The Temple of Jupiter, built by the Romans in Baalbek
LIKE OTHER AREAS of the Middle East, Lebanon has a heritage almost
as old as the earliest evidence of mankind. Its geographic position
as a crossroads linking the Mediterranean Basin with the great
Asian hinterland has conferred on it a cosmopolitan character and
a multicultural legacy.
At different periods of its history, Lebanon has come under the
domination of foreign rulers, including Assyrians, Babylonians,
Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Ottomans, and French. Although
often conquered, the Lebanese take pride in their rebellions
against