Chapter 6The Phoenicians

and the Hebrews

When and Where?

• 1200 B.C. – 510 B.C.• Present day Lebanon and Israel

Ancient days: was a bridge between

Egypt and Mesopota

mia

Section 1Section 1

The Phoenicians

The Phoenicians

The PhoeniciansThe Phoenicians•Lived in northern Canaan (Cannanites)•We learned about them from Bible, other ancient peoples, and ruins of cities and ships

•Lived in northern Canaan (Cannanites)•We learned about them from Bible, other ancient peoples, and ruins of cities and ships

The Phoenicians• Semitic-speaking people

(Semitic – languages of Southwest Asia and North Africa)• Settled in small city-states in present day Lebanon (Northern Canaan)• Canaanites: herders to traders•Why?

Growth of Trade•Could not grow

enough food to feed their people•Few natural resources so they turned to the sea•One resource was abundant…

Trade• Mountains produced cedar

forests• Built ships of cedar• Began coastal trading• By 900 B.C. they dominated

Mediterranean sea trade• Some sailors were artisans who

carried work with them on ships

Sailors• Sailors and explorers plotted course using sun and stars – no maps or modern technology• Sailed beyond Gibraltar• Some believe they sailed around west coast of Africa• Some believe they sailed across Atlantic

Phoenician City-States

• Independent city-states•Never united•Why?

Mountains

separated

them!

Zahle

Jounieh

Major City-States

•Tyre•Byblos•Beirut•Sidon

Byblos

Byblos

Byblos

Byblos

Byblos

Beirut

Beirut

Beirut

Beirut

Beirut

Sidon

Sidon

Sidon

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

Tyre

City-States• Shared common language and religion but quarreled (trade profit)• Ruled by king who was also priest• Rich merchants forced kings to share power with councils of merchants• Councils soon told kings what to do

City-States• Surrounded by walls• Crowded• Buildings close together; made of stone or brick (roof gardens)• Port – outside walls; center of activity

Phoenicians became…

•Carpenters and cabinet makers (wood)•Metal workers (learned from Egypt & Mesopotamia)

Cities became…•Cloth dying centers• Soon gained a monopoly on purple dye and cloth• Purple dye• ”Phoenician” = “of purple merchants”

Legend• God named Melqart was walking along seashore with Tyrus and a dog• dog picked up shellfish called

Murex• dog’s mouth turned purple• Tyrus refused marriage unless Melqart gave her a gown of purple

Gods and Goddesses

•Polytheistic•Nature: worshipped on hills and under trees at first•Later built temples

Temples•Entrance hall•Main hall•Holy of holies (most sacred chamber)

Afterlife•Believed in afterlife•At first – buried in urn (ornamental vases)•Later – embalmed (influenced by Egyptians)

Phoenicians learned to make agreements

(business):• Treaties: agreements between states or countries•Made treaties agreeing to ship others’ goods in exchange for guaranteed Phoenician independence

Phoenician Colonies• With new wealth (from

trade) they began to build permanent settlements• Est. trading colonies throughout the Med.• Colony – region controlled by a distant country• Carthage – famous Pho. Colony in North Africa

Carthage• Phoenician sailors and traders built post and colonies (permanent settlements) along northern Africa• Carthage – founded in 814; present day Tunisia

Legend of Carthage• City was found by Phoenician princess (Dido)• Dido ruled Tyre•Her brother killed her husband• She fled to North Africa and built Carthage

Contributions

Phoenician coins were minted by individual city states

Tyre

The Alphabet• Ideas spread through trade• Most important gift – idea of alphabet• Did not invent alphabet but passed on to Mediterranean areas• Each of the 22 Phoeniciacn alphabet symbols represented a different sound• The Greeks eventually adopted this alphabet• Page 105 in textbook shows alphabet

Travel and trade

encouraged cultural diffusion