City shooting gallery history. Fulfillment of Bible prophecies. GPS in anomalous areas

The ancient city of Thira is located on the right bank of the Dniester estuary, which was called Tiras. This is the territory modern city Belgorod-Dnestrovsky.

Story

The city was founded in the 6th century BC. For the first time, settlers came here from Miletus. In the 6th-3rd centuries BC there were times of greatest prosperity for the territory's economy. Agriculture and viticulture, fishing, crafts and trade developed. All relations were mainly with the population of Transnistria. The city even minted its own coin.
In the 2nd century BC, Tire was ruled by local kings, whose names appear on the coins. In the middle of the 1st century BC the city was destroyed by the Getae.
In 56 BC, during the reign of Nero, the ancient city of Tire was restored by the Romans. Further, being part of the province of Moesia Inferior, it was renamed Alba Iulia, regaining its importance. Autonomous coinage in the city began during the reign of Emperor Domitian in 81 AD and continued until the end of the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus (235 AD. The coins of Tire at that time were copper, they depicted members of the imperial house of the Roman Empire. Then in In the ancient city there was a detachment of Roman legionnaires.
In the second half of the 3rd century the city suffered an invasion by the Goths. Archaeological finds showed that the Romans remained in these lands until the end of the 4th century. Later, the city was renamed by the Byzantines and restored after the barbarian invasions. New name ancient city Tyra became known as Maurokastron, which translated from Greek means “Black Fortress”.
At different times, the city was governed by five archons, a king, a senate, and a people's assembly. The types of coins suggest trade in wine, wheat and fish. Some inscriptions are also related to trade.

Studying

Archaeological excavations of the area have been carried out since the beginning of the 20th century. The surviving remains and artifacts are quite scarce, since the cultural layers of the Greek and Roman periods were completely destroyed or inaccessible; the Vedas were built on the territory medieval fortress, which is in different times was called Maurocastro, Cetatea Alba (" White City"), Akkerman ("White Fortress"). Today it is Belgorod-Dnestrovsky.
The city is divided into two parts along its entire length. The separator is the “Sacred Road”. Here tourists will see blocks of houses of different eras, sanctuaries, Agora, theaters, the home of Ptolemy the Benefactor, graves of the archaic and classical eras, remains of buildings of the early Christian period, hot springs. The names of the god Apollo, male and youthful names are carved on the rocks.
The ancient city of Thira is one of the most interesting attractions in Greece. It was discovered in 1895 by German archaeologists, and... The local ruins date back to the 9th century BC.
Many of the ruins here date back to the Hellenistic era, but remains of Byzantine and Roman architecture have also been found.

Shooting Range ancient Phoenician city state on east coast Mediterranean Sea. Ancient city Shooting Range was formed in the 3rd millennium BC. Its founders were the Phoenicians. Nowadays, at a distance of 20 kilometers from its outskirts there is the border of Lebanon with Israel. Tire is believed to be the first Phoenician settlement. According to an ancient legend, the city was founded on the area where the god Melqart was born. According to ancient legend, before the settlement of the territory of present Tyre, in its place there was a small island, freely moving along Mediterranean Sea. Over time, an eagle was sacrificed at the birthplace of the Phoenician god. After drops of blood fell on the island, he stopped his movement.

In the 28th century BC, a temple was erected in Tire in honor of Melqart. In front of the entrance there were two columns made of gold. The height of each of them reached 9 meters. Every day in the halls of the temple a ritual of sacrifice was performed, which was accompanied by dancing. It was only allowed to walk barefoot indoors. In the 6th century BC, the city was captured by the troops of Nebuchadnezzar with the aim of plundering the ancient settlement. But the inhabitants of the city managed to escape to an island located next to Tire, where they built new town under the same name.

In the 9th century BC, the island territories, by order of King Hiram, were connected to the mainland by an isthmus. As a result, an artificial cape was formed. During the period of the conquests of Alexander the Great, the isthmus was destroyed, replacing it with a pier. The great commander himself took part in its construction. It is known that the first two buckets of sand were poured into the base of the dam. All construction work was carried out manually. Due to a lack of raw materials, townspeople were forced to demolish their own homes. Over time, the island turned into a peninsula.

Shooting range - was the only city that did not surrender voluntarily to Alexander the Great. The townspeople bravely fought the enemy who attacked them. The invaders were forced to attack the city for 7 long months. After the capture of Tire, most of the townspeople were destroyed, the survivors were driven into slavery.

