Hosn Suleiman
Coordinates: 34°55′52.64″N 36°14′43.08″E / 34.9312889°N 36.2453000°E
| Hosn Suleiman, temple of Zeus حصن سليمان | |
|---|---|
  Hosn Suleiman, temple of Zeus Location in Syria | |
| Coordinates: 34°55′52.64″N 36°14′43.08″E / 34.9312889°N 36.2453000°E | |
| Country |
 Syria |
| Governorate | Tartus Governorate |
| District | Safita District |
| Elevation | 465 m (1,526 ft) |
Hosn Suleiman (Arabic حصن سليمان), a Syrian village, is found on the slope of the Alnabi Alsaleh mountain at an altitude 950 m, at a distance of 20 km from Dreikish and 56 km from Tartous.
Hosn Suleiman is called also Khikhi temple (Arabic معبد خيخي) or Sisi house (Arabic بيت سيسي) and it is hinted from the naming that it bears semitic roots, and maybe dedicated to the god "betosisi", which is considered the healing god of the Romans. Also known as Baal (Bel) temple, ascribed to god Baal. Still there is village nearby called Betalous (Arabic بتعلوس). Baal was called also Baalous, and a Roman emperor existed as Aleiga Baalous, who fought to let Rome admit the worship of Baal.
The location was in close relation with Arwad kingdom (Arados) in the times of Phoenicians, and was a source of wood for ship industry.
It was an important site during Hellenic and Roman periods. Syria was then part of Seleucid Empire.
Now visitors can see the huge stones of the temple, with inscriptions in Greek and Latin.
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