Phoenicia is the disappeared state of the Ancient East. It reached its peak at the turn of the II-I millennium BC. At that time, the Phoenicians, excellent sailors, dominated the Mediterranean, monopolizing international trade. Along with this, they expanded their influence in the region through colonization. Subsequently, some Phoenician colonies left a deep mark on the history of human civilization.
Revival of interest
In 1860, the French historian Renan Ernest discovered in Lebanon ancient ruins overgrown with grass. He identified them as the Phoenician city of Byblos. In 1923, his compatriot Pierre Montet unearthed four royal tombs with intact copper and gold decorations there. In addition, texts with unknown letters were found in them. Soon linguists deciphered them. Thus, the scientific world had the opportunity to learn more about the disappeared civilization, which until then had only been mentioned by the ancientauthors and the Bible. Since then, interest in the Phoenicians has not waned. Almost every ten years, new mysteries related to this ancient people are reported.
Seaside towns
Like many state formations of antiquity, Phoenicia was not a united country, but separate cities ruled by kings. Its territory practically coincided with the territory of modern Lebanon. In ancient times, this narrow strip of the Mediterranean coast was covered with extensive forests, in which grew pines, cedars, mulberries, beeches, oaks, figs, date palms and olives.
The first settlements were founded here a very long time ago. Most of their population was engaged in fishing and gardening. As archeology testifies, at the turn of the 4th-3rd millennium BC, the first Phoenician cities appeared here, protected by powerful defensive walls.
The largest and most influential of them were Sidon, Ugarit, Byblos, Arvad and Tire. Their inhabitants already then had the glory of skillful artisans, resourceful merchants and brave sailors. It can be said that the creation of the Phoenician colonies began on the territory of Phenicia itself, since the city of Tire was founded by the Sidonians. True, later he not only freed himself from submission to Sidon, but also surpassed him in many ways.
Violent religious cults
The Phoenicians were polytheists, like the vast majority of their neighbors. The main deities in their pantheon were Astarte, the goddess of fertility, and Baal, who personified the forces of nature and was considered the god of war. In addition, eachthe city-state, including the Phoenician colonies, had its own heavenly patrons.
Researchers note the extreme cruelty that was inherent in the cults of these deities. Traditional sacrifices were not limited to slaughtering animals. Quite often, especially in moments of mortal danger, the Phoenicians burned their own children to appease the deities, and when laying the walls of a new city, babies were buried under its gates and towers.
Lords of the Sea
The Phoenicians were not accidentally considered great navigators in ancient times. Their 30-meter ships were built from durable Lebanese cedar wood. These vessels were keeled rather than flat-bottomed, which increased speed and allowed them to travel long distances by sea. From the Egyptians, the Phoenicians borrowed a mast carrying a straight sail on two yards.
However, ships with a wide deck, high stern and bow could sail both under sail and at oars. The rowers were located along the sides, and two large oars were strengthened at the stern, with the help of which the ship was turned around. Shipbuilding, so developed and advanced at that time, to a large extent contributed to the formation of Phoenician colonies in the Mediterranean basin.
Merchant ships
Most of the merchant fleet in the Mediterranean (II-I millennium BC) were Phoenician ships. Merchants went to great lengths to keep their trade secrets. There is a known case when they sank their own ship, just to hide from the strangers who followed it, where and withwhat kind of goods they were sent.
Merchants were constantly looking for places where they could sell their goods and buy slaves without too much risk, as well as places where valuable metals were mined. To other countries, the Phoenicians brought goods from artisans from Sidon, Byblos and Tyre, who specialized in:
- production of linen and woolen fabrics;
- forging, engraving of gold and silver items;
- ivory and woodcarving;
- glass production, the secret of which was revealed by the Venetians only in the Middle Ages.
But the most famous exports were cedar and, of course, purple fabric, which was fabulously expensive, because it was dyed with a huge amount of shellfish.
In constant search for new markets for selling their goods, the Phoenicians reached the shores of Spain, North Africa, the Balearic Islands, Sardinia, M alta, Sicily, Cyprus. They were not interested in creating a powerful empire. Getting big profits is the reason that prompted the Phoenicians to undertake dangerous sea voyages. Wherever their ships went, Phoenician colonies were established.
Profitable slave trade
Unlike other states of antiquity, Phoenicia almost did not wage wars of conquest. The source of its prosperity, however, was not only the successful commercial operations of merchants. The Phoenicians did not disdain the profitable slave trade, which went hand in hand with sea robbery.
Ancient authors, including Homer, repeatedly mentioned theirdeceit and kidnapping of gullible people who were tricked into ships and then sold into slavery. The location of the Phoenician colonies contributed to both the prosperity of piracy in the Mediterranean and the slave trade.
