begins, apparently, at the beginning or even in the middle of the 2nd century. BC e.

The dating of the Kosian brands found in Tire is not precisely established; according to E.M. Shtaerman, Thira maintained close ties with Kos in all periods of antiquity 31, however, the number of Kos stamps in Tire is small and, judging by the stamps, connections between Thira and Kos date mainly back to the time of late Hellenism (II century BC . e.).

The culture of Thira at this time can be judged by urban construction, terracotta products, single sculptures and coins.

Images on coins 32 and individual epigraphic monuments of this time allow us to draw a conclusion about the spread of certain cults. Of the ancient deities, images of Demeter are most often found on the coins of Thera. Often there are also images of Apollo, Dionysus, and Hercules. The existence of the cult of Apollo the physician in Tire is evidenced by an inscription from the 3rd century. BC BC - dedication to Apollo the physician 33. Coins of Thera were also found in the main centers of the cult of Achilles Pontarch 34 (on the island of Lovka and on Tendra). Late Hellenistic coins indicate the spread of the cults of Asclepius and Hermes in the city. The herm of Priapus 35, the patron saint of viticulture and gardening, was also found in Tire.

Excavation data and numismatic materials from the last two centuries BC, preceding the Getae invasion, reflect the gradual increase in the economic crisis of Thira.

In the II century. BC e. reconstructions of buildings that have fallen into disrepair are observed; in this case, the remains of old walls are used, to which new ones are attached. Rebuild

28 B. N. Grakov. Kamensk settlement on the Dnieper. MIA, No. 36, M., 1954, p. 146, table. VIII, 6.
29 A. N. Zograf. Coins of Tyra, page 57.
30 Excavations by A. G. Salnikov at a settlement near the village. Shvdenne-Saria in 1960
31 E. M. Shtaerman. Decree. cit., p. 44.
32 A. N. Zograf. Coins of Tyra, p. 44 ff.
33 P. O. Karyshkovsky. Materials for the collection of ancient inscriptions..., p. 116.
34 A. N. Zograf. Finds of coins in places of supposed ancient sanctuaries on the Black Sea coast. CA, VII, 1941, p. 153.
35 R. Nicorescu. Scavi e Scoperte..., p. 382, fig. 7.

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Basements are also being built. The masonry of the walls is careless and consists of poorly processed stones of different sizes. The horizontality of the masonry rows is not maintained in places. Small rubble stone, and sometimes pieces of marble, are also wedged between the large slabs. The deterioration of masonry technique should also be explained by the fact that the masonry itself was not given much importance: the walls of rich houses were covered with painted plaster. Excavations in 1960 uncovered the premises of a rich house. On its floor there is a collapse of the roof, consisting mainly of Sinopian tiles of the 3rd-2nd centuries. and single copies dating back to the 4th century. BC e., under them lay pieces of painted plaster with ornaments: plant and zoomorphic. On some fragments the painting reproduces the pattern of marble with veins; others are covered with dark paint. A similar wall painting was discovered in Olbia in 1960. Similar wall painting is known in Pergamon, Priene, Delos, Alexandria in the 3rd-2nd centuries, in the Bosporus (Pantikapaea, Phanagoria) 36 and corresponds to the so-called second Pompeian style.

In recent years, basements with amphorae buried in them have been discovered and numerous fragments of amphorae from the late Hellenistic period have been collected. Rhodian ones predominate, Sinopean ones are less numerous; Although Sinopian tiles predominate among the imported tiles, fragments of Kos amphorae are also found. The latter were found together with fragments of light clay and red clay amphoras with double-barreled handles from the centers of the Southern Black Sea region. The composition of the ceramics is dominated by fragments of black-glazed and brown-glazed painted vessels from Asia Minor, “Megaran” bowls and vessels of Olbian production.

In the middle of the 2nd century. BC e. Tira's circle of external relations is narrowing. Nevertheless, the decree of the city of Tomy of the 2nd-1st centuries still dates back to this time. BC e. in honor of the citizen of Thira Nile, testifying to the connections between Olbia and Tom and the intermediary role of Thira in the trade of these cities. In the ruined buildings of the late Hellenistic period, coins from the cities of Amis and Thira of the Mithridatic period (120-63 BC) are found. The typology of one of the series of coins of Thera of this time, as noted by A. N. Zograf, coincides with the typology of groups of coins of the last Mithridates minted Panticapaeum 37 . This circumstance, together with the mentioned finds in Tire of Amis coins of the same time, may indicate the subordination of Tire to Mithridates VI Eupator. Along with the reduction in trade links, materials from this time reflect the presence of local handicraft production in Tire. Thus, among the fragments of ceramics, one can distinguish locally produced vessels made according to the late Hellenistic type: spherical bowls, two-handled jugs, with the use of polishing in surface treatment. Copper and iron slags and isolated metal objects are found in small quantities.

A figurine made from the horn of a red deer native to the Dniester region, depicting a woman in a local pointed headdress, indicates the presence of local bone carvers in the city.

Particularly noteworthy in the late Hellenistic complexes is the abundance of molded ceramics of Getic forms: Dacian vases, one-handled mugs, bowls with an almost black or grayish-brown burnishing, while the early molded ceramics of the late 6th - 5th centuries. BC e., close to Scythian forms, very little has been found. The appearance of Getic forms of ceramics, close to those found in the settlements of the Dniester region, dates back to the 4th-3rd centuries. BC e. Similar forms of vessels are known in Olbia, on Kozyrka (Getic circles), on the settlements of the Lower Dnieper in Zolotaya Balka, Gavrilovna and even on the settlements of the Middle Dnieper. The molded ceramics from Thira are closest to the ceramics of the settlements of Podutsavje.

38 ADJ, p. 119, seq., tab. XXXVIII - XLI; V. D. Blavatsky, Phanagorian wall painting. MIA, No. 57, M., 1957, p. 168 ff.
37 A. N. Zograf. Coins of Tyra, page 30.

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If the decline in trade, the reduction in trade relations, the cessation of life in all nearby settlements indicate an economic crisis experienced by the city from the middle or from the second half of the 2nd century. BC e., then destroyed and unrestored buildings, the fill of which is dominated by materials of the 2nd-1st centuries. BC e., indicate particularly difficult times experienced by the city during this period. The crisis of the city was associated with the general crisis of the Hellenistic world. Two decades after the defeat of Mithridates VI Eupator, Tyre, like Olbia, was attacked by the Getae. The destruction of Thira by the Getae around the middle of the 1st century. BC e. The first period of its history ends.

The history of Thira in subsequent centuries is characterized by the political, economic and cultural influence of Rome. Judging by the data of excavations in recent years (1958-1960), the city recovered relatively quickly after the Getae invasion. Ceramic material - amphorae from the turn of our era, fragments of vessels of the terra nigra, terra sigillata type with stamps of the first half of the 1st century. n. e. Asia Minor and Gallic workshops, similar to those found in Olbia, suggest a rapid restoration of urban life at the beginning of our era. The restoration of the city begins with the redevelopment of the urban area. The destroyed Hellenistic buildings on the first terrace are being filled up. A thick layer of fill (about 3 m) underlies residential and economic structures of the Roman era. Excavated residential buildings, outbuildings, streets, and drains give an idea of ​​the city's layout, landscaping, and house construction.

Rich houses of this time consisted of five or six rooms and one or two courtyards. The average size of buildings is about 120 square meters. m. In plan, they represent a rectangle elongated from north to south, the long walls of which also served as retaining walls of the terraces. Room sizes 15-25 sq. m, courtyards - 11-20 sq. m. The premises did not communicate with each other, and had access to the courtyard, and from there to the street. The courtyards were most often paved with flat stones; occasionally the pavement was corrected with fragments of the walls of amphorae. In the courtyards, stone cisterns with gutters were built to collect rainwater and drains connected to street drains.