In the era of Alexander the Great, Tire was famous for its cedar, which was used for the construction of dams and ships. During Phoenician times, the city was famous for its glass and textile craftsmen. On its territory minted coins began to be used for the first time. Over the entire period of its existence, Tire changed its rulers more than once from different countries. Temples are witnesses to those events, historical monuments and ancient ruins of ancient buildings.

The monograph, based on archaeological and written sources, reconstructs the history of Thira, the social structure and culture of the city, its place among other ancient cities and its role in the life of the tribes of the North-Western Black Sea region for a millennium.

One of the most famous ancient Phoenician cities and one of the largest commercial centers of the Ancient World, the city of Tyre, was founded in the 28th century BC. Currently, this city is known as Sur and is located in modern Lebanon. According to Phoenician legend, the city of Tire was built by the sailor god Usos, who sailed on a log to the island on which he built an altar.

Mentions in ancient sources regarding Tire and its inhabitants can be found in the chronicles of Ancient Egypt, and in other important historical documents of Antiquity. Tire was originally an important port and trading city, which traded with many countries in the region, including Ancient Egypt. Also, the vast majority of Phoenician colonies in the western Mediterranean were colonies of Tire (including Cadiz and Carthage).

The prosperity of Tire constantly aroused the envy of the rulers of powerful empires Ancient world, and as a consequence it was constantly besieged by Assyrian, Babylonian, Judean, Persian and Egyptian troops. These constant wars and sieges led to the decline of Tire's power in the region and the weakening of its power in the colonies.

During the period of rise Ancient Greece, The shooting gallery became an important educational and scientific center, retaining this status during the period Ancient Rome. Tire also entered the history of Christianity as one of the first Christian cities; The Apostle Paul lived and preached here for a short period of time.

Sources: guide.travel.ru, tochka-na-karte.ru, www.bookarchive.ru, sredizemnomor.ru, interpretive.ru

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In the photo, the Sidon Fortress, which in the past protected the city port, was built in the 13th century. by the crusaders as a fortress on an island that is connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. The fortress was repeatedly destroyed by invaders and restored by themselves. Today, what remains of the castle is a pair of towers connected by a wall.

History of Sidon

The ancient city of Sidon is located on the coast. In ancient times it was a Phoenician city-state, one of the largest in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The exact time of Sidon's appearance has not yet been established. According to the generally accepted point of view, it apparently arose in the 4th millennium BC. e. This ancient city of Phenicia was located in a coastal valley less than 2 km wide.

In the 2nd millennium BC. e. he was major center international trade. In order to defend its right to this, Sidon waged a stubborn struggle, including an armed one, with its neighbor, the city of Tyre, for a dominant position in the politics and trade of Phenicia.

At the end of the 2nd - beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e. Sidon took an active part in the Phoenician colonization of the Western Mediterranean.

It became the metropolis of many colonies, and its ships, as Herodotus noted, were known for their fast speed. Like all the main Phoenician cities, Sidon was ruled by royal dynasties. Built partly on the mainland and partly on small islands, the city had two excellent harbors - in the north and in the south.

At the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e. the influence and power of the city weakened, and it fell under the rule of Tyre. This marked the beginning of the slow decline of Sidon.

In 701 BC. e. it was captured by the Assyrian army. The rulers of Assyria appointed their governors to the city, but the Sidonians, accustomed to freedom over many centuries of independence, repeatedly raised anti-Assyrian uprisings. When the patience of the king of Assyria ended, in 677 BC. e. he ordered the destruction of Sidon.

However, Sidon did not give up and was rebuilt, although little remained of its former splendor and grandeur, and now it was destined to become an ordinary port city. From those times, the remains of the temple of Eshmun, the Phoenician god and patron of Sidon, have been preserved.

In the second half of the 6th century. BC e. Sidon was forcibly annexed to the Achaemenid power, and its kings became vassals paying tribute to the Persian rulers. It is known that the Phoenician dynasty of Sidonian kings enjoyed special respect at the Persian court. But ordinary Sidonians repeatedly rebelled against the Persians. Until in 342 or 351 BC. e. both of its harbors and strong coastal fortifications were not destroyed by order of the Persian king Artaxerxes III, after which the city became easily accessible to the enemy.

