Arab god connected to Herakles

[Duncan Head]

https://greekreporter.com/2026/03/22/study-connection-arabian-god-kahl-greek-demigod-hercules/

[Jim Webster]

Interesting. Melkart, the chief Phoenician deity of Tyre, was equated with Hercules.

[DBS]

Not surprising. Hellenistic culture to the north of Arabia and down the west coast of the Red Sea. That said, god with weapon and looking quite tough is a very common and very obvious image, so on its own seems a bit of a stretch to assume any god like that is Herakles. Rather, Herakles is one notable example of a wider genre.  Yes, clearly a statue of Herakles, but is it meant to be Khl, or simply the possession of a Ptolemaic or Seleucid merchant residing in the city? To carry the argument you really need some sort of evidence naming both Khl and Herakles, or Khl etched on a Heraklian statue.

The problem we have for a lot of syncretism is that we only have Greek sources for a lot of it. So Greek authors say that Herakles is worshipped at Gades. Do the locals actually regard Melqart as being the same as Herakles? Or just humour the Greek when he is popping some drachmae in the donations box? I have no doubt about syncretism once Greeks or Romans have actually conquered an area and assimilate the local deities, but think we are at risk of over projecting the idea on unconquered lands and gods.