Overview:
Tadmor, also known as Palmyra in later historical texts, is an ancient city mentioned in the Bible, renowned for its strategic location and architectural grandeur. It is situated in the Syrian Desert and served as a significant trade center and military outpost during the reign of King Solomon.

Biblical References:
Tadmor is specifically mentioned in 2 Chronicles 8:4: "He built Tadmor in the wilderness, along with all the store cities that he had built in Hamath." This verse highlights King Solomon's extensive building projects and his efforts to fortify and expand his kingdom's influence through strategic urban development.

Historical and Geographical Context:
Tadmor's location in the Syrian Desert made it a vital hub for trade caravans traveling between the East and the Mediterranean. Its position allowed it to control trade routes and facilitate the exchange of goods, culture, and ideas. The city's prosperity was largely due to its ability to serve as a conduit for commerce and its access to water sources in an otherwise arid region.

Archaeological Significance:
The ruins of Tadmor, or Palmyra, reveal a city of remarkable architectural achievement, with grand colonnades, temples, and public buildings. These structures reflect a blend of Greco-Roman and local architectural styles, indicative of the city's role as a cultural crossroads. The Temple of Bel, the Great Colonnade, and the Roman Theater are among the most notable remnants that testify to Tadmor's historical significance.

Solomon's Influence:
King Solomon's construction of Tadmor is emblematic of his broader efforts to consolidate power and secure his kingdom's borders. By establishing Tadmor as a fortified city, Solomon not only protected trade routes but also demonstrated his administrative and military prowess. The city's development under Solomon's reign is a testament to his wisdom and strategic acumen, as described in the biblical narrative.

Later Historical Developments:
While Tadmor is primarily associated with Solomon in the biblical account, its history extends beyond the biblical period. The city flourished under Roman rule and became a prominent center of culture and commerce. It later faced destruction and decline but remains a symbol of ancient ingenuity and resilience.

Theological Implications:
Tadmor's mention in the Bible underscores the importance of wisdom and foresight in leadership. Solomon's ability to build and fortify cities like Tadmor reflects the biblical theme of stewardship and the responsible use of resources to achieve divine purposes. The city's enduring legacy serves as a reminder of the transient nature of human achievements and the eternal sovereignty of God.Tadmor

the palm-tree; bitterness

Tadmor

(city of palms), called "Tadmor in the wilderness," is the same as the city known to the Greeks and Romans under the name of Palmyra. It lay between the Euphrates and Hamath, to the southeast of that city, in a fertile tract or oasis of the desert. Being situated at a convenient distance from both the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf, it had great advantages for caravan traffic. It was built by Solomon after his conquest of Hamath-zobah. (1 Kings 9:18; 2 Chronicles 8:4) As the city is-nowhere else mentioned in the Bible, it would be out of place to enter into a detailed history of it. In the second century A.D. it seems to have been beautified by the emperor Hadrian. In the beginning of the third century --211-217 A.D.-- it became a Roman colony under Caracalla. Subsequently, in the reign of Gallienus, the Roman senate invested Odenathus, a senator of Palmyra, with the regal dignity, on account of his services in defeating Sapor, king of Persia. On the assassination of Odenathus, his wife, Zenobia, seems to have conceived the design of erecting Palmyra into an independent monarchy; and in prosecution of this object, she for a while successfully resisted the Roman arms. She was at length defeated and taken captive by the emperor Aurelian, A.D. 273, who left a Roman garrison in Palmyra. This garrison was massacred in a revolt; and Aurelian punished the city by the execution not only of those who were taken in arms, but likewise of common peasants, of old men, women and children. From this blow Palmyra never recovered, though there are proofs of its having continued to be inhabited until the downfall of the Roman empire. The grandeur and magnificence of the ruins of Palmyra cannot be exceeded, and attest its former greatness. Among the most remarkable are the Tombs, the Temple of the Sun and the Street of Columns.