But, since some of its berths remained intact, the city was again restored by alliances of traders and seafarers. And in ancient times, Sidon remained a bustling trading port. In the 4th century. BC e. he began to intensively develop relations with Athens, and subsequently with the power of Alexander the Great. A prominent military leader practically rebuilt Sidon and spent Olympic Games. Then the supreme power over Sidon successively belonged to the Ptolemies and Seleucids.

During the Roman era, the Hellenization of Sidon continued, and the city's economy was based on the production of ivory carvings, gold and silver jewelry, colorful glassware, the manufacture of purple dye, and purple cloth.

At the time of Jesus, most of the inhabitants of Sidon were Greek.

The heaviest damage to the well-being of the city was caused by the earthquake of 501. In 637, Sidon surrendered to the Arabs without resistance. Subsequently, he suffered a lot from the crusaders, who robbed him constantly. They left behind a fortress of two towers on the island and the ruins of the castle of Saint-Louis.

Today Sidon is the third largest city in Lebanon, it is called Saida and is located west of the ancient city, where ruins do not interfere with the construction of new houses.

In our time, there is little that reminds us of the past greatness of the Phoenician cities, and the current Sidon and Tire are relatively small towns fishermen After thousands of years, the sea swallowed up the dams, jetties and embankments. Today they are studied by submarine archaeologists.

History of Tyre

Under King Hiram, a contemporary of the legendary King Solomon, Tire became the capital of a vast power. Its colonies were scattered throughout the Mediterranean.

The city of Tyre is now called Sur. It is the fourth largest city in Lebanon (after Sidon Saida) and one of the country's main ports. The city's economy depends almost entirely on tourism. Among the local attractions is the ancient Roman hippodrome, included in the list World Heritage UNESCO. At the same time, El Rashidiya is located here: one of the largest Palestinian refugee camps for 20 thousand people.

The coast of Tire is included in nature reserve: This is an important nesting site for migratory birds, as well as a breeding ground sea ​​turtles- green and loggerhead, inhabited by the pygmy pipistrelle bat and the rare flower of the sea pancratium grows.

Tire is an ancient Phoenician city-state on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, located relatively close to Sidon-Sida. The historical fate of Tire is in many ways similar to the fate of Sidon.

Presumably it arose, like Sidon, in the 4th millennium BC. e. The main buildings were on the island; only suburbs and cemeteries remained on the mainland. In the 3rd-2nd millennium BC. e. it was an important craft and trade center.

At the end of the 2nd - beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e. immigrants from Tire became famous as skilled and brave sailors. They founded numerous colonies on the islands of the Mediterranean, in particular Cyprus and Sicily. But their main colony was in North Africa and was called Carthage, there was also a settlement of Lyke on Atlantic coast Africa. Tire also had colonies in what is now Spain, for example Gades (Cadiz) west of the Strait of Gibraltar. The glory of Tire gradually eclipsed the glory of Sidon. In the 10th century BC e. under King Hiram - a contemporary of the legendary King Solomon - Tire became the capital of a vast maritime power.

Tire has always been not only a neighbor, but also the main rival of Sidon.

“It is richer in fish than in sand,” it is said about Tire in an ancient Egyptian papyrus. The biblical prophet Ezekiel noted the strength and luxury of his ships.

From the 8th century BC e. Tire came under the rule of Assyria and remained a vassal of it until the beginning of the 6th century. BC e., when it was captured by the Neo-Babylonian kingdom. At that time, part of the Assyrian territories separated from Assyria, then contributed to its fall and division along with Tire.

From the second half of the 6th century. Tire is part of the Achaemenid power, having ended up there during the conquest of the kings of Ancient Persia. Despite this, navigation and trade flourish in Phenicia, and Tire still remains the “sea gate” of the Ancient East.

In 332 BC. e. Tyre was taken and destroyed by Alexander the Great. But still, Tire rose from the ruins and, as the ancient geographer Strabo wrote, “returned again, thanks to navigation, in which the Phoenicians always surpassed other peoples.”

In 64 BC. e. Roman legions landed in Tire, and it became part of the province of Syria.

Tire's port facilities amazed contemporaries. Underwater archaeological research has shown that the first ancient breakwater went 200 m into the sea, the width of the breakwater was 8 m. A second, even larger breakwater, 750 m long, was found even deeper. A passage for ships was left in the middle of the breakwater. Underwater, fortifications were discovered on each of the two piers, as well as two dams 100 m long.

