Lebanon is a small West Asian nation, located in the eastern coastal area of the Mediterranean Sea. Ancestors of the Lebanese people are the Phoenicians who established an ancient civilization. The Phoenicians developed their civilization along with Bayrut, Byblos, Sidon and Tyre. Cuneiform characters were developed in this area. Lebanon was the gateway to the ancient empires of the Phoenicia, Persia and Rome and still keeps relics of each era. Baalbek is a world famous cultural heritage site in which the magnificent Roman temples built in honor of Jupiter, Venus and Bacchus remains. As this country has developed the education system since the early days, there are many time-honored universities including American University of Beirut (established in 1886) and Saint Joseph University (established in 1881). It is the hub of the scientific lectures and the academic resources, attended by many students from all around the world.