Baal Shamem 2

BAAL SHAMEM part 2 ================== Baal Shamêm occurs worldwide, for example: Baal Shamêm also appears in a Phoenician inscription from Umm el-Amed (KAI 18), where he had his own temple and he is named in Greek Zeus Hupsistos (Zeus, the very highest), or Zeus Megistos Keraunios (CIS II, 3912 = Zeus, the huge terrible), or Hagios Theos Ouranios. Under the title "God, the holy heaven" he was worshiped until the 3rd century AD in the Tyrian temple Qedesh in Galilee. His cult boomed under the Seleucids, under the name 'Olympic Zeus " and they made it a kind of god for their dynasty. He was probably named under this name by Flavius ​​Josephus (C.Ap.1,113.118 + A.J.VIII 5.3) and by Eupolemus (FGH 723 fr.2), who attribute the dedication to King Hiram I of Olympian Zeus from a pillar of gold in his sanctuary on the island of Tyre. Furthermore, we find the very high at Byblos on  a pedestal of a statue of Zeus (M.Dunand, Fouilles the Byblos 1, No. 1141) and on a bronze tablet at Baotécécé dedicated to Zeus keraunios (IGLS VII, 4041). In Carthage two texts are called priests of Baal Shamêm (CIS I 379 + 5955) and a memorial stone he stands at the head of deities, before Tanit, Baal  Hamon and Baal mgnm. A consecration at Cagliari (KAI 64 = ICO Sard 231) mentions a Baal Shamêm on the island of the sparrow (Inosim = Carloforte). An inscription from Cyprus (Kition III F2) also reports to him.