Roman Temple,
Monastery and Crusader Castle Ruins
(30 Km from Halba)
To reach this interesting site, turn left from the center of
Halba in the direction of Qubbayat. Continue until you come to
an artificial lake on your right, about 18 kilometers before
Halba. Half a kilometer beyond this is left turn in the
direction of Menjez which you follow for five kilometers. Then
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Menjez |
take a right fork
that deadends at the hamlet of Qosayr. Just beyond a grove of
large oak trees and a tomb, turn right onto a dirt road,
which, if dry, is passable by car. About one kilometer along
this road is a small building and from here a ten minute walk
along the path to the right leads to the temple site.
At Maqam ar-Rabb or Beit Jallouk, lie the
basaltic remains of a little temple erected in stages starting
in the first century A.D. This temple, restored by the
Directorate General of Antiquities, has some dedications in
Greek letters. One of them, a statue base measuring
110cmx67cm, was dedicated in 262 A.D. by the priest Drusus to
Nemesis, who was considered the mistress of cosmic destiny.
Note the wheel of fortune below the name of the goddess. In
Byzantine times the temple was made into a church.
In the valley below the temple is the
Menjez River. North of the temple towards the river you can
see the old Roman canalization with supporting walls five
meters high. This water course winds its way for some distance
both east and west of the temple and makes an interesting
hike.
The town of Menjez is the site of Monastery
of Our Lady of the Fortress, located at the end of a long
stone paved road. Built in 1890, the structure stands near the
remains of a Crusader castle where cisterns and tombs may also
be found. |