3 ancient civilizations that thrived in Lebanon throughout the ages

CAIRO – 6 August 2020: Beautiful Lebanon still suffers from civil wars, external interference, and successive political and economic crises, making the situation more tragic and catastrophic than other countries in the region suffering from great civil and sectarian wars.

The world is still living in great shock after the devastating blast that rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut on Aug. 4, leaving dozens of fatalities and hundreds wounded.

Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced that about 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, which had been stored in a warehouse in Beirut’s port for 7 years, is responsible for the terrifying explosion, which resembled that of a nuclear bomb.

A number of observers of the Lebanese issue described what the Lebanese Republic is suffering from as a state of civilizational collapse, as a result of great deterioration in the political, social and economic fields.

For this, we review through the coming lines the ancient civilizations that Lebanon witnessed throughout its ages, and how it suffered.

Tibetan Civilization

The Tibetan Civilization is one of the oldest civilizations of humanity, and is one of the oldest civilizations known to the Lebanese throughout their history. It arose in the Fertile Crescent region 10,000 years ago. Artifacts representing this civilization were discovered and traced to 10,000 BC. They come among the oldest, if not the oldest, artifacts to ever be discovered on Earth.

A number of scholars and researchers believe that Tibet is the place where Noah's Ark rested. It is about 600 km from the place where Noah's Ark docked, as history books mention.

The fall of that ancient civilization is still a subject of research, and it remains a mystery that baffles scholars to date as the place has sunken under the sand, as if it was intentionally buried, but there is no real answer to the reason for the burial of this historical location. 

Was it buried to be hidden from the eyes of the invaders or to be preserved in the hopes of returning again?

Babylonia

This is one of the greatest civilizations in history, known anciently as the Sumerian Land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq. It appeared between the 6th and 18th centuries BC. Its center was the city of Babylon.

Babylonia was founded by Hammurabi in 1763 BC. Hammurabi defeated the Assyrians in 1760 BC. That civilization was so great it extended to the Fertile Crescent region including Lebanon.

With the Macedonian Alexander the Great entering Babylon in 331 BC, its inhabitants welcomed him as their liberator from the Persians and recognized his rule. He strived to win their further approval offering sacrifices to Murdoch and to rebuild the temples that had been destroyed by Ahasuerus. He also laid out a plan to rebuild the Ziggurat.

The Babylonian Civilization lost its importance after Seleucus I Nicator founded in 300 BC the city of Seleucia, which is located north of Babylon, 90 km from the Tigris, and took it as his capital.

The first century AD did not come until Babylon was turned into a deserted city, and ended.

Pheonician Civilization

The Phoenician Civilization is also considered one of the greatest civilizations of all time. It was witnessed in the Fertile Crescent region before 2500 BC. Scholars generally agree that it includes the coastal areas of northern Palestine today, Lebanon and southern Syria.

Its owners established a vast empire, and established many colonies, which reached Carthage in Tunisia today.

However, that great civilization also disappeared, as the Phoenicians did not tend to establish a strong state like the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Egyptians, but were divided into several states (cities).