Of the other rectangular temples of the Romans, those of Palmyra and Balbec are not only the most extraordi nary in point of extent, but are also in the highest style of decoration to which Roman architecture was carried. For a description of the general plan of the place, and of the various remains found within the precincts of Pal myra, we must refer to the valuable volume published by Messrs Dawkins and Wood in 1753, and for a speci men of the architecture, confine ourselves chiefly to an account of the temple of the Sun. The court in which the temple stood, measures over the walls, (by the scale upon the Plate,) 740 feet from north to south, and 720 from east to west. These inclosure walls consisted of a basement, or regular pedestal, about 16 feet in height; a plinth 2 feet 10 inches; and a regular order of Corinthian pilasters and entablatures; making, altogether, a height of 75 feet. The pilasters are 4 feet 6 inches diameter, and, exclusive of the entrance portico, there must have been 120 on the outside of the four walls, or sides of the rectangular court. From the surface of the outside ground to the level of the top of the pedestal (16 feet), there is a straight stair which extends 138 feet, which is the length of the portico, consisting of ten columns. This portico projects 49 feet before the face of the wall, rises to the same height as the pilasters, and has a pediment. which rises more than one-fifth of the extent. The co lumns next the middle have been placed nearer to those next to them, in order to render the middle space wider than the other intercolumniations. The bases are attic ; the architrave has many members; the frieze is an ellip tical curve, and plain; the cornice has both (lentils and enriched modillions; the other members, except some lions heads in the upper member, are plain. Imme diately under the portico, the boundary wall is much de corated; the centre doorway is 32 feet 6 inches high, and 15 feet 9 inches wide, with highly enriched architrave, trusses, and entablature. On each side is a door 16 feet 10 inches by 8 feet 10 inches, with plain architraves, and enriched soffit, trusses, frieze, and cornice. Over each of the side doors is a nick for a statue, having two small Corinthian columns on each side, also enriched frieze and cornice, and a shell in the domical head. On both sides of each of these doors are two heights of taberna cles, formed by pilasters and enriched frieze and cornice; the tops of these are flat, and the face of the pilasters plain. Over all these parts the general entablature of the portico passes, and although plain on the external face of the portico, it is here highly enriched. Though, exclusive of the projection of the pilasters, the inclosure wall measures only about six feet in thickness; yet, at the entrance under the portico, there is a solid of about 18 feet in thickness. The inner face of this very much resembles that which has just been described under the outer portico, only that the side doors, niches, and ta bernacles, have pointed pediments. Round the inside of this court-wall, there are pilasters corresponding to those on the outside, so that there must have been 112; that is, eight fewer than on the outside, not counting the one quarter at each internal angle; between each of these pilasters there has been a tabernacle for a statue. Parallel with the inside of this western enclosure wall, is a row of columns, placed 48 feet 7 inches front the face of the pilasters, and at the distance of 8 feet 3 inches from each other, making 44 in number; besides two pilasters which distinguish the extremities of the entrance portico, and upon which there is a pediment similar to that in the out side. The shafts of the columns are plain, but the en tablature is highly and beautifully enriched, the ground of the frieze is flat, the foliage upon it has a very bold relief ; against each shaft, (except those of the portico,) at about one third of its height, is a bracket, apparently to receive a statue. Alongst each of the other three sides of the court, were two rows of columns, similar to those already described, placed 19 feet from the face of the pilasters upon the wall, and the same from each other in that direction. Besides the larger clustered columns at the extremities of each row, and which were 12 in number, there were 51 in each row along the north and south sides, and 56 along the cast and west sides, making altogether 226, and with the clustered columns 238, which, added to those along the western or entrance side, and inner portico, make 288 insulated pillars; in the cir cumference of this court, and along which there passed a highly enriched and delicately sculptured entablature, without a single break, excepting a very slight one to mark the extent of the entrance portico and its pedi ments.
The temple itself stood 119 feet nearer to the eastern titan the western colonnade, and about 22 feet nearer the south than the north. It was raised upon a platform, and this was ascended by steps which passed quite round it; the peristyle consisted of eight columns along each end, and 15 along each side, counting those at the angles twice ; the length, over the columns, measures 190 feet, the breadth 103 feet ; between the face of the pilasters upon the cell, and the inside of the columns of the peri style, the distance is 22 feet 2 inches on the sides, and 22 feet 9 inches on each end ; the height of the order, exclusive of the plinth upon which each column stands, (which is 1 foot 8 inches,) is 62 feet 8 inches ; the shafts are fluted ; the vases of the cups arc now plain, but have marks spewing that metallic leaves and volutes have been fixed upon them ; the architrave has one member enriched ; the frieze is flat, and enriched by festoons of flowers held by female figures with wings; the cornice has dentils and modillions, and has every member except the corona enriched. On each side the principal entrance, which is on the west side of the edifice, there is a clus tered column. The dimensions of the cell are, between the pilasters at the external angles, length 133 feet 4 in ches, breadth 47 feet ; between the pilasters, at each end, are two semi-ionic columns. The entrance door is 33 feet high and 15 mide; the architrave has one mem ber enriched, the frieze and cornice are fully enriched ; in the soffit is a hird like an eagle with wings extended. The windows, of which there arc four on each side of the cell, are 8 feet 10 inches high, 4 feet 4 inches wide at the bottom, and 4 feet 2 inches at the top ; they have architraves round the sides and top, on the outside pedi ments, and on the inside a flat cornice ; they, on both sides, stand upon plain sills; the architraves are ten in ches broad. Within the cell, at each end, are divisions
like those of a modern chancel for an altar table, with a stair on one side and a small vestry on the other. Over the middle spaces, the soffits or ceilings are enriched by sunk moulded pannelliug of square octagonal and rhom boidal forms, each having a flower in the centre. In the middle part of each soffit is a large circle; round one of them are the signs of the zodiac, and within it pentagonal compartments with busts, one evidently a Mercury, and another Apollo. Round the circle of the other sofTit is a very rich fret work, and a large open flower in the centre.
