Baʿal Samay
Baʿal Samay, also known Baalshamin and as Ba'al Šamem, is a Northwest Semitic god. The name Baʿal Samay is applied to various divinities at different periods in time, but most often to Hadad, also known simply as Baʿal. Baʿal Samay was one of the two supreme gods and the sky god of Palmyra in ancient Syria.
The worship of Baʿal Samay, under various names, was widespread in the ancient Middle East, particularly in Canaan, Phoenicia, and Syria1. As a sky god, Baalshamin was associated with rain and fertility, and he played a significant role in the religious practices of these cultures1.
In Nabatean Culture
Baʿal Samay was a significant deity in the Nabatean religion. With the expansion of Nabatea into Southern Syria, Baalshamin, a Syrian deity, became a Nabatean god. His name means "Lord of Heaven", associating the deity with the skies. He is said to originate from the storm god Hadad, who was worshiped in Syria and Mesopotamia. In Nabatean texts in Greek, Baal Shamin is regularly equated with Zeus Helios, that is Zeus as a sun-god.
In Palmyrene Culture
The Temple of Baalshamin was an ancient temple in the city of Palmyra, Syria, dedicated to the Canaanite sky deity Baalshamin. The temple’s earliest phase dates to the late 2nd century BC. Its altar was built in 115 AD, and the temple was substantially rebuilt in 131 AD. The temple’s cult is dedicated to Baalshamin or Baʿal Šamem, a northwest Semitic divinity. The name Baalshamin is applied to various divinities at different periods in time, but most often to Hadad, also known simply as Baʿal. Along with Bel, Baalshamin was one of the two main divinities of Palmyra in Syria and was a sky god. The temple was originally a part of an extensive precinct of three courtyards and represented a fusion of ancient Syrian and Roman architectural styles. The temple’s proportions and the capitals of its columns were Roman in inspiration, while the elements above the architrave and the side windows followed the Syrian tradition.
In Safaitic Culture
The reference to Baʿal Samay in their inscriptions indicates their participation in the broader worship of Baʿal Samay like their Aramean and Canaanite neighbours. However, the specific practices and beliefs associated with the worship of Baʿal Samay among the Safaitic tribes are not well-documented, and much about their religious practices remains unknown. Further archaeological and historical research may provide more insights into this topic.