When Phenicia fell into decay, no one began to repair all these capital structures. Port buildings went under water, dams, harbors, jetties, even embankments ancient Tire ended up at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.


general information

Location : southwest Lebanon.

Administrative affiliation : Sidon - Saida region, Tire - Sur region, South Lebanon governorate.

Founded: around 4th millennium BC e.

Language: Arabic, Armenian, Greek.

Ethnic composition : Arabs, Armenians, Greeks.

Religions: Islam - 90%, including Shiism 50%, Sunnism 40%; Alawism, Druze religion; Christianity - about 10%, including Catholicism (Maronites) and Orthodoxy.

Currency unit : Lebanese pound.

Rivers: Sidon - Avali and Sainik.

Airport: them. Rafika Hariri-Beirut (international).

Numbers

Square: Sidon - 7.86 km 2 , Tire - 17 km 2 .

Population: Sidon - 57,800 people, Tire - about 90,000 people. (2008).

Population density : Sidon - 7353.9 people/km 2 , Tire - 5294 people/km 2 (2008).

Average altitude : Sidon - 22 m, Tyre - 10 m.

Remoteness: Sidon - 40 km. south of Beirut, 35 km north of Tire (40 km by road), Tire - 75 km south of Beirut.

Climate and weather

Subtropical, Mediterranean.

Mild and rainy winters, hot and dry summers.

Average January temperature : -14°C.

Average temperature in July : +27°С.

Average annual precipitation : 820 mm.

Average annual relative humidity : 70%.

Economy

Fishing.

Services sector: tourism, transport, trade.

Attractions

Sidon

    Ruins of the Phoenician temples of Eshmun (VII century BC) and Melqart (VII century BC)

    Temple and throne of Astarte (III century BC)

    Synagogue (833)

    Sidon Sea Castle (XIII century)

    Castle Saint-Louis (XIII century)

    Khan el-Franj (French caravanserai, 17th century)

    Ottoman Debbani Palace (1721)

    British War Cemetery (1943)

    Soap Museum (2000)

Shooting Range

    Ruins of the Phoenician temple of Melqart (XXVIII century BC)

    Arc de Triomphe (332 BC, reconstruction)

    Archaeological complex of al-Mina excavations - ruins of ancient Roman buildings of the 2nd-3rd centuries. (theater, agora square, palaestra (gymnastic school), baths, necropolis, hippodrome)

    Ruins of the Church of the Holy Cross (XII century)

    Thira Coast Nature Reserve (1998)

    Phoenician springs of Ras al-Ain

Curious facts

    The city's name comes from a Phoenician word meaning " fishing" The Arabic "saidah" ​​means the same thing.

    In ancient times, the name Sidon was often applied by both foreign and local sailors to the entire Phoenician coast of the Eastern Mediterranean. This was explained by the importance of Sidon at that time.

    There is a legend that during an unsuccessful uprising against the Persians in 342 or 351 BC. e. 40 thousand inhabitants of Sidon burned themselves along with their property in their homes, so as not to fall into the hands of the victors and not be subjected to painful execution. It could be quite probable historical fact: in ancient times, the area of ​​the city was much larger, and up to 100 thousand people lived in it.

    Sidon was mentioned several times in biblical sources. Joshua calls the city the great Sidon (Joshua 11:8; 19:28). In Jacob's blessing it is called the border of the settlement of the tribe of Zebulun (Gen. 49:13). The Bible says that Sidon, when dividing the land, was assigned to the tribe of Asher (Joshua 19:28), which, however, never took possession of it (Judges 1:31). Jesus came to the borders of Sidon (Matthew 15:21; Mark 7:24), and the inhabitants of this city came to him to receive help from Him (Mark 3:8; Luke 6:17; Matt 11:22 ). On his way to Rome, Paul found here Christian Church(Acts 27:3).

    The Israelites, while conquering Canaan, were unable to take possession of Sidon. Zion's steadfastness infuriated the Israelites, who considered the Sidonians to be enemies of Israel and its faith. For this reason, the Old Testament prophets more than once foreshadowed the coming judgment of Sidon, “mired” in luxury and vice (Jer. 27:3ff.; Joel. 3:4ff.; Ezek. 28:21ff.). The sad fate of Sidon is perceived by the Israelis as the fulfillment of ancient predictions.

