MEMORY, PLACE, AND LANDSCAPE IN ROMAN SYRIA: THE VIEW FROM THE SANCTUARIES OF MOUNT LEBANON∗

Abstract

The creation of memory and place within landscapes has received considerable critical attention in archaeology in recent years, with a focus on power relations, social cohesion, and social memory. As yet, such notions have not been fully explored within Roman contexts, generally in the Eastern Mediterranean, and particularly within the Roman province of Syria. In this region, the well-preserved Graeco-Roman temples of Lebanon have long been interpreted as powerful symbols of the Roman period. However, because of this status, study of these impressive structures has centred primarily on certain aspects, for example, the ‘Roman-ness’ of their architecture and the practical construction of their sacred landscapes. Utilizing notions of memory and power, place and performance, this paper seeks to move beyond such empirical analyses. Focusing on three case studies, it explores elements of the development of place through memory within the rural environment.