Phoenicians

Phoenicia was an ancient civilization composed of independent city-states which lay along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea stretching through what is now Syria, Lebanon and northern Israel. The Phoenicians were great maritime people, known for their mighty ships. The island city of Tyre and the city of Sidon were the most powerful states in Phoenicia. Phoenician city-states began to take form c. 3200 BCE and were firmly established by c. 2750 BCE. Phoenicia was highly regarded for their skill in ship-building, glass-making, the production of dyes, and an impressive level of skill in the manufacture of luxury and common goods.

The purple dye manufactured and used in Tyre for the robes of Mesopotamian royalty gave Phoenicia the name “The Purple People”. Phoenicians were known as 'purple people’ by the Greeks because the dye would stain the skin of the workers. It was cited by Herodotus that Phoenicia is the birthplace of the alphabet and in fact the Phoenician alphabet is the basis for most western languages written today.

The Phoenicians were primarily known as sailors who had developed a high level of skill in ship-building and were able to navigate the often turbulent waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Phoenicians, in fact, have been called the `ancient middle men' of culture by many scholars and historians because of their role in cultural transference.

They grew rich trading precious metals from abroad and products such as wine, olive oil, and most notably the timber from the famous cedars of Lebanon, which forested the mountains that rise steeply from the coast of their homeland.