The masonry of the walls indicates the decline of masonry and construction. The walls are built on clay from uncut stones of different sizes. The foundations of the walls are made of large stone slabs, selected from destroyed buildings of an earlier time. The floors are earthen, the roofs are gable and tiled. As in buildings of the Hellenistic period, reconstructions and often redevelopments are observed here (a home altar was discovered in one of the rooms of the western building). Found in a clay bedding under a building of the 2nd-3rd centuries. n. e. Hadrian's coins suggest that such a restructuring was carried out in the 20-40s. II century n. e. There is a gradual deterioration in wall masonry techniques.

The street of the 2nd-3rd centuries is well preserved. n. e., paved with large rectangular slabs, along the edges of which small stones and even fragments of ceramics are laid. The length of the preserved part of the street is 27 m, width 2.5 m. Under the street there was a drainage canal, the walls of which consisted of large vertical slabs, its bed was lined with the same slabs.

There are much more epigraphic monuments of Thira in the first centuries AD, in comparison with the previous period (37 inscriptions). Some inscriptions from Olbia and Chersonesus are also of interest for the history of Thira, further illuminating the relationship of these cities with Thira.

The decree in honor of Cocceus (181 AD 38) mentions the usual magistrates and bodies of city government: archons, council and popular assembly. From another

38 IPE, I 2, no.

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document-inscription from the Short (201 AD 39) we learn about the actual restriction by Rome of the rights of city government. Confirming the previous custom of exempting the city community of Tirits from duties, the inscription states that newly admitted citizens will enjoy these privileges only if the rulers of the province confirm their citizenship rights by a special decree. From these inscriptions it is clear that the main positions were occupied by the rich Romanized part of the Greek population and the Romans. The secretary of the council (bule) in 181 was the Roman Valerius Rufus, and the eponymous archon in 201 was the Roman P. Aelius Calpurnius.

The inscription from Korotny, like another poorly preserved inscription from the beginning of the 3rd century. n. e., found in Tire itself 40, is a message from the Roman governor of the province, which talks about trading ships, duties, countermarks on coins; "barbarians" are also mentioned. These inscriptions are important in assessing the importance of trade in the economy of the city in the 2nd-3rd centuries. And. e. In addition, they testify to the attention that Rome paid to the coastal Greek cities, including Tire, which economically and strategically played an important role in foreign policy The Roman Empire, in its expansion to the East, which began from the time of Nero. These cities served as strongholds on the borders of the empire in the fight against the barbarian tribes advancing from the East. The inclusion of Thira in the sphere of political influence of Rome is confirmed by coin finds 41.

It should, however, be recognized that the established political relations with Rome were favorable to the restoration of the life of the city at the beginning of our era.

57 AD e., as can be seen from the above inscriptions, is considered the first year of the new chronology of Tyre. After the Crimean expedition of Plautius Silvanus, Thira's dependence on Rome intensified. During the reign of Domitian, regular minting of copper coins was resumed in Tire, in appearance no different from the usual coins of the cities that were part of the Roman Empire. The imperial coinage of Tyre continued with occasional interruptions until the reign of Severus Alexander.

A number of Latin inscriptions from the beginning of the 2nd century. n. e. from Thira and marks on the tiles confirm the presence in the city of Roman garrisons of parts of the I Italian, XI Claudian and V Macedonian legions 42, long before its inclusion in the Roman province of Moesia Inferior. A papyrus dating to the end of Trajan's reign states that two horsemen of cohort I Hispanorum Veterana 43 were sent to Tire as part of the Roman garrison stationed in the city. However, the city is described as being extra provinciam. Thus, Thira formally remained an independent city for a long time and was included in the province only under Antoninus Pius, which is confirmed by both the inscription from Korotnoye and the coins of Thira 44 . It remained part of the province until the end of the reign of Severus, when the Roman garrison was withdrawn from the city.

II century and the first decades of the 3rd century. n. e. characterized by a new short-lived boom in the city's economy. Trade, apparently, occupies a significant place, and not only intermediary between the Western Pontic cities and Olbia, but with the population of the Dniester region. The economic ties of the Western Pontic cities with Olbia and the role of Thira in strengthening these ties are attested to by the Olbian decree of the 2nd - early 3rd century. n. e. in honor of Theocles, son of Satpra 45, and numismatically

39 Ibid., No. 4.
40 P. Nicorescu. Scavi e Scoperte..., p. 394-396; P. O. Karyshkovsky. Materials for the collection of ancient inscriptions..., p. 115.
41 A. N. Zograf. Coins of Tyra, page 31.
42 E. V. Maksimov. New monument of the first centuries AD in Tyre. KSI A AN Ukrainian SSR, 5, 1955, pp. 80-82.
43 G. Cantacuzene. Un papyrus latin relatif â la défense du Bas Danube. "Revue historique du Sud-Est européen", V, no. 1-3, 1928, p. 38 words.
44 A. N. Zograf. Coins of Tyra, page 15.
45 IPE, I 2, no. 40.

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with our finds. Olbian coins from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd centuries are found in Tire. n. e. The importance of Thira as an intermediary trading post and the existence of a land route for the first time in the century AD are confirmed by the famous itinerarium 46 (road), inscribed in paint on a warrior’s leather shield, found in Dura - Europos. It marks the crossing of the Danube, then the road through Thira to Olbia and Chersonesus.

Connections with Chersonese are indicated by a coin of Chersonese from the 3rd century found in Tire. n. e. 47 and a fragment of a marble slab from Chersonesus with the inscription 51 [έν]/Τύρα τα [πόλει]; according to V.V. Latyshev, this is part of a decree drawn up in honor of a person who had some connection with Tire 48. Another fragment of an inscription with similar content was found in Chersonesus after the war 49. Some confirmation of these connections can be found in the building of the 2nd - early 3rd century. n. e. red clay pots, decorated with floral patterns and with Greek inscriptions in white paint πεΐνε εύφραίνou, considered products of Chersonese workshops 50.

The connections of Thera with the Western Pontic cities, in addition to the above-mentioned decree in honor of Theocles, are evidenced by the tombstone of a citizen of Thera, found in Tomi or in ancient Odessa 51, and some features common to the coins of Thera and these cities, for example, signs of value on the coins. Along with goods from Western Pontic cities, coins of the Thracian kings also came to Tire. The general picture of the external relations of Tire in the first centuries of our era is complemented by a rare coin found in Tire, according to the definition of P. O. Karyshkovsky, minted by the Thracian king Rimitalko, from the time of Augustus. The significant role of trade in the city’s economy is also evidenced by an inscription from the 2nd century. n. e., found on the fortress square, i.e. between the fortress and the estuary. It talks about payment for freight of certain goods delivered by barbarians, and about some restrictions for foreigners 52.

