Roman temple of Bziza

Roman temple of Bziza
Native name Arabic: معبد بزيزا
Temple of Azizos in Bziza
Location	Bziza, North Lebanon
Coordinates	34°16′12″N 35°49′18″E / 34.2699°N 35.8216°E / 34.2699; 35.8216
Built	1st century AD
Built for	Azizos
Architectural style(s)	Ionic order, Roman
Temple of Bziza Location of Roman temple of Bziza in Lebanon

The Roman temple of Bziza is a well-preserved first century AD building dedicated to Azizos, a personification of the morning star in ancient Arab polytheism. This Roman temple lends the modern Lebanese town of Bziza its current name, as Bziza is a corruption of Beth Azizo meaning the house or temple of Azizos. Azizos was identified as Ares by Emperor Julian.

The tetrastyle prostyle building has two doors that connect the pronaos to a square cella. To the back of the temple lie the remains of the adyton where images of the deity once stood. The ancient temple functioned as an aedes, the dwelling place of the deity. The temple of Bziza was converted into a church and underwent architectural modification during two phases of Christianization; in the Early Byzantine period and later in the Middle Ages. The church, colloquially known until modern times as the Lady of the Pillars, fell into disrepair. Despite the church's condition, Christian devotion was still maintained in the nineteenth century in one of the temple's niches. The temple of Bziza is featured on multiple stamps issued by the Lebanese state.