History of Lebanon - Classic Antiquity

Classic Antiquity

After gradual decline of its strength, Phoenician city states on the Lebanese coast were conquered outright by the Achaemenid dynasty of Persia, which organized it as a satrapy, though many of Phoenician colonies continued their independent existence - most notably Carthage. The region of northern Canaan was subsequently merged into the empire of Alexander the Great, who notably conquered Tyre (332 BC) by extending a still-extant causeway from the mainland in a seven-month effort. After Alexander's death the region was absorbed into the Seleucid Empire.

With the rise of the Roman Empire and the decline of the Seleucids, the area was conquered by the Roman Empire in 63 BC. During the Herodian dynasty rule, the area has become part of Judaea. It was ruled by Herodian descendants also when Judea itself became a Roman Province in 6 CE, up until the death of Agrippa II in the year 92. Agrippa II was a Roman ally during the Great Judean Revolt of 66-73 CE, supporting Roman armies with Iturean troops. Following Agrippa II's death, his kingdom was divided between Roman Syria and Roman Judea. In the final consequences of the Jewish-Roman Wars, the region of modern Lebanon became part of Syria-Palaestina since 135.

Christianity was introduced to coastal plane of Mount Lebanon from neighboring Galilee, already in the 1st century. The region, as with the rest of Syria and much of Anatolia, became a major center of Christianity. In the 4th century it was incorporated into Christian Byzantium, transforming from the pagan Eastern Roman Empire. Mount Lebanon and its coastal plane became part of the Diocese of the East, divided to provinces of Phoenice and Phoenice Lebanensis (which also extended over large parts of Syria).

During the late 4th and early 5th century, a hermit named Maron established a monastic tradition, focused on the importance of monotheism and asceticism, near the Syrian mountain range known as Mount Lebanon. The monks who followed Maron spread his teachings among the Syrians in the region. These Christians came to be known as Maronites and moved into mountains to avoid religious persecution by Roman authorities.