At the turn of the century and in the first centuries of our era, large quantities of Pergamum red-glazed ceramics (cups, dishes) and narrow-necked amphorae continued to arrive in Tire, apparently originating from the centers of the southern Black Sea region; many of them are stamped and inscribed in red paint. A lot of such amphorae are also found in Olbia and Tanais, and the same marks are also found. Knidian red-glazed pottery was also imported to Tire. The connection with Egypt is indicated by an Alexandrian coin of imperial times 53, amulets, scarabs and other examples of small Egyptian plastic art. These finds can be compared with the dedicatory inscription found in Tyre to Serapis and Isis 54. Based on the Olbian Decree in honor of Theocles, it can be assumed that Tire in the first centuries of our era was connected with all the cities mentioned in this inscription. Connections with Miletus in the first centuries AD are evidenced by what was found on Acropolis of Athens a tombstone with the inscription: “Lafaeia the Tyrian, Hermeus son of Eros, Milesian.” 55

In monetary circulation, along with local copper, Roman silver denarii were in circulation; the earliest of them date back to the 30s of the 1st century. BC e.-

46 F. Cumont. Fragment de bouclier portant une liste d'etapes. "Syria", VI, 1925, p. 11 words
47 E. P. Stern. Excavations in Akkerman in the summer of 1912, pp. 96-97. The coin was incorrectly dated to the 1st century. n. e.; the dating was clarified by V. A. Anokhin.
48 V.V. Latyshev. Greek and Latin inscriptions found in Southern Russia in 1901 IAC, c. 3, 1902, p. 23.
49 G. D. Belov, S. F. Strzheletsky and A. L. Yakobson. Excavations 1941, 1947 and 1948 MIA, No. 34, M.-L., 1953, p. 194. fig. 43; report by E. I. Solomonik at the Academic Council of the Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR in January 1960. The text of the inscription was restored by E. I. Solomonik.
50 Report of K.K. Kostsyushko-Valyuzhinich on his excavations in Chersonesos. UAC for 1896. St. Petersburg, 1898, p. 187, fig. 567.
51 P. O. Karyshkovsky Materials for the collection of ancient inscriptions..., p. 120, No. 9.
52 IPE, I 2, no. 3.
53 A. N. Zograf. Coins of Tyra, page 60.
54 IPE, I 2, no. 5.
55 P. O. Karyshkovsky. Materials for the collection of ancient inscriptions..., p. 121.

49

coinage of Mark Antony for the Roman legions. The three treasures found in Tire included Roman silver coins and copper coins of city minting. A treasure of the same composition was found in 1949 between Ovidiopol and Roksolany 56 . The presence in the hoards of coins minted over two and three centuries indicates that these coins did not go out of circulation for a long time. The number of Roman coins in the treasures is small (for example, in the treasure found in 1958 there were 31 silver denarii and 150 Tira coins).

As in the previous period, in Roman times the leading place in the city’s economy was occupied by arable farming and viticulture. Evidence of this continues to be the images on coins and especially the countermarks on the coins of Domitian and Severus Alexander in the form of an ear of corn and a bunch of grapes. Materials from the study of settlements near the villages of Mologi and Chairy of the 2nd-early 3rd centuries. n. e. indicate the expansion of the city's agricultural district at this time. In the city itself, grain grinders and a large number of large amphorae, more than 1 m high and about 2 m in circumference, with burnt grains of wheat, millet and barley, are found in houses. Fishing was also of considerable importance.

We have little material to characterize the city's handicraft production. One ceramic furnace was found in Tyre, and fragments of rejected amphorae were found. Copper and iron slags are found in the layer of this time. Few metal products were found: a small number of bronze brooches of the 2nd-3rd centuries. n. e., single fragments of mirrors of the Sarmatian type; from household items - copper keys, iron locks, clamps, door handles, nails, knives; of the weapons - one iron spear tip. There are also items made of bone: linings from knife handles, styles, needles.

There is every reason to believe that Thira was connected with the settlements of the Dniester region in the first centuries of our era. Not far from Tira, near the village. Tudorovo, a number of settlements were discovered where a large number of amphorae fragments were found. Researchers classify the settlements as monuments of the Chernyakhov culture. Red-glazed pottery was found in the Vokan Sarmatian burial ground 57. These are small one-handed and two-handed pots, no different from those produced in Tire. Light clay narrow-necked amphorae are also found in the Dniester region. All these products, found in the settlements of the Chernyakhov culture in the first centuries of our era, were undoubtedly brought there directly from Tire.

Coins of Thira from Roman times indicate the veneration of the cults of Hercules and Dionysus - the main patron deities of the imperial house of Severus. The cults of Cybele and Serapis became widespread. Finds of coins of Tira on Berezan, where in the first centuries of our era the sanctuary of Achilles Pontarch was located, indicate the veneration of this deity in the city.

For the study of the culture of Thira of this period, material is provided by objects of art found during excavations, mainly small sculptures, such as the herm of Dionysus, a figurine of Hygiene, part of the torso of Athena (?), sculptural group- two female figures sitting in the pose of Cybele, a slab with the image of Artemis the hunter. The last two finds have close analogies in the sites of the Western Black Sea region. The crude image of Artemis 58 on a marble slab is reminiscent of reliefs of this goddess found at Charax 59 in supposed sanctuaries of the Thracian gods. Considering the composition of the legions stationed in the city, one can

56 P. O. Karyshkovsky. Notes on the numismatics of the ancient Black Sea region. VDI, 1960, No. 3, p. 134.
57 G. B. Fedorov. On the issue of Sarmatian culture in Moldova. “News of the Moldavian branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences”, Chisinau, 1956, p. 60.
58 P. Nicorescu. Scavi e Scoperte..., p. 393, fig. 8.
59 M. I. Rostovtsev. Sanctuary of the Thracian gods and inscriptions of the beneficiaries in Ai-Todor. IAC, v. 40, St. Petersburg, 1911, pp. 1-42, table. V, 13.

50

to think that such a sanctuary existed in Tyre. The figurine of a foot warrior, probably depicting one of the representatives of the local tribes, was executed in the manner of late antique art and is distinguished by the incorrect proportions of the human figure, schematization and primitiveness of execution 60.

The list of sculpture monuments would be incomplete without recalling the large statue of a Roman legionnaire of the 2nd century. n. e., found in the estuary before the revolution and stored in the Odessa Archaeological Museum.

The sculptures found in Tire indicate three trends in the art of Tire in Roman times: archaic Greek, local art of the Greek cities of the Northern and North-Western Black Sea region and the highly barbarized late antique art of the periphery of the ancient world.

As noted above, from the IV-III centuries. BC e. appear on the territory of the city various forms molded ceramics of the Getaean appearance. The quantity of this ceramics increases towards the turn of our era. It seems to us that the spread of this ceramics was associated with a change in the ethnic composition of the city’s population, which occurred in connection with the movements of tribes inhabiting the territory of the Northern and Northwestern Black Sea region. There is very little written evidence of these changes in Tire. Ovid, exiled to Tomi, in his Tristia (V, 7, 10) depicts a picture of city life, perhaps with some exaggeration: “although Greeks and Getae are mixed on this coast, it still borrows more from the non-peaceful Getae. More Sarmatian and Getian people are moving on horseback up and down the streets.” A similar picture could obviously be observed in Tyre, as one of the cities closest to Tom. In Tire, as in Olbia and other cities, wealthy townspeople became related to noble representatives of the tribes living near the city. On the already mentioned tombstone, found in Tomi or in ancient Odessa, the names of the parents who erected the tombstone for their son were preserved. Father's name is Aurelius Heraclides, mother's name is Madagava. The mother's name is non-Greek, B. N. Grakov finds it possible to attribute it to the Sarmatian 61.

An idea of ​​the ethnic composition of the population of Tire in the first centuries AD is given by the decree in honor of Cocceus (181) 62 . It lists the names of four archons and seventeen witnesses. Most of them have Greek names. Romanized Greek names make up more than a quarter of the names mentioned in the inscription. There are some non-Greek names; some of them are Thracian. However, the main, predominant part of the population was still Greeks.

The molded pottery of the first centuries AD differs from the pottery of the previous period. Its forms are close to Sarmatian dishes, and certain types, according to the definition of M. A. Tikhanova, are similar to the vessels found in the Upper Dniester region. The kitchen utensils are all molded. The use of this ceramics, as well as the naturalization of the entire economy at the end of this period, are signs of the Russification of the city, observed in all cities of the Northern Black Sea region. Abundant traces of fires, traced during the excavations, indicate the difficult fate that befell the city. Coins of Severus Alexander with countermarks found in excavated buildings indicate the time of the death of Thira - the 40s of the 3rd century. n. e. Most likely, the city was destroyed by the Goths.

