Between City, King, and Empire: Will the Real “Lady of Byblos” Please Stand Up?

The 'Lady of Byblos,' a goddess central to the political and religious landscape of Late Bronze Age Byblos, is not merely defined by her proper name but by her role as a unifying figure within the city's complex social-political system. This study shifts focus from identifying her true name to understanding her significance in mediating interactions between centralized imperial governance and decentralized collective structures. Through this lens, the goddess emerges as both an integral part of Byblos’s order and a symbol of how deities shaped ancient political realities, offering new insights into the interplay of power dynamics in ancient societies.

Stahl, M. J. (2021). Between City, King, and Empire: Will the Real “Lady of Byblos” Please Stand Up? Journal of Ancient near Eastern Religions, 20(2), 225–263. https://doi.org/10.1163/15692124-12341316