Palm, a city built by Solomon "in the wilderness" (2 Chronicles 8:4). In 1 Kings 9:18, where the word occurs in the Authorized Version, the Hebrew text and the Revised Version read "Tamar," which is properly a city on the southern border of Palestine and toward the wilderness (Comp. Ezek. 47:19; 48:28). In 2 Chronicles 8:14 Tadmor is mentioned in connection with Hamath-zobah. It is called Palmyra by the Greeks and Romans. It stood in the great Syrian wilderness, 176 miles from Damascus and 130 from the Mediterranean and was the centre of a vast commercial traffic with Western Asia. It was also an important military station. (see SOLOMON.) "Remains of ancient temples and palaces, surrounded by splendid colonnades of white marble, many of which are yet standing, and thousands of prostrate pillars, scattered over a large extent of space, attest the ancient magnificence of this city of palms, surpassing that of the renowned cities of Greece and Rome." TADMOR

tad'-mor, tad'-mor (tadhmor): A city built by Solomon in the wilderness (2 Chronicles 8:4), the Roman Palmyra. Tadmor is the native name and is found on inscriptions. It occurs also in the Kere of 1 Kings 9:18, where the Kethibh or consonants read "Tamar" (compare Ezekiel 47:19; Ezekiel 48:28). It is famous in Arabian as well as in Hebrew literature, and enters Roman history in connection with Zenobia and Longinus. The inscriptions, which belong for the most part to the latter period (266-73 A.D.), have been published by Dawkins and Wood and also by M. Waddington and the Duc de Luynes. Popular works on the subject are An Account of Palmyra and Zenobia by W. Wright, and The Last Days and Fall of Palmyra by W. Ware.

See TAMAR.

Thomas Hunter Weir

8412. Tadmor -- a city built by Solomon
Tadmor or Tammor. 8411, 8412. Tadmor or Tammor. 8413 . a city built by
Solomon. Transliteration: Tadmor or Tammor Phonetic Spelling ...
/hebrew/8412.htm - 6k

8413. Tidal -- perhaps a Canaanite king
... Tadmor. Perhaps from dchal; fearfulness; Tidal, a Canaanite -- Tidal. see HEBREW
dchal. 8412, 8413. Tidal. 8414 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/8413.htm - 6k

The Coast of the Asphaltites, the Essenes. En-Gedi.
... Whether Tadmor, 1 Kings 9:18, be the same with this our Tamar,"and whether Tadmor
in the Talmudists be the same with that Tadmor,"we leave to the reader to ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 6 the coast of.htm

Solomon's Reign.
... but in his now extended empire. The most famous of these were Tadmor or
Palmyra and Baalath, or Baalbic. The former built at an ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xii solomons reign.htm

How Solomon Fortified the City of Jerusalem, and Built Great ...
... When he had therefore built this city, and encompassed it with very strong walls,
he gave it the name of Tadmor, and that is the name it is still called by at ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 how solomon fortified.htm

Results of Transgression
... heart of Judea to Gezer and the seacoast; Megiddo, situated on the caravan road
from Damascus to Egypt, and from Jerusalem to the northward; and "Tadmor in the ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 4 results of transgression.htm

The Israelites
... Garrisons, indeed, were planted in Zobah, which secured the caravan road through
Tadmor or Palmyra to the Euphrates; but Damascus was lost, and became in a few ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6. <. ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

Tadmor (2 Occurrences)
... Ezek. 47:19; 48:28). In 2 Chronicles 8:14 Tadmor is mentioned in connection
with Hamath-zobah. ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. TADMOR. ...
/t/tadmor.htm - 9k

Tamar (28 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Palm. (1.) A place mentioned by Ezekiel (47:19; 48:28),
on the southeastern border of Palestine. Some suppose this was "Tadmor" (qv). ...
/t/tamar.htm - 21k

Tiphsah (2 Occurrences)
... of Solomon's dominions (1 Kings 4:24), probably "Thapsacus, a great and wealthy
town on the western bank of the Euphrates," about 100 miles north-east of Tadmor...
/t/tiphsah.htm - 9k

Tact (1 Occurrence)

/t/tact.htm - 6k

Tahan (2 Occurrences)

/t/tahan.htm - 7k

Palm (49 Occurrences)
... palm attracts the eye wherever it is seen." The whole land of Palestine was called
by the Greeks and Romans Phoenicia, ie, "the land of palms." Tadmor in the ...
/p/palm.htm - 35k

Building (249 Occurrences)
... Much building was carried on in Solomon's time. Besides the buildings he completed
at Jerusalem, he also built Baalath and Tadmor (1 Kings 9:15, 24). ...
/b/building.htm - 47k

Buildings (28 Occurrences)
... NIV). 2 Chronicles 8:4 And he put up the buildings of Tadmor in the waste land,
and of all the store-towns in Hamath; (BBE). 2 Chronicles ...
/b/buildings.htm - 14k

Store-towns (5 Occurrences)
... rule. (BBE). 2 Chronicles 8:4 And he put up the buildings of Tadmor in the
waste land, and of all the store-towns in Hamath; (BBE). 2 ...
/s/store-towns.htm - 7k

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