The story I'll be telling today will include situations and vocabulary which may be distressing to some listeners.

It's a good story. It's an important story.

But if you are uncomfortable with the great variety of human sexuality, this episode might be a lot.

Just letting you know.

On with the show.

Now I got ahead like a lit cigarette. Un holy clouds reflect in a minaret so high above me higher than everyone.

Where are you in the theaters of Lebanon?

You too, 2009. Hello.

Hello. Hello. Hello and

welcome to the Wonders of the World, the Podcast that visits the Great Places on Earth

to tell the story of our people, our civilization, and our planet. This week, episode 39, the sixth wonder of the Hellenistic

era, the ruins of Heliopolis in Balbeck, Lebanon.

I am going to have challenges saying today's country, Lebanon.

I say that because I grew up in Middle Tennessee and I currently live in Central Indiana and in both

places there's a town which is spelled like Lebanon but pronounced Lebanon.

So it's quite possible that Lebanon will let itself out there. I'll try to

edit through that but one might slip through post-production. It's a very little

country Lebanon, the smallest on the Asian mainland, but it has had an

immense impact on world history. I'm delighted to be able to talk about it because Lebanon has given the world so much and has received so little credit in exchange.

We're also going to pick up the story of the Severin Dynasty from last episode.

Then we left the Roman Empire in the hands of Karakala,

the most evil Emperor Rome ever had.

...