While it is difficult to determine the precise
origins of the city, prehistoric remains found in the area have
dated human settlement to the middle Paleolithic era (100,000-40,000
B.C.), as well as to the Chalcolithic era (4500–3500 B.C.) and
the Bronze Age (3500-1200 B.C.).
The earliest texts mentioning Batroun are the Amarna Letters
(mid-2nd millennium B.C.), sent by the governors of the coastal
Canaanite cities to the Pharaohs of Egypt to ask for help
in repelling Amorite intruders (nomad tribes originating from
the middle-Euphratus region in the north). Batroun was subsequently
destroyed by the Amorites and remained in ruins until the
Tyrian re-colonization in the 9th century B.C. In 7th century
B.C., Batroun was among the cities conquered by the Assyrian
army.
Batroun was also involved in the war between the successors
of Alexander the Great in early 200 B.C. Taking advantage
of the disruption and chaos that marked the end of the Seleucids
(305 and 64 B.C.), the Itureans (Arab tribes) spread their
power over the region from the Békaa and transformed Batroun
into a base for their raids against the coastal cities.
By 64-63 B.C., the Roman General Pompey took over the region,
and took back Batroun from the Iturean princedom. During the
Roman period, Batroun used vinery symbols on its coinage to
accredit the etymology of Botrys, its new Greco-Roman name.
The currency of Batroun struck during the rule of the Roman
emperors Elagabalus (218-222 A.D.) and Alexander Severus (222-235
A.D.) shows that the city had a temple dedicated to a local
goddess or Astarte. The construction of a small theatre was
launched during the same period but was never completed.
On July 9th, 551 A.D., a violent earthquake struck and destroyed
hundreds of Levantine cities, including Batroun. The city
did not recover from this catastrophe, and disappeared completely
from the historical records until the 12th century A.D.
On the eve of the Crusades, Batroun was part of the Emirate
of Banu Ammar, who ruled North Lebanon from the mid-11th century.
Batroun was brought down by the Crusaders and became part
of the County of Tripoli by 1110. According to some texts,
Batroun's fortifications were very weak during this epoch;
consequently, the houses were built close together, transforming
the city into an easily defendable, compact “building block.”
A fort was erected in the center of the city, where some of
its remains are still clearly visible today.
Batroun's significance declined during the Mamluke period
and remained so until the 19th century. The European travelers
of the 17th-18th centuries describe it as "ruined and
almost abandoned." By the mid-19th century, Batroun rose
from its ashes due to the newly introduced silk industry.
The major historic buildings we see today are the best testimony
of this development.
The Ras Ech-Chaqa'a Promontory
Ras ech-Chaqa‘a, the promontory to the north of Batroun,
dominates the sea with its impressive cape acting as a massive
natural barrier between the city of Batroun and Tripoli, hence
imposing itself as a daring obstacle to all crossing. Its
location and history are tightly connected with Batroun's
history: the sea wall, the city harbor, and the Mussaylha
Fort.
Before the earthquake of 551 A.D., Batroun was an indispensable
stopping point in the journey between Tripoli and the southern
coastal cities, served by a costal road that followed along
the cape connecting the city of Batroun with Tripoli. This
road was destroyed by the earthquake, and Batroun was subsequently
bypassed with two new roads. This is perhaps the reason why
Batroun disappeared from historical records until the 12th
century A.D.
The Ras ech-Chaqa'a promontory was described without exception
by all the travelers, historians, and geographers who visited
the region. Over the millenniums, many different names have
been used. The Greek historian Polybius (205/200–120/118 B.C.)
was the first to mention the name Theou prosopon, meaning
"the Face of God."
Mussaylha Fort
Following the collapse of the Theouprosopon (the Ras ech-Chaqa'a
promontory) in 551 A.D., the coastal road completely disappeared
and the northern shoreline was transformed into a high sea
cliff. Subsequently, a new road bypassing the promontory from
the east was constructed to connect Batroun with Tripoli.
This road passes through the Nahr el-Jawz valley from the
south, then turns around the Ras ech-Chaqa'a promontory, reaching
the other side at a spot near El-Heri called "Bab el-Hawa,"
meaning the "door of the wind." It was strategically
important to build forts to secure this road, as well as to
ensure communication and traffic control. The Mussaylha Fort
was built for this purpose.
The strategic and military importance of the Mussaylha Fort
urged numbers of scholars to study its history and architecture.
However, evidence is inconclusive as to whether the rock on
which the Fort stands was used since early times as a military
station.
The Fort does not include in its current construction any
element that could be related to an earlier period, even to
the Crusades. The construction techniques, the size of the
construction stone blocks and their cutting techniques, the
low arched doors and windows, in addition to other elements,
suggest the 17th century as the earliest date for the current
Fort to have been built. The year 1624 is established by both
historians and eye witnesses as the construction date of Mussaylha
by Fakhr ed-Dine II. Even if the strategic importance of the
site of Mussaylha was exploited since antiquity, the actual
state of the Fort cannot be dated earlier than the 17th century.
Koubba
The village of Koubba, on the coast 2 kilometers north of
Batroun, is situated in a wooded landscape just north of the
river Nahr el-Jawz, with a small Crusader church built on
the top of a little hill. |