    The ancient Greek poet Homer wrote in his poems about “Sidon, rich in copper” and about the “skillful Sidonians.” Copper was not mined in Sidon, it was brought there for glass production: copper oxide is used in the production of glass and giving it green and blue colors, as well as in the production of copper-ruby glass.

    Sidon was for a long time the first among the Phoenician cities in what is today southern Lebanon. There is an assumption that Tire was founded by a group of Sidonians dissatisfied with the “ruling regime”. For a long time, Sidon did not pay attention to its rapidly growing competitor, until around 1200 BC. e. was not surpassed by Tyre. The Bible reports that Tire bypassed Sidon so much that Sidonian woodcutters and sailors were in his service (3 Chron. 5:6; Ezek. 27:8).

    Unlike Sidon and other Phoenician cities, Tire did not want to surrender to the mercy of the conqueror of the Persians, Alexander the Great. Nothing surprising: before this, no one had ever managed to take this fortress city, located on an island, by storm. At first, Alexander the Great did not succeed either. And then the commander, accustomed to solving any problem on a grand scale, decided: if the troops cannot take the island-fortress, then it is necessary to make sure that it ceases to be an island. By order of the emperor, an embankment was built across the strait separating Tire from the mainland in seven months: it has survived to this day. The city fell, was destroyed and plundered, and the people who survived the assault and wild massacre were sold into slavery.

    The biblical prophet Ezekiel, addressing Tire, says this about his ships: “All your platforms were built from the Senir cypress trees; they took cedar from Lebanon to make masts for you; They made your oars from the oak trees of Bashan; your benches were made of beech wood, with frames of ivory from the islands of Chittim; patterned fabrics from Egypt were used for your sails and served as a flag; blue and purple fabrics from the islands of Elisha were your veil” (Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, chapter 27, 5-7).

    In 53 BC. e. Tire fell under Roman rule. Cleopatra asked Mark Antony to transfer the city to her, but he refused, since Tyre had the status of a free city.

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 of the 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 for 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 a 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 mountain slopes Phenicia was 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 burst into 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 past, 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.

Shooting range is also important religious center, it was here that the first Christian communities appeared. The city is also mentioned in the Bible as one of the places where Jesus Christ visited; here he performed his first miracle. Since 1979, Tire has been protected by UNESCO as a city classified as a world treasure.

Now old part Thira is located on the peninsula, and the new one is on the mainland. There are few hotels in the city (about 2-3), but tourists do not have problems with accommodation; there is enough room for everyone. Prices for hotel rooms are quite reasonable.

Tourists are mainly attracted by the ruins of Tire from the Roman Empire. The Roman road leading to Arc de Triomphe, which in Roman times was the entrance to the city. On both sides of the road along the entire route there are many sarcophagi carved from stone and marble. And one of the sides of the road is accompanied by an aqueduct. In the 2nd century. A hippodrome was built on the territory of Tire, the ruins of which are well preserved. Every summer the hippodrome hosts an arts festival. During the Roman Empire, the hippodrome accommodated 20,000 spectators and was 480 meters long.

In Tyre, it is also worth seeing the Eshmun Palace, the Colosseum, two ports from the time of King Hiram, and the ruins of a Crusader temple.

Perhaps the most colorful part of Tire is the fishing harbor: a quiet pier, an abundance of fishing boats, workshops where these same boats are made using technology that has remained unchanged for several centuries. You can relax in one of the cafes or restaurants located in the harbor.

Walking from the fishing harbor towards the lighthouse, you will see the al-Mina excavations. Be sure to take a walk here and get to know the city as it was many centuries ago. At the entrance there is a large trade area era of the Roman Empire, passing through the square, on the main street you will see a theater. Water games were once held here. The theater is a rectangular building, the seats are arranged in five tiers, and a system of tanks is placed around the theater. Theater follows sports complex with bathhouses where wrestlers trained. Very interesting place– Cathedral of the Holy Cross, built in the 12th century. Now all that remains of it are the base of granite columns, and previously the cathedral was the place of coronation of the rulers of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. According to some reports, it is here that the remains of Frederick Barbarossa, an outstanding German emperor, are buried. During the existence of Phenicia, on the site of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross there was a temple of the god Melqart, who was considered the patron saint of Tyre.

