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Phoenician territory -

The territory of the Phoenicians was mostly located in the Levant region of the Mediterranean, where Lebanon is situated today.

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Semitic-speaking -

A Semitic-speaking people, the Phoenicians emerged around 3000 BCE. Some historians believe the Canaanite people correspond to the ethnic group referred to as the Phoenicians by ancient Greeks.

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Late Bronze Age -

In the late Bronze Age collapse, several major cultures went into decline. Around the mid-12th century BCE, the Phoenicians started to come to prominence.

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City-states -

Phoenicia was organized into city-states, similar to ancient Greece, which were politically independent. Byblos, Sidon, and Tyre were some of the most important cities.

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Shipbuilding -

From 1200 BCE, the Phoenicians built large merchant ships. They are credited for inventing the keel, among other maritime inventions.

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Maritime trade -

The expansive maritime trade network established by the Phoenicians would last longer than a millennium.

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Maritime trade -

This trade network made it possible for the major cradles of civilization, such as Greece, Egypt, and Mesopotamia, to trade knowledge, culture, and ideas.

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Merchant families -

Across the Mediterranean, the Phoenicians established colonies and trading posts. Merchant families established their influence through oligarchies.

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Commercial outposts -

Commercial outposts were formed by the Phoenicians throughout the Mediterranean, from the late 10th century BCE onwards.

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Commercial outposts -

Cyprus, Sardinia, Iberia, the Balearic Islands, Sicily, Malta, and North Africa were the locations of many Tyre colonies.

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Carthage -

One such colony was established at Carthage, in present-day Tunisia, by Tyre Phoenicians. Settled around 814 BCE, Carthage would become one of the largest metropolises of the ancient world.

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Wood trading -

Phoenicia served an important role in the lumber trade in the Mediterranean, thanks to its abundance of cedar wood, which was largely exported to Egypt.

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Textiles and Tyrian purple -

Violet coloring derived from mollusks off the coast of Tyre led to a booming trade in the production of Tyrian purple dye.

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Textiles and Tyrian purple -

Phoenicians discovered the dye as early as 1750 BCE. It had a labor-intensive extraction process, and, as a result, purple garments tended to be expensive and generally reserved for the upper classes.

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Mining -

Iron was the only metal of worth in Phoenicia, which was perhaps another motivation to colonize other locations. Copper was mined by the Phoenicians in Cyprus, while the Iberian Peninsula was a rich source of multiple minerals in antiquity.

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Wine -

The Phoenicians established many vineyards across the Mediterranean and North Africa for wine production and ultimately trade. Large terracotta jars were used for its transportation.

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Wine -

Wine played an important role in the Phoenician religion, being used in ceremonies and offerings. The Phoenicians may have taught winemaking to some of their trading partners, too.

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Ties to ancient Greece -

The ties between the Phoenicians and the Greeks were deep and long-running. The Minoans, a civilization on Crete that was a precursor to classical Greece, imported goods via the Phoenicians.

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Ties to ancient Greece -

It's believed the Phoenician alphabet influenced the development and adoption of the early Greek alphabet.

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Rivalry -

Due to the city-state nature of the empire, rivalries were common. However, actual conflict between them was rare. Generally the populations were too small and the desire too low for these city-states to expand their territory.

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Culture -

The seafaring nature of the Phoenicians brought them into contact with many different cultures and civilizations. By the Iron Age (1300 BCE), their own distinct culture had emerged.

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Culture -

Few of the Phoenicians' writings have survived. Much of what is known about them has been discovered through archaeological finds and what has been recorded about them by other civilizations.

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Tombs -

Tomb inscriptions kept records of the Phoenician rulers, which are one of the few primary sources of information available about them.

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Tombs -

The king was seen as being a representative of the gods. Phoenician kings celebrated their successes with elaborate sarcophagi, tombs which commemorated their reign.

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Phoenician women -

Women were expected to dress modestly, but they did take part in public events and religious processions. Some took part in popular assemblies in certain city-states.

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Dido -

One of the most famous Phoenician women was Dido, who was said to have been the queen of Tyre. Legend has it she fled the tyranny of her brother Pygmalion to create her own city in Carthage, becoming its founder and first queen.

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Dido -

Also known as Elissa, she is said to have made Carthage prosperous, thanks to her wisdom and leadership. Her life is recounted in Virgil's poem 'Aeneid.'

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Superstition and beliefs -

The Phoenicians made offerings to their gods, and many of these figurines have been found in the Mediterranean. This suggests they were cast to sea to help ensure safe travels on the water.

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Art -

Ornamental art, such as pottery, glassware, and jewelry, were produced by the Phoenicians for export. The Phoenicians were skilled with bronze, wood, ivory, and textiles, drawing inspiration from ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Assyrian cultures.

Sources: (Britannica) (World History Encyclopedia) (The Metropolitan Museum of Art) (University of Colorado Boulder)

See also: The truth about life in ancient Greece

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