Thus, the ancient cities of the Northern Black Sea region, some earlier, others a little later, shared the common fate of the entire ancient world, which was unable to resist the onslaught of barbarian tribes. However, the economic ties of Tira with the Geto-Thracian world could not but affect the acceleration of the socio-economic development of the latter, and the strengthening of the process of class formation among them.

60 A. I. Furmanskaya. New monuments of sculpture from Thira. KSIA, c. 10, 1960, pp. 78-83.
61 B. N. Grakov. Materials on the history of Scythia in Greek inscriptions Balkan Peninsula and Asia Minor. VDI, 1939, No. 3, p. 312. This inscription was republished by P. O. Karyshkov “k and m - Materials for the collection of ancient inscriptions..., p. 120, No. 9. Variation in the mother’s name: Μοίόαγαΰα-Μαγαόϊυα in There is probably a typo in the latest edition.
62 IPE, I 2, no.

Prepared according to the edition:

Antique city/ USSR Academy of Sciences. Institute of Archeology. - M.: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1963.

Shooting Range(rock) - the name of the ancient famous Phoenician city, which is repeatedly indicated in the Holy. Scripture and classical authors (). According to Josephus, it was founded 240 years before the Temple of Solomon. At the division of the Promised Land, Tire was on the border of the tribe of Asher, but it was owned by its original inhabitants and was long ruled by its own kings. The names of some of them are indicated in the Holy Scriptures. Scriptures (; ). During the reign of David and Solomon, a particularly friendly alliance existed between the Tyrians and the Jews, and, undoubtedly, it greatly favored the trade relations of the Jews, since the Tyrians had long been famous for their maritime trade.

The luxury, wickedness and idolatry of the Tyrians were repeatedly denounced with particular force by the prophets, who predicted for this the final destruction of Tyre (, , , etc.). Some of these biblical predictions, and mainly those found in the book. Ave. Ezekiel, are distinguished by their particular strength, clarity and completeness. They indicate the power of Tire, its varied and enormous trade, its wealth, luxury, etc.

Tire was not as ancient as Sidon, but it became higher than it. It consisted of two separate parts: one of them was on a rock or small island, close to the coast, and the other on the mainland; but which of them is older is a moot point. The part of Tire, located on the mainland, was called Pale Tire, or old Tire, it extended along the coast for 7 miles, and the island Tire had 22 stadia in circumference; however, according to most interpreters, the part of Tyre, located on the mainland, is older than the first. Joshua already mentions it as fortified city(). There were two harbors near the city, one on the northern part, called Sidonskaya, and the other in the south - Egyptian. A huge canal, running through the entire city, connected both of these harbors.

Tire is mentioned several times in the Bible during the reigns of David and Solomon, as indicated above. Hiram, king of Tyre, entered into an alliance with David and Solomon and supplied them with cedar trees, carpenters and masons to build a temple and palace in the Jewish capital. With the help of Hiram, Solomon established a fleet at the end of the Elanite Gulf of the Red Sea, not far from Elath, in the Edomite city of Ezion-geber, and together with the Tyrian sailors, the Jews went to Ophir, taking out from there a lot of gold, silver, ivory precious stones, etc. After a few time after the death of Solomon, the daughter of the Tyrian c. Ethbaalah, Jezebel, was given in marriage to an Israeli priest. Ahava.

St. Ezekiel () clearly writes about trade relations between the Tyrians and the Israelis. But along with the rise of the Tyrians, with the increase in their wealth and glory, their vices and iniquities increased and multiplied. In his arrogance and immense pride, Tyr spoke in his heart: I am god, and I sit on the seat of God in the heart of the seas(). The names alone of Jezebel and her daughter Athaliah, Tyrians by origin, already sufficiently testify to the pitiful state in which the morality of the Tyrians was under the kings of Israel. In general, about the deep moral decline of Tire, St. Ezekiel writes the following: You are the seal of perfection, the fullness of wisdom and eternal beauty. You were in Eden, in the garden of God; your garments were adorned with all kinds of precious stones; you were an anointed cherub; you were perfect in your ways. But because of the vastness of your trade, your inner being is filled with untruth. By the multitude of your iniquities in your unrighteous trade, you have defiled your sanctuaries... Therefore, behold, I will rise up against you, Tire, says the Lord, many nations, and they will break down the walls of Tyre, and destroy its towers; and I will sweep away his dust from him, and make him bare rock. It will be a place for spreading nets in the middle of the sea, and it will be for the nations to plunder.(; ). All this came true in due time.

When Tire settled many colonies in different places and founded Carthage, when his dominion at sea was secure, he for the first time in his own land came into conflict with one strong Asian conqueror, Shalmaneser, c. Assyrian, and then with Nebuchadnezzar, c. Babylonian, who, having besieged it, kept it under siege, according to some, for thirteen years, and, finally, with the famous king of Macedon, Alexander, from whom he again suffered a terrible siege. Although he, with enormous effort and expense, built a huge earthen dam from Tire on the mainland to Tire on the island, despite this, the city was taken by storm after a seven-month defense. The capture of the city was accompanied by dire consequences; he was burned; 10,000 of its population were put to death and 40,000 were sold into slavery. The dam, built by Alexander the Great, remained in the form of ruins to this day, as an unforgettable monument of ancient Tyre, and through it the island became a peninsula. Subject for some time to the power of the Seleucids, Tire subsequently fell under the rule of the Romans; but he could never regain his former splendor and greatness.

In the Middle Ages, Tire was repeatedly besieged by the Crusaders, and then for some time it was ruled by the Venetian Republic. Tyre, which existed on the mainland in the days of the prophets in all its grandeur and wealth, has now completely disappeared, and of it, with the exception of the fragments of a destroyed water supply system, not the slightest trace has survived; the stones and logs from which it was built, and even its very ashes and debris lie at the bottom of the sea, where the formidable conqueror threw them. Fishermen of a new village located on ancient island, entitled Sur or Sor, literally, in accordance with the prophecy, they spread their nets here on the sand that covers the surface of the dam. It has up to 3,000 inhabitants, and, according to the prophecy of Ezekiel, it now stands poor, empty, secluded on an island, in the middle of the vast sea, as the only representative of the ancient, once glorious, rich and arrogant Tire.

Yes, we repeat again, prophetic indications of Tire in the biblical books are numerous and varied: for example, in the book. Ave. Ezekiel () before our eyes passes a lively panorama in sequential order with the ships and trade of Tire, with its trading markets and the stock exchanges, with its various imports and exports, with its various populations from many and distant countries; finally, with its enormous wealth, luxury and splendor. He exported from Hebron Senairian cypresses to build his platforms and Lebanese cedars to build masts on his ships. He made his oars from the oak trees of Bashan. From Greece, or Greek Islands, ivory was delivered to him to decorate his ships; from Egypt - patterned fabrics for sails and flags; blue and purple fabrics - from Polonaise for bedspreads. Rowers flocked to it from Sidon and Arabia; but Tire also had his own experts in maritime affairs, and he appointed them as helmsmen. Rich Tarshish paid him for his goods in silver, iron, lead and tin. From Greece and the countries bordering Pontus, he received slaves, female slaves and copper utensils, and horses, combat horses and hinnies from Armenia. From the shores Persian Gulf and the islands lying on it, ivory and ebony were delivered to Tire. From Syria he received purple fabrics, fine linen, corals and rubies; from Judah and the land of Israel - wheat, oil, honey and balm; from Damascus - Helbon wine and white wool; from Stony Arabia and from the princes of Kedar - lambs, rams and kids; from Sava and Rayema ​​- all the best incense; from India - gold and precious stones; from Mesopotamia, Haran, and Babylonia, the Assyrians brought all the items of the most refined luxury to Tire. But enough.