Every year Tire hosts a festival where folklore performers from all over the Mediterranean perform. This festival is held on the ruins of a stadium from the times of the Roman Empire. If you want to learn more about the East and its culture, then you should definitely visit the Festival of Folklore Performers in Tire.

Attractions in the vicinity of Tire

According to the Gospel of John, Jesus Christ performed his first great miracle, turning water into wine, at the wedding celebrations at Cana. There is still lively debate about where the biblical city of Cana was located, but Lebanese residents are sure that the miracle happened in the town of Cana, 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, entrance costs 4,000 LBP for adults and 2,000 LBP for children).

Continuing the journey 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.

Nutrition

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 specialties 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.

Accommodation

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.

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.

How to get to Tyre

The easiest way to get to Tire is by road from Beirut - there are 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 fastest way to get to Tyre. The cars set off as soon as all the seats are filled; fare - 10-15 thousand LBP.

A trip to Tire can be combined with a visit to Sidon - buses run between the two cities, travel time is about 30-45 minutes, the fare will cost 1,500 LBP.

Story

Tire is the mother of the Phoenician peoples. One legend tells about the founding of the city. The appearance of Tire is associated with the Phoenician god Melqart, who was the son of the goddess Astarte. According to legend, it was at the birthplace of Melqart that the ancient Phoenician city was founded. The same legend says that even before the first settlement appeared on the site of Tyre, this small piece of land moved freely across the Mediterranean Sea. Later, by order of Melkar, they found the place where he was born and sacrificed an eagle; when the blood of a majestic bird fell on the rocks of the island, the island stopped at a distance of about 800 meters from the shore. In the 28th century BC, the residents of the town built a temple in honor of Melqart, in gratitude for which he allowed the townspeople to colonize a fairly large area of ​​the Mediterranean coast. In front of the entrance to the temple there were two columns made of pure gold, each 9 meters high. People walked around the temple territory barefoot; a ritual of sacrifice took place here every day, which was accompanied by dancing.

In the 6th century BC, Tire was destroyed by the army of Nebuchadnezzar, but the conquerors did not achieve their goal, they wanted to get gold and jewelry, and most of the inhabitants managed to collect all their property with them and move to an island near Tire. A new shooting gallery was built there. The mainland, next to which these two islands were located, was for them protection from storms. In the 9th century BC. The islands were connected by an isthmus to the mainland by order of King Hiram, thereby forming an artificial cape. During the time of Alexander the Great, the isthmus was destroyed, and in its place a pier was built, which was much larger than the isthmus. Makedonsky personally poured the first two buckets of sand into the base of the dam. All work on the construction of the dam was carried out manually. Cedar trunks brought from the mountains of Lebanon were driven into the bottom of the sea, and residents were forced to demolish their houses to fully provide them with building materials. Thus, the island eventually turned into a peninsula. By the way, it is worth noting that Tire is the only city that did not surrender to Alexander the Great without a fight; the inhabitants preferred a bloody war to a humiliating peace and fought for honor as best they could hometown. Some details of the battles and examples of heroic deeds of the inhabitants that have survived to this day are known. When the ships of Alexander the Great anchored, thereby blocking the harbor, the inhabitants of Tire swam to them and cut the anchor ropes. After this incident, by order of Alexander the Great, the ropes on all ships were replaced with anchor chains. The siege lasted seven months, after which Alexander the Great seized power into his own hands. A significant part of the population of Tire was killed, and those who managed to survive were soon sold into slavery. It was during the reign of Alexander the Great that the Lebanese cedar became a rare tree, this was caused by the fact that Alexander, in addition to building a dam, also used cedar in the manufacture of ships; cedar forests were massively cut down. During Phoenician times, Tire was famous for its glass and textiles. The traders of Tire carried out a peaceful expansion of the Mediterranean in order to find sources of raw materials and markets for their products. It was Tire that was the first city where they began to use money - minted coins. The development of the city was influenced by Phenicia. The shooting range developed quite quickly. A number of naval expeditions across the Mediterranean began from Tyre, including to Spain and beyond Gibraltar. In the 18th century, the city became one of the most important suppliers of building materials along the entire Mediterranean coast. At different times, the city was in the power of different countries and rulers, experienced many events, in memory of which remain interesting monuments, temples, ruins and more.

 

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