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The Phoenicians

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Phoenicia was located in Southwest Asia.

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Phoenician Coastal PlainPhoenician Coastal Plain TyreTyre

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Phoenicians

• The Phoenicians were a Semitic-speaking people.

• They settled in small city-states in present-day Lebanon.

• There were few natural resources in their land. So, they turned to the seas.

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• 3000 BC => First Phoenician settlement• 1800 BC => Under Egyptian control• 1600 BC => Trading with foreign cities

• 3000 BC => First Phoenician settlement• 1800 BC => Under Egyptian control• 1600 BC => Trading with foreign cities• 1400 BC => Under Hittite control• 1200 BC => Independent & colonizing• 800 BC => Under Assyrians• 585 BC => Conquered by Nebuchadnezzar• 332 BC => Conquered by Alexander• 64 BC => Absorbed into Roman empire

• 1400 BC => Under Hittite control• 1200 BC => Independent & colonizing• 800 BC => Under Assyrians• 585 BC => Conquered by Nebuchadnezzar• 332 BC => Conquered by Alexander• 64 BC => Absorbed into Roman empire

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The Phoenicians:Sailors of the Mediterranean

The Phoenicians settled on the Mediterranean Sea. They were part of the fertile crescent that extended from Mesopotamia to Egypt and beyond.

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The Phoenicians were seafaring traders.They sailed the Mediterranean sea.

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Phoenician Traders

• By 900 B.C., the Phoenicians dominated Mediterranean trade.

• The Phoenicians were able to build a civilization without relying on agriculture.

• Income generated by trade allowed the Phoenicians to build permanent settlements.

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Mediterranean as a Cultural Petri Dish/Cultural Diffusion

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Murex snail (or sea snail /

Murex Trunculus)

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Tyrian purple Quick Details

Source: Murex TrunculusColour: PurplePlace of Origin: Phoenicia

Name of the colour:Tyrian royal purplethis pigment / colour is

extracted from sea snails called ''Murex Trunculus’’

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Glass

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CEDAR TREES

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Tyre was famous for arts & crafts

•crafts in stone, metal, glass, etc.•objects of gold, ivory, silver or glass•for temples and tombs• found throughout the

Mediterranean region

Crafts

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Crafts

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Trade: EXPORT

• Leading sailors and traders of ancient world• They traded:

– Cloth– Dye (purple dye made from shellfish

murex)– Glass– Pottery– Cedar trees

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Amphora: Originate on Phoenician Coast carry wine, olive oil, dye

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Underwater Archeology: Phoenician Shipwrecks

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Underwater Archeology: Phoenician Shipwrecks

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Trade: IMPORT

• Traded for:– Tin (Britannia)– Hides, ivory, ostrich feathers, and slaves (Africa)– Gold, precious stones, and spices (India)

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COINS, MONEY

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These are Phoenician coins. Phoenician money was minted

by individual cities.

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The World’s First Alphabet• The Phoenicians invented the world’s first

alphabet.

• Each of the twenty-two Phoenician alphabet symbols represented a different sound.

• The Greeks adopted the Phoenician alphabet. From the Phoenician and Greek alphabets come our alphabet.

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An alphabet based on symbolsrepresenting sounds is easier to learn

than the use of characters.

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A is for Ox!

A

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This is what really happened!

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H is for ‘fence’

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118118Phoenician was an important

'trunk' of the alphabet tree

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Inventions• Alphabet of consonants

• Papyrus paper

• Keeled hull

Technological Advancements

• Use of the North Star• Method of charting ship speed• Maps and charts

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Navigation and Seafaring

• Established commercial supremacy • Phoenicians are credited with discovery

and use of Polaris • Ventured where others would not• Carefully guarded secrets of their trade

routes and discoveries and knowledge of winds and currents

• Made up stories of sea monsters and the dangers of sea travel

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Trireme: warship with battering ram

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Protection from pirates

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Pillars of Hercules: The End of the Known World

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How much Phoenician Exploration?

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Did the Phoenicians circumnavigate Africa?

• Some historians believe that this was possible• Ancient Greek historian Herodotus says

Phoenicians sailed into the Red Sea• Since Phoenician sailors kept their sea travel

knowledge secret there is little historical evidence.

• Having the ability to do something, and doing it are two separate things.

• Zheng He and the Chinese Treasure Fleets

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Papyrus Boat: Ra II 1970

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Thor Hyerdal and Ra

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Phoenician Colonies

• The Phoenicians established trading colonies throughout the Mediterranean region.

• A colony is a region controlled by a distant country.

• Carthage was a famous Phoenician trading colony in North Africa.

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In various cities these deities were known by different names:In various cities these deities were known by different names:

CitiesTyre Sidon

Byblos

Father god

--Baal

Shamaym

El

Mother god

Astarte

--Baala

t

Young male god

Melqart

EshmunAdoni

s

ReligionReligion 116116

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Government• Area divided into city-states

– Loose union

• Kings appear to be the oldest form of government in the area.– Royal houses claimed “Devine Consent.” – Kings could not be chosen by outside members.– King’s power was limited by powerful merchant

families

• Some areas had a council of elders

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Leaders• There were kings of each city-state.

– King Rib-Addi of Byblos– King Abi-Miliki of Tyre– King Zimrida of Sidon

• Custom for kings to be of royal blood.

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•Israelite King Omri allied with the Phoenician cities of the coast.• Omri’s son, Ahab, married jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal,

King of Tyre, and Sidon.

MORE KINGS • Abibaal-Tyre-(ended 981 BC.)

• King Hiram-Tyre(980-947 BC.) [enemy of Philistines, ally of Israelites]• Baal-Eser I-(946-930 BC.)• Abdastartus (929-921 BC.)• Astartus (920-901 BC.)• Deleastartus (900-889 BC.)• Astarymus (888-880 BC.)• Phelles-(879 BC.)(only for 8 months)• Ithobaal I-Tyre- (878-847 BC.)• Baal-Eser II –Tyre- (846-841 BC.)• Mattan I –Tyre- (840-832 BC.)• Azemilcus-Tyre- (332 BC.)• Abdalonymus –Sidon- (332 BC.)• Eshmunazar {Name of several Kings of Sidon}• Luli –Tyre- (729-694 BC.)• Abdi-Milkutti –Tyre- (680-677 BC.)

OTHER• Ammunira –Beirut- Mid 14th Century BC.• Zakar-Baal –Byblos- during the 11th Century BC. • Abdemon –Cyrpus- End of the 5th Century BC. • Ribttadda – Byblos-

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Travel and trade encouraged culturaldiffusion.

E. NappLand of PhoeniciaTrade Routes

Phoenician Shipping Routes

AFRICA

ASIA MINOR

EUROPE

(Tarshish)

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