For us, the children of the new Israel, more interesting are the references to this once glorious city found in the New Testament. The Lord Jesus Christ found the inhabitants of Tyre, despite all their moral ailments, more capable of perceiving the truths of salvation than some of the Jews were. If, He says, the powers that were manifested in you had been manifested in Tire and Sidon, that is, in the cities of Judah, Chorazin and Bethsaida, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I'm telling you, the Savior added to the inhabitants of the mentioned cities, that it will be more tolerable for Tire and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you( ).

From the book Acts of St. the apostles, it is clear that the Christian Church was formed early in Tire. Ap. Paul, returning to Jerusalem after his third journey, stopped on his way in Tire, found disciples here, that is, believers, and stayed with them for seven days. His departure from Tire, according to the priest. writer of the book of Acts of St. the apostles, it was like the departure of the father of the family: all the believers with their wives and children accompanied him out of the city and on the shore, on bended knees, they prayed, asking the apostle from the Lord for a happy journey ().

In 196 AD there was an episcopal see in Tire; in the same city, in the 3rd century, the famous one ended his life.

Such is the fate of Tire and such are the pitiful traces of its former greatness and glory!

Ancient city of Tire. His story is full of heroism and tragedy. Tire was the only city that, unlike other Phoenician cities, did not surrender to Alexander the Great. The inhabitants of Tire preferred a brutal war to a humiliating peace. The consequences of insane courage were terrifying. The once crowded streets are empty. The city turned into the kingdom of the dead.
There were various legends about the founding of Tire. The Phoenicians themselves called their city Tsor, “rock,” since it was located on a rocky island. Astarte found a star that had fallen from the sky here and gave birth to the sea god Melqart, the future patron of Tyre. Legends claim that before the founding of the first settlement, this tiny piece of land plowed the waters Mediterranean Sea. Melqart, who taught the Canaanites to build ships, ordered the people to find their birthplace. There they had to sacrifice an eagle, which fought with a serpent. As soon as the eagle's blood sprinkled the rocks, the island instantly stopped. This happened eight hundred meters from the shore. Since then, Tyrian sailors began to donate ship anchors to Melqart, the “baal of the sea.” In the 28th century BC. the townspeople erected a temple in his honor. In front of him stood two nine-meter columns made of pure gold. The priests walked around the temple grounds barefoot. Daily sacrifices were accompanied by ritual dances. In gratitude, Melqart allowed the city's inhabitants to colonize the vast Mediterranean coastline.
Citizens of the colonies and metropolis, in turn, attributed to their patron the creation of everything that was especially valued by them. According to legend, it was Melqart who taught people how to get purple-bearing mollusks from the bottom of the sea. After the mollusk's body dried in the sun, a drop of bright liquid remained in the shell. The droplets were gathering. They were used to make paint that was used to dye fabric. Its cost was incredibly high: only kings and their entourage could afford to buy a piece for a tunic. Phoenician traders supplied purple to the Greeks and Romans, who were convinced that their continent was called Europe thanks to the Phoenician daughter of the Tyrian king Agenora. As you know, a bull with sad eyes kidnapped Europa while she was walking on the Tyrian shore of the Mediterranean Sea.
In the 10th century BC. King Hiram rebuilt the main sanctuary of the city. It was surrounded by accommodation for pilgrims. Melqart came to them in a dream. His prophecies about the future were deciphered by Tyrian dream interpreters. The gods then had no idea that just a few centuries later Phenicia would be visited by the descendant of Hercules and Achilles, the son of Zeus, at whose birth Artemis herself was present. This son was Alexander III, better known as Alexander the Great. Before the start of the campaign, he went to Delphi to visit Apollo to listen to his thoughts on the upcoming action. It was winter, and Apollo, as you know, flew away from Delphi to spend the winter. The oracles were silent. So there was no one to ask about the future. Alexander tried to drag the priestess of Apollo into the temple so that she could predict the fate of the Asian campaign. The priestess, fighting back, shouted: “Oh, Alexander, do you think that you are invincible?” The last word calmed the Macedonian king, and with a light heart he moved to the East to recapture the cities once lost to the Greeks. In the spring of 334 BC. The army of long-haired, short-legged, clean-shaven and sweetly smelling of oils Alexander treacherously, without declaring war, attacked the Persians. The Macedonian began the war with virtually nothing. After the first battle, the Persian king Darius promised Alexander to pay as much as the inhabitants of all Macedonia could not bear. Alexander refused. He had already decided to conquer the Phoenician cities, which provided the Persian navy with ships and crew. This was very easy to do, since the city-states that competed with each other in the Mediterranean markets were at enmity with each other. Byblos surrendered immediately. This city hoped to regain its former power with the help of Alexander. Then Sidon surrendered. Its inhabitants believed that under the new ruler they would finally see Tire on its knees. Alexander's advance from Sidon to the south was briefly stopped by Tyrian envoys. They placed a golden wreath on the head of the conqueror of Phenicia and declared their readiness to submit to the will of the king. Alexander asked the ambassadors to tell the Tyrians that he wished to make sacrifices to Melqart in the temple on the island. The Tyrians advised the Macedonian to make a sacrifice in Paletira, that is, in Old Tire, a city on the mainland. The commander could not bear such an insult. One of the longest and most stubborn sieges in the entire history of war began. Alexander the Great decided to connect the island to the mainland using a dam. He first poured two buckets of sand into its base. Residents of Paletir were forced to demolish their own houses so that the dam would not have a shortage of building materials. Everything was done by hand, without horse traction. Cedar trunks were dragged from the mountains of Lebanon and buried in the seabed. This was the beginning of the predatory destruction of Phoenician forests. Alexander built his fleet from cedar and was so carried away that this tree is still very rare in Lebanon. Before the arrival of the Macedonians, the mountain slopes of Phenicia were covered with lush vegetation.
The dam to the island took seven months, and forty thousand inhabitants of Tire held out for exactly the same amount of time. In July 332 BC. troops entered the city. 6 thousand Phoenicians were slaughtered, 13 thousand were sold into slavery. As a warning to the rebellious, 2 thousand defenders were nailed to crosses. The crosses stood along the main road, and the corpses were not removed from them for several weeks. The Macedonians who died during the assault (there were about four hundred of them) were buried according to the ritual described by Homer in the Iliad: the bodies were burned, the bones were washed in wine, wrapped in purple and placed in a tomb along with weapons. This is how Homer’s Patroclus and Hector were buried.
From Tire the Macedonian set out to conquer Egypt. This country attracted Alexander irresistibly. The peoples of the Mediterranean considered it the cradle of the most respected and most ancient culture. The Egyptians welcomed the king as a liberator from the Persian yoke. He was declared pharaoh, the son of the sun god Ra. The new ruler ordered the construction of a temple with a sanctuary in his honor in Karnak.
In 331 BC. the victorious army returned to Phenicia. Alexander set up a court camp in Tire. The Tsar was visited by architects, artists, sculptors, writers, philosophers, historians, and poets. In Tire lived relatives of the defeated Phoenician aristocrats, the noblest of the hetaeras. Tributes from already conquered cities flowed into the city, trials were held here under the chairmanship of Alexander, and ambassadors of foreign powers were received here. No more than two years had passed since the start of the campaign, a third of the world had been conquered, and Alexander decided to give the troops a break from military affairs. Idleness sucked me in. Alexander fought with her as best he could. He organized sports games, like the Greek Olympics. Particularly popular were chariot racing, pentathlon, wrestling and fist fighting. Comic battles between “friends” and “enemies” took place. The “friends,” led by the tsar, invariably won, although this did not give the commander much pleasure. The soldiers smeared him with sheep dung, put him on a donkey and walked by, singing obscene songs. Theater Olympics were often held in Tire. Actors from Italy, Asia Minor, and Greece came here. They read poetry and staged Euripides and Sophocles. The soldiers preferred hilarious actors. They beat women with leather phalluses, committed theatrical violence against them, urinated and relieved themselves, and masturbated right in front of the audience. The actresses performed something like a cancan, revealing everything that the public wanted to see. Alexander believed that such a “front-line theater” helps soldiers get rid of fear and homesickness. In May 331 BC. the thirst for adventure took Alexander from Tire further to the east.
Having created a huge empire, the great conqueror died either from swamp fever, or from a severe hangover, or from poisoning. After his death, his empire fell into pieces. Phenicia was ruled by one of Alexander the Great's generals, Seleucus. By this time, the Greeks made up a significant part of the population of Phenicia. They brought with them technical progress, succeeded in building roads, laying reliable water pipelines, and introduced a unified monetary system. In a word, they planted civilization here. The Greek language spread everywhere. And who knows, Christianity would have gone beyond the borders of Judea, it would have become a world religion without the mediating mission of the Greek language, without the bloody conquests of Alexander III, better known as Alexander the Great.