Next in consequence to this magnificent court and temple, is the ruin named the long portico, said to have been distinctly traced for a distance of 4000 feet; it com mences at about 1200 feet to the north west of the tem ple ; it is composed of four rows of columns, embracing a breadth of 82 feet ; that is, the space between the mid dle vow of Columns being 37 feet, and on each side 16 feet ; the diameter of the columns is 3 feet 3 inches; the intercolumn lengthwise 7 feet 2 inches. At the entrances to this portico is a gateway, consisting of three arched the middle is 45 feet high, and 23 feet 6 inches wide ; those on each side 22 feet high, and 11 feet 6 in ches wide. The external and internal façades have Co rinthian pilasters, and a pediment over the middle part ; the pilasters are pannelled and enriched like those at Spalatro ; the hicze is covered with acorns and small leaves. The height of this order, including a plinth of three feet, measures 57 feet 6 inches. The whole has the appearance of a fine triumphal arch. It does not stand at a right angle, but in an oblique position to the general direction of the portico.
We must deny ourselves the pleasure of entering upon the description of the other numerous temples and tombs, of which vestiges were discovered, and proceed to give a short account of 13albec.
Balbec had been so completely destroyed, that the vestiges of three edifices only could be traced by Messrs Dawkins and Wood, as appears by their book, publish ed in {757. These consist of the Temple of the Sun, with its courts ; another smaller temple immediately ad jacent to it ; and a singular circular temple, which stood about 400 feet to the south-east of the former. The great temple is first approached by a stair, 180 feet in length, rising 24 feet, to au oblong portico of the same length, and 40 feet in depth ; and this portico has, at each end, an apartment 38 feet by 31 in the clear. The façade of this noble portico consists of 12 columns in the open part, and four pilasters at each end, standing against the before-mentioned apartments. The height of the order, which is Corinthian, is 52 feet ; and, besides the general basement, which, as at Palmyra, forms a regular pedes tal, there is here another about three feet six inches high. The diameter of the columns is four feet three inches at the bottom, and three feet nine inches at the top, and the iutcrcolumn is 9 feet six inches, and eleven feet and ele ven feet six inches. The bases arc attic; the shafts are plain; the architrave has its upper member enriched ; the frieze is flat and plain; the cornice has (lentils and mo dillions, and has the upper member enriched ; there is no break over the columns, and only a very small one at the pilasters. Over the order is an attic, or rather a pedestal with its plinth, dado, and cornice, altogether about ten feet in height. In this there is a small pilaster over each column and pilaster below, and upon the top of each there is a small square plinth. The whole height of this façade is S9 feet 6 inches. Under the porch, and in the apartments at each end, there is a succession of tabernacles in two heights ; the upper ones having pedi ments over them, alternately rircular and pointed ; some having the level cornice interrupted by a shell, and others, a part of the raking cornice, !caving an opening in the middle part. From under this portico there arc three passage doorways; that in the middle is 34 feet high and 17 wide ; those on each side 18 feet high and 10 feet wide. These doors arc surrounded on the sides and top by very broad plain architraves. The friezes are all low, flat, and plain. The cornices have plain modillions. These en trances lead into an hexagonal court, two sides of which measure 110, and the other four 88 feet each ; the breadth across being 146 feet. On five sides of this singular court, there are apartments, some 60, and others 63 feet long, and 22 feet in breadth. The back and end walls are filled with tabernacles. The sides next the courts are open, and each supported by four columns, 2 feet 9 inches diameter at the bottom, and 2 feet 5 inches at the top, and having intercolumns of 9 feet 6 inches, and 9 feet 3 inches, and 8 feet 73 inches. Between these large apartments are others in the angles, of various shapes and dimensions. The sixth side forms an entrance into a large quadrangular court, measuring 374x368 feet ; having along three of its sides oblong apartments, similar to those in the hexagonal court, from 57 to 80 feet in length, and 22 in breadth ; and there are on two sides two semicircular recesses, 32 feet diameter, with five niches in each, and having two large columns in the open sides next the court : There are also, besides, eight rectangular apartments. The columns in this court are also 2 feet 9 inches diameter, with intercolumns from 8 feet 2 inches to 8 feet 4 inches. The orders in both courts appear to be the same in form and dimensions. They stand upon insulated pedestals, five feet in height. From the top of this, the order measures 33 feet 6 in ches. The shafts are all plain. The architrave has the small beads and upper members enriched. The frieze is very low : The ground of it is flat, and is decorated by short festoons of flowers, suspended upon oxen' skulls, and small masks between them, all in bold relief. The cornice has dentils and modillions, and four other mem bers enriched. Over the order is an attic, or pedestal, with small pilasters. The niches and tabernacles are finished similar to those in the portico, with pediments, pointed, circular, and broken ; and there are besides, in the niches of the semicircular recesses, some pilasters with enriched pannels and capitals, with Corinthian bases, and Ionic angular volutes, and enriched ovolo resembling the Roman composite. When the whole of those courts were perfect, it is scarcely possible to conceive any thing in Roman architecture to have been more imposing.