Where was Phoenician located?
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, Lebannon and northern Israel. The Phoenicians were a people who occupied the coast of the Levant (eastern Mediterranean). Their major cities were Tyre, Sidon, Byblos, and Arwad.
How did the location affect Phoenicia development?
They live on the coast of the mediterranean sea which helps them to transport goods and product easier to different places. Since they were around water they could make fertile soil to grow plants. With plants come food and then medicine which really help them advance.
How does Phoenicia use trade?
The Phoenician people used trading to their advantage by getting supplies to use from other city near by. This helped them to prepared to go to war against the Romans and they used all they had from their trades to help them. They mainly trade with the Greeks, trading wood, slaves, glass and powdered Tyrian purple. The Phoenicians were among the greatest trader.
What does Phoenician look like today? Does it still exist?
Phoenicia doesn't exist anymore due to Cyrus conquering Phoenicia in 539 BCE. The Persians divided Phoenicia into four vassal kingdoms. Most of the Phoenicians population migrated to Carthage and other colonies following the Persian conquest.
Fun Fact!
- The Phoenicians used the Murex so much to make their purple dye that they drove it into extinction.
- The darker the cloth dyed purple was, the more expensive the cloth was.
- Friendly relations were established between King Hiram of the Phoenician city Tyre and King Solomon, so the Phoenicians actually built the temple of King Solomon, using Phoenician designs.
- DNA research has been done, and that 22% of Lebanese today are of Phoenician descent.
- The Phoenicians paid Berber leaders in Morocco so that they would escort their trading caravans in to the African interior.