One of the most unusual prophecies in the Bible concerns the fate of the ancient city of Tyre. It is not surprising that this example is used by almost all books written in defense of Christianity. The reason for this will soon become clear to you. (592-570 BC):

The prophecies about Tire were fulfilled in stages with amazing accuracy. Taken together, bible prophecies give reason to consider history as one multifaceted process.

Tyre was the center of the slave trade. Disgusting forms of idolatry, human sacrifices, and the burning of captives in honor of idols accompanied the holidays of the Tyrians. Old Tire (Paleotir) was located on the shore, and nearby, on an island, a new Tire grew up. It was impregnable fortress.

Book of Ezekiel 26 Chapter

3. ...Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you. Tyre, and I will raise up many nations against you, as the sea raises its waves.
4. And they will break down the walls of Tyre and destroy its towers; and I will sweep away his dust from him and make him bare rock.
7 For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will bring Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, against Tire from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and with an army, and with a great people.
8. He will slay your daughters on earth with the sword and build siege towers against you, and build a rampart against you and place shields against you...
11 And they will plunder your wealth and plunder your goods, and destroy your walls, and break down your beautiful houses, and throw your stones and your trees and your land into the water.
14. And I will make you a naked rock, you will be a place for spreading snares; you will not be built again, for I the Lord have spoken this, says the Lord GOD.
21. I will make you a terror, and you will not be found, and they will seek you, but will never find you, says the Lord God.

Predictions

1. Nebuchadnezzar will destroy the continental city of Tire (26:8).
2. Many nations will go to war against Tire (26:3).
3. The city will become a flat, bare rock (26:4).
4. In the place where the city was, the fishermen will spread their nets (26:5).
5. The remains of the city will be thrown into the water (26:12).
6. The shooting gallery will never be rebuilt (26:14).
7. He will never be found again (26:21).
The predictions we talked about earlier spoke for themselves. Such predictions may seem contradictory. Fortunately, history knows no contradictions. We can only consider the history of Tyre and compare it with the prophecies of Ezekiel.

Execution

As a secular historian noted, "Ezekiel's anger, especially in verse 27:27, shows how important ancient Tire was in the eyes of the prophet, and how varied and rich was the trade of that city."

Nebuchadnezzar

Nebuchadnezzar began the siege of Tire three years after the prophecy. The Encyclopedia Britannica notes that "after a thirteen-year siege (from 585 to 573 BC)

Nebuchadnezzar II Tire made concessions and recognized the power of Babylon. In 538 BC. along with the rest of Phenicia, this city came under the rule of Persia, where the Achaemenid dynasty ruled." When Nebuchadnezzar burst into the city, he found it almost empty. Most of the population by ship crossed to an island that lay about a kilometer from the coast, and founded a new fortified city there .

Old Tire was destroyed in 573 (prediction 1), but Tire on the island remained a powerful city for several more centuries.

Alexander the Great

“During his war with Persia,” writes the Encyclopedia Britannica, “Alexander III, having defeated Darius III at the Battle of Issus (333 BC), moved south to Egypt, calling on the Phoenician cities to open

he has his own gates. Alexander's overall plan was to stop the use of these cities by the Persian fleet. The citizens of Tire refused to surrender, and then Alexander laid siege to the city.

Having no fleet, he destroyed the old Tire, located on the continent, and from its debris he built a dam 60 m wide across the strait that separated the old and new town. At the far end of the dam he erected towers and military engines" (Prediction 5). The ancient historian Curtius wrote that during the construction of the dam, wood from Mount Lebanon was used (for beams), and earth and stones were taken from old Tire (Prediction 5).

From the works of the Greek historian Arrian, we learn in detail about how the difficult task of conquering Tyre was accomplished. This city was partly located on the continent, and partly on an island, where an exceptionally strong fortress was located. Having taken the continental city, Nebuchadnezzar went around island part Tyra. Alexander, as Arrian narrates, intended to take the entire city. The enterprise was difficult.

The island was entirely surrounded by strong walls reaching the very coastline. The inhabitants of Tire, like Alexander's enemies - the Persians led by Darius, controlled the sea, but this Greek commander decided to build an artificial spit that would reach the fortress. At first the work progressed well, but as the dam was built, the depth of the sea grew, and the inhabitants of Tire made increasingly frequent forays against the attackers.

Because of their high walls, they could cause significant harm to the attackers, especially if we remember that the latter were prepared for work rather than war, and did not wear armor, but ordinary work clothes. The forays of the inhabitants of Tire onto the dam under construction seriously slowed down its construction. To counteract the besieged, Alexander built two watchtowers with soldiers on the dam.
After this, the inhabitants of Tire launched a very successful raid on the dam.

They set fire to the watchtowers with the help of special ships and landed numerous troops, expelling the Greeks from the dam, causing as much damage as they could. Arrian further writes about naval battles. Realizing that he needed ships, Alexander demanded them from the conquered cities and regions. His fleet was thus created; about 80 ships were supplied by Sidon, Arad and Byblos, 10 by Rhodes, 3 by Soli and Mallos, 10 by Lycia, one big ship- Macedonia, and 120 - Cyprus (Prediction2).

With such a powerful fleet, it was only a matter of time before Alexander conquered Tire using an earthen causeway. Despite interference from Darius, Alexander's enemy, the dam was eventually built, the walls of the city were destroyed and the city itself was destroyed. “A wide dam,” writes Philip Myers, “connecting the shore with

island, has survived to this day. When the city was taken after a seven-month siege, eight thousand inhabitants were killed and thirty thousand were sold into slavery."
It is no wonder that the inhabitants of Tire aroused such hatred among the Greeks.

The city's defenders used all available methods - including not the most plausible ones. “The defense of Tire and its complete fall to the Greek conquerors is a very sad event,” says John C. Beck. Here is an interesting quote from a history textbook written by secular scholar Philip Myers: “Alexander the Great reduced Tire to ruins (332 BC).

The city recovered to a certain extent from this blow, but never again occupied the same place in the world as before. Much of the site where this once great city lay now looks like bare rock (Prediction 3) - a place where the fishermen, still numerous in those parts, spread their nets to dry" (Prediction 4). John Beck writes about the fall of Tire in a historical perspective: “The history of Tire did not stop after its conquest by Alexander. It was rebuilt again and besieged again until, finally, sixteen centuries later, Tire was completely and irrevocably destroyed."

