Melqart information

Melqart
Melqart
God of strength and heroes; Dying-and-rising god; Patron deity of Tyre
	Phoenician depiction of Melqart, from the Barracco Museum of Antique Sculpture, 6th century BC
Major cult center	Pillars of Melqart; Tyre, Phoenicia; Gadir, Iberia
Abode	Underworld
Symbol	Axe, lion
Festivals	Egersis
Personal information
Parents	El, Baal (father); Astarte (mother);
Siblings	paternal: Anat, Attar, Mot, Shahar, Shalim, Shapash, Yam
Equivalents
Greek equivalent	Heracles
Roman equivalent	Hercules

Melqart (Phoenician: 𐤌𐤋𐤒𐤓𐤕, romanized: Mīlqārt) was the tutelary god of the Phoenician city-state of Tyre and a major deity in the Phoenician and Punic pantheons. He may have been central to the founding-myths of various Phoenician colonies throughout the Mediterranean, as well as the source of several myths concerning the exploits of Heracles.^[1]^[2] Many cities were thought to be founded (in one way or another) and protected by Melqart, no doubt springing from the original Phoenician practice of building a Temple of Melqart at new colonies.^[1] Similar to Tammuz and Adonis, he symbolized an annual cycle of death and rebirth.

Melqart was typically depicted as bearded or with sideburns, dressed only in either a lion's skin or rounded shepherd's hat, and a loincloth. Reflecting his dual role as both protector of the world and ruler of the underworld, he was often shown holding an Ankh or Flower as a symbol of life, and a fenestrated axe as a symbol of death.

As Tyrian trade, colonization and settlement expanded, Melqart became venerated in Phoenician and Punic cultures across the Mediterranean, especially its colonies of Carthage and Cádiz.^[3] During the high point of Phoenician civilization between 1000 and 500 BCE, Melqart was associated with other pantheons and often venerated accordingly. Most notably, he was identified with the Greek Heracles and the Roman Hercules from at least the sixth century BCE, and eventually became interchangeable with his Greek counterpart.^[4]

In Cyprus, Melqart was syncretized with Eshmun and Asclepius,^[5]^[6] and also in Ibiza, as given by a dedication reciting: "to his lord, Eshmun-Melqart".^[7] In Tyre, women, foreigners, and pork were not allowed in the sanctuary of Melqart's temple.^[8]

^ ^a ^b Cartwright, Mark. "Melqart". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
^ Hitti, Philip (1957). Lebanon in History. India: Macmillan and Co Ltd. p. 118. Corinth is associated in Greek legend with a god of Phoenician origin, Melikertes (Melkarth), later identified with Herakles. The contests of the Phoenician god with the twelve hostile beasts of the zodiac are the origin of the twelve labours of the Greek hero.
^ "Melqart | Phoenician deity". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
^ "Melqart | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
^ Sauer 2018, p. 140.
^ Greenfield 1995, p. 433.
^ Ogden 2021, p. 470.
^ Herodotus (2009-06-02). The Landmark Herodotus: The Histories. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-4000-3114-6.

[:0-1] Cartwright, Mark. "Melqart". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2023-08-03.

[2] Hitti, Philip (1957). Lebanon in History. India: Macmillan and Co Ltd. p. 118. Corinth is associated in Greek legend with a god of Phoenician origin, Melikertes (Melkarth), later identified with Herakles. The contests of the Phoenician god with the twelve hostile beasts of the zodiac are the origin of the twelve labours of the Greek hero.

[3] "Melqart | Phoenician deity". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2020-04-26.

[4] "Melqart | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2020-05-20.

[FOOTNOTESauer2018140-5] Sauer 2018, p. 140.

[FOOTNOTEGreenfield1995433-6] Greenfield 1995, p. 433.

[FOOTNOTEOgden2021470-7] Ogden 2021, p. 470.

[8] Herodotus (2009-06-02). The Landmark Herodotus: The Histories. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-4000-3114-6.

Melqart information

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Melqart
God of strength and heroes Dying-and-rising god Patron deity of Tyre
Phoenician depiction of Melqart, from the Barracco Museum of Antique Sculpture, 6th century BC
Major cult center	Pillars of Melqart Tyre, Phoenicia Gadir, Iberia
Abode	Underworld
Symbol	Axe, lion
Festivals	Egersis
Personal information
Parents	El, Baal (father) Astarte (mother)
Siblings	paternal: Anat, Attar, Mot, Shahar, Shalim, Shapash, Yam
Equivalents
Greek equivalent	Heracles
Roman equivalent	Hercules

Ancient Semitic religion
Part of a series on
Mesopotamian Levantine pre-Islamic Arabia Near Eastern Religions
The Levant
Adonis Anat Arsay Asherah Astarte Atargatis ʿAṯtar Azizos Baʿalat Gebal Baʿal Baʿal Berith Baʿal Ḥammon Baʿal Marqod Baʿal Ṣapon Baʿalshamem Chemosh Dagan El Eshmun Haddu Kotharat Kothar-wa-Khasis Melqart Milcom Misor Mot Nikkal Qedesh Qos Resheph Sakkun Shadrafa Shahar Shalim Shapshu Sydyk Tanit Yam Yahweh Yarikh
v t e

Deities of the ancient Near East
Ancient Egyptian Amun Anubis Apis Atum Buchis Geb Horus Isis Montu Nephthys Nut Osiris Ptah Qetesh Ra Set Shu Tefnut Thoth
Arabian Allah Aglibol Abgal al-Lat al-Qaum al-‘Uzzá Atarsamain ʿAṯtar Baalshamin Bēl Dhul Khalasa Dushara Gad Hubal Malakbel Manaf Manāt Nasr Nuha Orotalt Ruda Suwa' Theandrios Wadd Ya'uq Yaghūth Yarhibol Yatha
Eblaite Adamma Aštabil Dagan Hadabal Hadad Ḫalabatu Išḫara Kura Ninkarrak Saggar Shalash
Elamite Humban Inshushinak Ishmekarab Jabru Kiririsha Lagamar Manzat Nahhunte Narundi Napir Napirisha Pinikir Ruhurater Simut
Hurrian Allani Aštabi Hayya Ḫepat Hutena and Hutellura Išḫara Kubaba Kumarbi Kušuḫ Lelluri Mitanni dynastic deities (Indra, Mitra, Varuna) Nabarbi Ninatta and Kulitta Nupatik Pirengir Shalash Šarruma Šauška Šimige Šuwala Takitu Tašmišu Teshub Tilla
Levantine (Canaanite and Ugaritic) Adonis Anat Arsay Asherah Ashima Astarte Atargatis ʿAṯtar Azizos Baʿal Baʿal Ḥammon Baʿal Marqod Baʿal Ṣapon Baʿalshamem Baʿalat Gebal Chemosh Dagan El Eshmun Haddu Kotharat Kothar-wa-Khasis Melqart Milcom Misor Mot Nikkal Qedesh Qos Resheph Sakkun Shadrafa Shahar Shalim Shapshu Sydyk Tanit Yam Yahweh Yarikh
Mesopotamian Adad/Ishkur Amurru An/Anu Asarluhi Ashur Aya Belet Nagar Dumuzi Enki/Ea Enlil Ereshkigal Gibil Inanna/Ishtar Ishtaran Manungal Marduk Nabu Nammu Nanaya Nisaba Shala Šumugan Nanna/Sin Nergal Ninazu Ninegal Ningal Ningishzida Ninhursag Ninisina Ninlil Ninshubur Pabilsag Papsukkal Sarpanit Sebitti Tishpak Utu/Shamash Wer Zababa
Religions of the ancient Near East
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