triple gateway in a richly ornamented screen, access is gained to the
first or Hexagonal Court, which measures about 250 ft. from angle to angle.
It is now razed almost to foundation level; but it can be seen that it was
flanked with halls each having four columns in front. A portal on the W.,
50 ft. wide, flanked by lesser ones 10 ft. wide (that on the N. is alone
preserved), admitted to the Main Court, in whose centre was the High Altar
of Burnt Sacrifice. This altar and a great tank on the N. were covered by
the foundations of Theodosius' basilica and not seen till the recent German
clearance. The Main Court measures about 440 ft. from E. to W. and 370 ft.
from N. to S., thus covering about 3-1/2 acres. It had a continuous fringe
of covered halls of various dimensions and shapes, once richly adorned with
statues and columnar screens. Some of these halls are in fair preservation.
Stairs on the W. led up to the temple of Jupiter-Baal, now much ruined,
having only 6 of the 54 columns of its peristyle erect. Three fell in the
earthquake of 1759. Those still standing are Nos. 11 to 16 in the southern
rank. Their bases and shafts are not finished, though the capitals and rich
entablature seem completely worked. They have a height of 60 ft. and
diameter of 7-1/2 ft., and are mostly formed of three blocks. The
architrave is threefold and bears a frieze with lion-heads, on which rest a
moulding and cornice.

The temple of Bacchus stood on a platform of its own formed by a southern
projection of the Acropolis. It was much smaller than the Jupiter temple,
but is better preserved. The steps of the E. approach were intact up to
1688. The temple was peripteral with 46 columns in its peristyle. These
were over 52 ft. in height and of the Corinthian order, and supported an
entablature 7 ft. high with double frieze, connected with the cella walls
by a coffered ceiling, which contained slabs with heads of gods and
emperors. Richard Burton, when consul-general at Damascus in 1870, cleared
an Arab screen out of the vestibule, and in consequence the exquisite
doorway leading into the cella can now be well seen. On either side of it
staircases constructed within columns lead to the roof. The cracked
door-lintel, which shows an eagle on the soffit, was propped up first by
Burton, and lately, more securely, by the Germans. The cella, now ruinous,
had inner wall-reliefs and engaged columns, which supported rich
entablatures.

The vaults belo