Antigonus

“Returning from the victorious wars in Babylonia,” writes Nina Jidejian, “Antigone easily conquered the Phoenician cities until he encountered stubborn resistance from Tire. Eighteen years have passed since the conquest of this city by Alexander, and it managed to rapidly revive... To conquer Tire, Antigonus it took a fifteen-month siege." Simple arithmetic shows that these events took place in 314 BC. According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, King Ptolemy II (Philadelphus) reigned from 285 to 247 B.C. Jidejian continues:

"When Ptolemy Philadelphus built the Berenicean harbor on the Red Sea, paved a road with villages and wells to Koptos and re-opened the canal connecting the Pelusian branch of the Nile with the Gulf of Suez. Tire was dealt a fatal blow. Ships belonging to Tire used to sail from the Red Sea and Indian Ocean through the port of Elote to Rhinocolura in Phenicia via Petra, and then to various ports in the Mediterranean. Now the sailors sailed through the canal to Alexandria, where all the wealth that in the old days came to Tyre was sent."

The researcher cites the story of the Persian traveler Nasir-i-Khusraw, who visited Tire in 1047 AD. “They built their city on a rock, in the sea, in such a way that the city government is located on the continent, on an area about a hundred meters long, while the rest rises directly from the water.

The walls are made of cut stone, the seams are layered with resin so that water does not penetrate through them. The area of ​​the city reaches a thousand square arshins, its caravanserais are built five to six floors, towering above each other. The city has many fountains, its markets are clean, and its wealth is great. This city of Tire is generally famous among the Syrian ports for its wealth and power. Mashhad, a temple dedicated to the martyrs, was erected at the city gates, where you can see a great variety of carpets, hanging decorations, lamps and lamps of gold and silver. The city itself stands on a hill. Water comes into it from the mountain, through an aqueduct that reaches the city gates."

Muslims

Since the city was once taken by Muslims, the Crusaders also fought for it, eventually capturing the island. During the Crusades, it served as an important stronghold, but was still recaptured by the Muslims. This is how the historian Joseph Michaud describes it: “Having taken and destroyed Ptolemais, the Sultan sent one of his emirs with a detachment of troops to conquer Tyre, and the city, gripped by horror, opened its gates without resistance... These cities, which did not give any help to Ptolemais in a decisive battle, they believed that they were protected by a truce. But their population was killed, scattered, sold into slavery: the rage of the Muslims spread even to the stones of these cities, and it seemed that they

seek to destroy the very land on which Christians walked. Their houses, temples, monuments, their households and everything that constituted the pride of Christians - all this was destroyed along with the inhabitants with the help of fire and sword" (Prediction 6).

“In 690 (1291) the city was again taken by the Muslims at the same time as Acre and other coastal cities. Destroyed, it lies in ruins to this day,” wrote the Arab historian Abulfiela in 1321.

Lestrange quotes another Arab historian, Ibn Batuta, who visited the ruins of Tire in 1355. “The power of this city, which was washed on three sides by the sea, has become a proverb. Nowadays, only ruins remain of the ancient walls and port, and the chain blocking the mouth of the port has been preserved from the old days” (Prediction 6).

Pliny the Elder, whom we quote from Nina Jidejian, sums it up as follows: “Tire... once famous as the mother of the cities of Leptis, Utica, Carthage, the great rival of Rome in the struggle for world domination, as well as Cadiz, founded outside the inhabited world; but all the wealth and glory of Tire now consists of lobsters and purple dye obtained from shells" (Prediction 7).

Current situation of Tyre

Ina Jidejian describes today's Tire (now Sur): "This port is still in use today. Small fishing boats anchor here. In the foundations of the former city, granite columns from Roman times are visible, which were used to strengthen the walls built by the Crusaders. The port has become a fishing harbor and a place where fishermen dry their nets."

“As the prophet predicted, Tire was supposed to turn into a place for drying fishing nets,” writes another researcher. “Today’s Sur is a town built on the coast at some distance from the ancient one. On the site of old Tire now stands a fishing village, which is not a refutation , but the final fulfillment of the prophecy.

Tyre, king of the seas, the craft and commercial center of the world for centuries, perished, never to be reborn. Fishermen spreading their nets on the rocks that once served as the foundation of an ancient city, the last link in the chain of Ezekiel’s prophecies made twenty-five centuries ago" (Prediction 4). Nina Jidejian in her wonderful book writes in conclusion that "the stones of Tyre can be found in such remote places, like Acre and Beirut. And yet the evidence of its great past is very numerous.

Recent archaeological excavations have revealed successive layers of this proud Phoenician port... The great ancient city of Tyre rests beneath layers of accumulated ruins. Above ground, only the remains of an aqueduct, several columns scattered throughout the territory, and the ruins of a Christian chapel were found... Looking into the water, you can see massive granite columns and stone blocks scattered along the seabed. Until recently there were almost no ruins of Tyre above ground level."

Specific fulfillment of prophecies

We have outlined the history of the ancient city of Tire. Let's see how it compares with Ezekiel's specific predictions.

1. Nebuchadnezzar did destroy the old (continental) city of Tire.

2. Many nations went to war against Tyre. “The peculiarity of the waves is that they come one after another, exerting a destructive effect through successive continuous impacts,” notes John Beck. “The prophecies of Ezekiel should therefore be understood as predicting a series of conquests over a long period of time.

In the light of this interpretation, the content of Art. 4-6. First of all, “they will break down the walls of Tire and destroy its towers” ​​(conquest by Nebuchadnezzar). Then “I will sweep away his dust from him and make him a bare rock” (siege by Alexander the Great). And finally, “he will be a plunder for the nations” (the story following the siege of Alexander the Great).”

3. Alexander the Great, building his dam for the siege of the island fortress, destroyed the old Tyre, turning it into a “bare rock”.

4. The spreading of fishing nets on the site of old Tire has been repeatedly noted by researchers, including secular scholars and historians. “Pale turquoise fishing nets were drying on the shore...” Nina Nelson writes about a trip to Tire. “It’s unlikely that even one stone of ancient Tyre lies in its place,” wrote Hans-Wolf Racl, “as the prophet predicted. Tyre has become a place where fishermen dry their nets.”

5. While building his dam, Alexander threw into the water what was left of the city. "Ezekiel's prophecy that the 'stones, trees, and earth' of Tyre would be 'thrown into the water,'" writes Joseph Free, "was exactly fulfilled when Alexander the Great's sappers built a siege dam using the rubble of ancient Tire on the mainland as material." , and laying them in water." Nina Nelson, in her Guide to Lebanon, notes that "the ruins of ancient Tire are unique because they lie in the heart of the sea."

6. The city of Tire will never be rebuilt. “You will not be built again,” the prophet predicted. In his book "Fundamentals of the Christian Faith," Floyd Hamilton emphasizes that other cities were rebuilt more than once after conquest. “Jerusalem was destroyed more than once, but each time it rose from the ruins. There was nothing to indicate that the city of Tire would not be restored.

And yet, twenty-five centuries ago, the Jewish prophet, in his Babylonian exile, looked into the future at the command of the Lord and inscribed the words “and you will not be rebuilt again.” The voice of God sounded, and ancient Tyre remains to this day a bare rock abandoned by man! Anyone who wants to know the location of the former city will be pointed to a stretch of coastline where not a single section of ruins remains.

The city disappeared from the face of the earth and was never rebuilt." On the site of ancient Tire is Reseline, an abundant source of fresh water, which undoubtedly at one time fed the ancient city. This source is still there, and is just as abundant, but the water from it flow into the sea. According to experts, the flow of fresh water reaches about 37 million liters per day. This amount is enough to supply even a large one. modern city- and yet Tire was never rebuilt, in other words, Ezekiel's prophecy has not been broken for more than 2500 years.

7. The city will never be found again. Most commentators agree that the real location of the destroyed Tyre can no longer be established. Probably, these words can be more accurately interpreted in the sense that people will not be looking for the place where Tire was located, but for the return of the city to its former wealth and glory.

It is hard to believe that it is impossible to find the ruins of a city that once occupied an entire island and was surrounded by walls that went down to the water. Some people still do not accept the fulfillment of the prophecy that Tire will never be rebuilt, because in its place there is a fishing village. The existence of the village cannot be denied, but the prophecy itself should not be denied on this basis.

