Beirut

Lore & Background

Beirut's name is first attested in the 14th century BC in three Akkadian cuneiform tablets of the Amarna letters, where it appears as Biruta, sent by King Ammunira of Biruta to Egyptian pharaohs. The name derives from the Phoenician word bēʾrūt, meaning 'wells,' referring to the site's accessible water table. The Greeks hellenised the name as Bērytós, and the Romans latinised it as Berytus, later renaming it Colonia Iulia Augusta Felix Berytus when it became a Roman colony. During the Crusades, the city was known in French as Barut or Baruth.

Reader's Guide

Its architectural and demographic structure underwent major change in recent decades. The city's earliest settlement was on an island in the Beirut River, which later silted up. Excavations in the downtown area have unearthed layers of Phoenician, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Crusader, Persian, and Ottoman remains. The Phoenician port was located between Rue Foch and Rue Allenby, now buried under the city. Beirut's significance lies in its continuous habitation for over five millennia, its role as a major Mediterranean port and economic center, and its resilience through repeated destruction and rebuilding.

Did You Know?

• Beirut is one of the oldest cities in the world, inhabited for more than 5,000 years.
• The name Beirut derives from the Phoenician word bēʾrūt, meaning 'wells.'
• The city's ancient Phoenician port is now buried under the modern city.