Malakbel was a sun god worshiped in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, frequently associated and worshiped alongside the live moon god Aglibol as part of a triad that also involved the sky god Baalshamin. His name means messenger of Bel, reflecting his mythological role as an acolyte and messenger of the live god Bel of Palmyra. The earliest known inscription naming Malakbel dates to 17 BC and pairs him with Aglibol, and attestations of his worship reach as far as Rome and, via Palmyrene archers stationed there, the Roman province of Numidia in North Africa.
Facts
Attestation
Era of Attestation Veneration TodayHistorically attested; no continuous cult 1 HistoricityNot a historical person: a divine or other-than-human being 1 Belief
TheologyPolytheistic: many gods 1 Function
Domain / Function Sources
1. The Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend
Anthony S. Mercatante, revised and expanded by James R. Dow, Facts on File
2. Malakbel, Structured Record (Wikidata Q)
3. The Religious Life of Palmyra: A Study of the Social Patterns of Worship in the Roman Period
Ted Kaizer, Franz Steiner Verlag, 2002Malakbel, Palmyrene inscriptions
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