Indeed, if we remember it in its entirety, we will find that Tire should turn into a place for spreading fishing nets, which is what happened. To spread the nets, the owners of these nets are needed, that is, fishermen. They, in turn, need to live somewhere, and if they spread their nets on the site of the ancient city, according to the prophecy, then they are unlikely to build their village 10 kilometers from it - they will live where their nets are located.

When Tire was destroyed in 1291, it perished and was never rebuilt. The settlement that arose in its place resembled ancient Tire no more than, say, the city of Seattle or Vladivostok.

“I visited Sur on a summer day,” recalls Nina Nelson. “The town was sleepy, calm reigned over the harbor. Pale turquoise fishing nets were drying on the shore.”

Hans-Wolf Rakl in “Underwater Archaeology” notes that “it is unlikely that even a single stone of ancient Tire lies in its place... The settlers who appeared after the destruction of the city used its ruins to build their own huts. As the prophet predicted, Tire became to a place for drying fishing nets."

In his book Travels in Lebanon, Philip Ward admits that "Since then (1261) agriculture and fishing, two occupations of peaceful and modest people, first turned Tire into a provincial corner."

In his statistical analysis, Peter Stoner uses seven of Ezekiel's predictions, six of which are the same as those given in this chapter (1-6). “If Ezekiel’s predictions at one time were made on the basis of human wisdom,” the researcher writes, “then the probability of the fulfillment of all seven prophecies would be one chance in 75 million. Nevertheless, they all came true down to the smallest detail.”

One of the oldest cities in Lebanon and a place of pilgrimage for lovers ancient history tourists, Tire can boast of a remarkable archaeological park - and its scale is so enormous that UNESCO includes the city in the List world heritage in 1984, it was forced to divide the attractions into three vast zones: in Al-Mina-1 and Al-Mina-2 you can see the oldest evidence of the activities of the civilizations of the Middle East - the Egyptians, Romans and Byzantines, and Al-Bass is entirely dedicated to the Roman “works” , of which the most notable are the hippodrome for 20 thousand spectators and the arched gallery. NATO soldiers and the Al-Bass refugee camp are almost at the entrance to archaeological park slightly darken the picture, and there are no people willing to stay in the city for a long time, so it makes sense to come here on a one-day excursion.

According to the Gospel of John, Jesus Christ performed his first great miracle, turning water into wine, at a wedding celebration in Cana, 13 km from Tire.

How to get to Tyre

The easiest way to get to Tire is by road from Beirut - buses, minibuses and minibuses"service". The bus ride will take from one to one and a half hours and will cost 3,000 LBP; they depart every 15 minutes from 5 am to 9 pm from the Cola transport station in the Lebanese capital. Minibuses from Beirut limp along for one to two hours, depending on the driver’s skills; travel will cost 2000-3000 LBP. "Service" is the most quick way get to Tyre. The cars set off as soon as all the seats are filled; fare - 10-15,000 LBP.

Prices on the page are as of March 2019.

Search for flights to Beirut (closest airport to Tire)

How to navigate the city

The most old part The city is located on a narrow cape jutting out into the sea. Here, right behind the fishing port, where colorful boats of local fishermen and large trawlers are moored intermixed, is the Christian quarter, and immediately behind it begins the Al-Mina archaeological park, both of its parts. Al-Bass Park is located deep in the city, in close proximity to the Palestinian refugee camp of the same name.

Transport

Considering small sizes Tyra, you can easily get around him on your own two feet. If by the end of the day you are quite tired from walking, a taxi is at your service. Meters have not been heard of in Tire since the time of Queen Elissa, so you should discuss the amount of payment with the driver before boarding the taxi.

4 things to do in Tire

1. Shout “Carthage, I’m coming!” on the embankment of Tire, becoming like the Phoenician fugitive queen Elissa. Then, of course, hurry to Tunisia.
2. Walk along the main street of the Roman city, intricately paved with mosaics - it is 18 centuries old!
3. Take a walk through the grandiose thermal baths and regret that the scale of washing is not the same today.
4. After visiting the ruins, dine in style at the Little Phoenician in the old port.

Fira Hotels

It is especially not customary to stay overnight in Tire - it is quite possible to see archaeological sites during daylight hours. However, for fans of the excavations, there are several accommodation options that are especially convenient if you decide to head to Sidon the next morning. The most pompous hotel bears the simple name “Rest House” and offers spacious modern rooms, an excellent restaurant, a cozy bar, two outdoor swimming pools and own sand beach for 140-170 USD (suites are also available for 400 USD). A simpler option, but no less charming, is the Al-Fanar hotel-restaurant. There is a homely atmosphere here, they prepare delicious traditional dishes and ask you to pay an affordable 70-90 USD per night.

Among the park's most notable ruins are the large-scale Roman baths and the adjacent rectangular area that could accommodate up to 2,000 spectators, presumably watching an ancient form of water polo.

Cuisine and restaurants

Fast food establishments cluster on the busy Abu Deeb street. They serve the ubiquitous falafel and shawarma; The most popular eatery among the locals is called Abu Deeb. For something more substantial, we recommend going to the Tanit restaurant near the fishing port. Their traditional dishes are great amount meze, steaks and a bar with foreign strong drinks, beloved by NATO soldiers. Another pleasant option is called “Tiros” - there is delicious food at affordable prices, and on Saturdays there is music live music. For a pompous dinner, head straight to the “Little Phoenician”, which is in the old port - the “trick” there is delicious fish dishes and an open terrace above the ancient pier.

The splendor of the monuments of Tyre

Entertainment and attractions of Tire

Al Mina Archaeological Park includes ruins dating back to the 3rd millennium BC - once the site of an Egyptian harbor, the sea later receded to make way for later Roman construction. Notice the mosaic-paved street, flanked by columns made of green marble imported from Greece. Among the most notable ruins of the park are the large-scale Roman baths of the 2nd-3rd century and the adjacent rectangular spectator area, which could accommodate up to 2000 spectators - presumably watching the ancient form of water polo.

There are ruins 5 minutes' walk from Al Mina medieval castle Crusader (12th century), to which several streets from the Roman and Byzantine periods lead.

Al Bass Archaeological Park is located approximately 2 km from the Al Mina ruins. The first thing to do here is to explore the ancient Roman necropolis with hundreds of magnificently carved marble sarcophagi - on some you can read the names of the “inhabitants”, others are poetically decorated with lines from the Iliad. Next, you should definitely admire the amazingly well-preserved arched gallery of Emperor Hadrian (2nd century), rising to a height of 20 meters, walk along a 1.6 km long Roman road and take a walk along the largest and first preserved ancient Roman hippodrome in the world - it once housed more than 20 thousand spectators! Here are also the ruins of the aqueduct that delivered water to the Al-Mina baths.

Cave of Kana

According to the Gospel of John, Jesus Christ performed his first great miracle, turning water into wine, at the wedding celebrations at Cana. Regarding where it was located biblical city Kana, there is still a lively debate, but the residents of Lebanon are sure that a miracle happened in the town of Kana, located 10 km southeast of Tire. Evidence of the miraculous transformation of drinks, of course, has not survived, but the main attraction of the village - Kana's cave - is well worth attention. According to legend, this is where Jesus spent the night before performing the miracle. On the way to the cave, pay attention to the ancient wall bas-reliefs carved into the rock, depicting the life of the Savior.

The cave is open from 8 a.m. to sunset and admission costs 4,000 LBP for adults and 2,000 LBP for children.

Continuing for another 18 km, you can reach the town of Tibnin to admire the 12th century Crusader castle built on a hill in the center of the city. In clear weather, the castle walls offer breathtaking views of fields, mountains and the coast.

 

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