Baalshillem II | |
---|---|
Reign | c. 401 BC – c. 366 BC |
Predecessor | Baana |
Successor | Abdashtart I |
Phoenician language | 𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤔𐤋𐤌 |
Dynasty | Baalshillem I dynasty |
Religion | Canaanite polytheism |
Baalshillem II was a Phoenician King of Sidon (reigned c. 401 – c. 366 BC), and the great-grandson of Baalshillem I who founded the namesake dynasty. He succeeded Baana to the throne of Sidon, and was succeeded by his son Abdashtart I. The name Baalshillem means "recompense of Baal" in Phoenician.
During Baalshillem II's reign, Sidon was a Persian vassal kingdom, part of the Achaemenid Empire's dominion over Phoenicia. Under Achaemenid hegemony, Sidon resurged as a prominent city-state among its neighbors. The transition of the Sidonian monarchy from Eshmunazar I's dynasty to that of Baalshillem I coincided with Sidon independently issuing its coinage, featuring the likenesses of its reigning kings. Notably, Baalshillem II's coins, the first to bear minting dates corresponding to a Sidonian king's regnal year, have been instrumental in reconstructing the chronology of Sidonian kings. Baalshillem II's historical presence is substantiated by inscriptions, including one found on a votive statue depicting his son Abdashtart I.