Ithobaal I
Encyclopedia
Ithobaal I was a king of Tyre who founded a new dynasty. During his reign, Tyre expanded its power on the mainland, making all of Phoenicia
its territory as far north as Beirut
, including Sidon
, and even a part of the island of Cyprus
. At the same time, Tyre also built new overseas colonies: Botrys (now Batrun) near Byblos
, and Auza in Libya
.
Primary information related to Ithobaal comes from Josephus’s
citation of the Phoenician author Menander of Ephesus
, in Against Apion i.18. Here it is said that the previous king, Phelles
, “was slain by Ithobalus, the priest of Astarte, who reigned thirty-two years, and lived sixty-eight years; he was succeeded by his son Badezorus (Baal-Eser II
).”
The dates given here are according to the work of F. M. Cross
and other scholars who take 825 BC as the date of Dido’s flight from her brother Pygmalion
, after which she founded the city of Carthage
in 814 BC. See the chronological justification for these dates in the Pygmalion
article.
Ithobaal held close diplomatic contacts with king Ahab
of Israel. First Kings 16:31 relates that his daughter Jezebel married Ahab (874 – 853 BC), and Phoenician influence in Samaria
and the other Israelite cities was extensive. In the 1 Kings passage, Ithobaal is labeled king of the Sidonians. At this time Tyre and Sidon were consolidated into one kingdom.
Menander’s comment that Ithobaal had been a priest of Astarte before becoming king explains why his daughter Jezebel was so zealous in the promotion of idolatry, thus leading to the conflicts between Elijah and Jezebel’s forces described in 1 Kings 18 and 19. Menander’s further statement that her father was a murderer sheds some light on her choice of a way to solve the “Naboth” problem in 1 Kings 21.
Tyre is not mentioned as an opponent of Shalmaneser III
at the Battle of Qarqar
in 853 BC, but twelve years later, in 841, Ithobaal’s son Baal-Eser II
gave tribute to the Assyrian monarch.
Ithobaal of Tyre can be identified as the Itbaal-ramagu (Ittobaal the Priest)of Tyre in the Egyptian records of pharoah Merenptah.
'Ithobaal of Tyre can be identified as the Itbaal-ramagu (Ittobaal the Priest)of Tyre in the Egyptian records of pharoah Merenptah' This is not possible since Merneptah reigned c 1213-1203 bce. (wikipedia)
Phoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
its territory as far north as Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, including Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
, and even a part of the island of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. At the same time, Tyre also built new overseas colonies: Botrys (now Batrun) near Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
, and Auza in Libya
Ancient Libya
The Latin name Libya referred to the region west of the Nile Valley, generally corresponding to modern Northwest Africa. Climate changes affected the locations of the settlements....
.
Primary information related to Ithobaal comes from Josephus’s
Josephus
Titus Flavius Josephus , also called Joseph ben Matityahu , was a 1st-century Romano-Jewish historian and hagiographer of priestly and royal ancestry who recorded Jewish history, with special emphasis on the 1st century AD and the First Jewish–Roman War, which resulted in the Destruction of...
citation of the Phoenician author Menander of Ephesus
Menander of Ephesus
Menander of Ephesus was the historian whose lost work on the history of Tyre was used by Josephus, who quotes Menander's list of kings of Tyre in his apologia for the Jews, Against Apion...
, in Against Apion i.18. Here it is said that the previous king, Phelles
Phelles
Phelles was a king of Tyre and the last of four brothers who held the kingship. The only information available about Phelles comes from Josephus’s citation of the Phoenician author Menander of Ephesus, in Against Apion i.18...
, “was slain by Ithobalus, the priest of Astarte, who reigned thirty-two years, and lived sixty-eight years; he was succeeded by his son Badezorus (Baal-Eser II
Baal-Eser II
Baal-Eser II , also known as Balbazer II and Ba‘l-mazzer I, was a king of Tyre, the son of Ithobaal I.The primary information related to Baal-Eser II comes from Josephus’s citation of the Phoenician author Menander of Ephesus, in Against Apion i.18. Here it is said that “Ithobalus, the priest of...
