Lebanon Through History: Who Ruled Its Lands
The land of today's Lebanon appears on 39 historical border maps from 500 BC to today. Over that time it was held, in whole or in part, by 14 different states, among them Ottoman Empire, Mamluk Sultanate, Lebanon, Roman Empire, Eastern Roman Empire.
LebanonExplore the history of Lebanon in the interactive map
Who ruled the land of Lebanon, map by map
Share of sample points inside today's borders held by each state on each map. Areas with no organised state on the map are left out.
Historic cities in Lebanon
Famous people of Lebanon
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| 356 BC – 323 BC | Alexander the Great | King of Macedon |
Questions
Which empires and states ruled the territory of Lebanon?
On the border maps from 500 BC to today, the largest shares of the territory of modern Lebanon belonged to Ottoman Empire, Mamluk Sultanate, Lebanon, Roman Empire, Eastern Roman Empire, Fatimid Caliphate, along with 8 other states.
What was Lebanon part of in 1000?
On the border map for 1000, most of the territory of today's Lebanon lay within Fatimid Caliphate.
What was Lebanon part of in 1500?
On the border map for 1500, most of the territory of today's Lebanon lay within Mamluk Sultanate.
What was Lebanon part of in 1900?
On the border map for 1900, most of the territory of today's Lebanon lay within Ottoman Empire.
Further reading
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.