).”
The dates given here are according to the work of F. M. Cross
Frank Moore Cross
Frank Moore Cross, Jr. is Hancock Professor of Hebrew and Other Oriental Languages Emeritus at Harvard University, notable for his work in the interpretation of the Dead Sea Scrolls, his 1973 magnum opus Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic, and his work in Northwest Semitic epigraphy...
and other scholars who take 825 BC as the date of Dido’s flight from her brother Pygmalion
Pygmalion of Tyre
Pygmalion was king of Tyre from 831 to 785 BC and a son of King Mattan I .During Pygmalion's reign, Tyre seems to have shifted the heart of its trading empire from the Middle East to the Mediterranean, as can be judged from the building of new colonies including Kition on Cyprus, Sardinia , and,...
, after which she founded the city of Carthage
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
in 814 BC. See the chronological justification for these dates in the Pygmalion
Pygmalion of Tyre
Pygmalion was king of Tyre from 831 to 785 BC and a son of King Mattan I .During Pygmalion's reign, Tyre seems to have shifted the heart of its trading empire from the Middle East to the Mediterranean, as can be judged from the building of new colonies including Kition on Cyprus, Sardinia , and,...
article.
Ithobaal held close diplomatic contacts with king Ahab
Ahab
Ahab or Ach'av or Achab in Douay-Rheims was king of Israel and the son and successor of Omri according to the Hebrew Bible. His wife was Jezebel....
of Israel. First Kings 16:31 relates that his daughter Jezebel married Ahab (874 – 853 BC), and Phoenician influence in Samaria
Samaria
Samaria, or the Shomron is a term used for a mountainous region roughly corresponding to the northern part of the West Bank.- Etymology :...
and the other Israelite cities was extensive. In the 1 Kings passage, Ithobaal is labeled king of the Sidonians. At this time Tyre and Sidon were consolidated into one kingdom.
Menander’s comment that Ithobaal had been a priest of Astarte before becoming king explains why his daughter Jezebel was so zealous in the promotion of idolatry, thus leading to the conflicts between Elijah and Jezebel’s forces described in 1 Kings 18 and 19. Menander’s further statement that her father was a murderer sheds some light on her choice of a way to solve the “Naboth” problem in 1 Kings 21.
Tyre is not mentioned as an opponent of Shalmaneser III
Shalmaneser III
Shalmaneser III was king of Assyria , and son of the previous ruler, Ashurnasirpal II....
at the Battle of Qarqar
Battle of Qarqar
The Battle of Qarqar was fought in 853 BC when the army of Assyria led by king Shalmaneser III encountered an allied army of 12 kings at Qarqar led by Hadadezer of Damascus and King Ahab of Israel...
in 853 BC, but twelve years later, in 841, Ithobaal’s son Baal-Eser II
Baal-Eser II
Baal-Eser II , also known as Balbazer II and Ba‘l-mazzer I, was a king of Tyre, the son of Ithobaal I.The primary information related to Baal-Eser II comes from Josephus’s citation of the Phoenician author Menander of Ephesus, in Against Apion i.18. Here it is said that “Ithobalus, the priest of...
gave tribute to the Assyrian monarch.
Ithobaal of Tyre can be identified as the Itbaal-ramagu (Ittobaal the Priest)of Tyre in the Egyptian records of pharoah Merenptah.
See also
- List of Kings of Tyre
- PygmalionPygmalion of TyrePygmalion was king of Tyre from 831 to 785 BC and a son of King Mattan I .During Pygmalion's reign, Tyre seems to have shifted the heart of its trading empire from the Middle East to the Mediterranean, as can be judged from the building of new colonies including Kition on Cyprus, Sardinia , and,...
'Ithobaal of Tyre can be identified as the Itbaal-ramagu (Ittobaal the Priest)of Tyre in the Egyptian records of pharoah Merenptah' This is not possible since Merneptah reigned c 1213-1203 bce. (wikipedia)