Slave labor was widely used in workshops, harbors, and on ships. Slaves worked as rowers, porters and laborers. In addition, they were sent to numerous Phoenician colonies, as well as to Sidon, Byblos, Tyre, and other Phoenician cities.
North African coast
As already mentioned, the territory of Phoenicia occupied a narrow coastal strip of land. However, this location was extremely advantageous in ancient times. Land and sea trade routes intersected here. From this, the Phoenicians were able to get the most out of it. Over time, having gained rich experience in sea travel and accumulated enough funds, they began to build large ships that could make long voyages.
Moving along the coast to the west, they founded at the beginning of the 9th century BC the largest Phoenician colony on the African coast - Carthage. The initiative in the development of new territories belonged, first of all, to the inhabitants of Sidon and Tire. However, Carthage was not the first Phoenician colony in North Africa. Back in the 12th century BC, the city of Utica was founded here, which existed until the 7th century AD.
To the shores of the Atlantic
Phoenicia and the southern coast of Spain are separated by 4 thousand kilometers. However, this did not stop the ancientssailors. On their large ships they crossed the Mediterranean Sea and entered the Atlantic Ocean. In the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula, where the Phoenician colony of Gades (Gadir) was founded, high quality ore was mined. In addition to it, merchants exported silver, lead, tin from here, and in return they brought pine, cedar, embroidered products, glass, linen, and purple fabrics. Over time, the Phoenicians effectively monopolized Spanish silver, which was imported in large quantities to Phoenicia.
North and South
Having settled in the Mediterranean basin, the Phoenicians were among the first to venture through Gibr altar and move north. They reached the shores of the largest European island - Great Britain. Tin, an extremely valuable metal in antiquity, was mined here.
Phoenician sailors had no courage. In search of new promising markets, they took risks, setting off on long and unsafe voyages. In the 5th century BC, 60 ships sailed from the coast of North Africa, where the Phoenician colonies were located. The expedition was led by Hanno, a sailor from Carthage.
His flotilla sailed along the western coast of the African continent. Information about what they met on the way was preserved in the retelling of Aristotle. The purpose of the journey itself was the foundation of new colonies. It is difficult to say now how far Hannon managed to advance south. Presumably, his ships reached the shores of modern Sierra Leone.
But long before that, during the time of King Solomon, who ruled Israel in Xcentury BC, the Phoenicians, along with his subjects, crossed the Red Sea from north to south. As some researchers suggest, they even managed to reach the Indian Ocean.
Where were the Phoenician colonies
The history of mankind can be safely called the history of wars. The more powerful powers subjugated the less warlike ones. Phenicia also belonged to the latter. Its inhabitants were good at trading, but they were much worse at defending their cities.
Egyptians, Assyrians, Hittites, Persians and other peoples constantly threatened the prosperity of the Phoenician cities. Therefore, the threat of invasions, along with the search for promising markets, encouraged the Phoenicians to leave their homes, migrating overseas: to Cyprus, M alta, the Balearic Islands, Sicily.
Thus, by the 9th century BC, they settled throughout the Mediterranean. What were all the Phoenician colonies called? it is not possible to say. Firstly, there were at least 300 of them. Secondly, no historian can vouch for the fact that today we know everything about this aspect of the history of Phoenicia. However, some cities are still worth mentioning:
- Kalaris and Olbia on the island of Sardinia;
- Lilybae in Sicily;
- Hades in the Iberian Peninsula.
And several colonies on the North African coast:
- Utica;
- Leptis;
- Carthage;
- Type;
- Gadrumet;
- Sabrafa;
- Hippon.
The largest Phoenician colony
When in the 9th century BC the first settlers from Tirelanded in North Africa to establish a new settlement there, no one imagined that later it would become a powerful state of the Ancient World. It's about Carthage. This city was the most famous Phoenician colony. Therefore, it is worth getting to know his story better.
Foundation of Kart Hadasht
Phoenician sailors have long chosen a convenient bay in the depths of the Gulf of Tunisia. They often went there, repaired ships and even built a small sanctuary. However, only at the beginning of the 9th century BC, settlers founded the city of Kart-Hadasht (the Phoenician name for Carthage) here.
Ancient sources contain a legend about how this happened. Tsar Mutton before his death bequeathed power to his son Pygmalion and daughter Elissa, also known as Dido. But each of them wanted to rule alone. Elissa, having married an influential and we althy priest, enlisted the support of the city's aristocracy. However, her brother relied on the popular masses, who proclaimed him king.
After the death of her husband, who was killed on the orders of Pygmalion, Elissa boarded a ship with her loyal members of the city council and set sail in search of a place where a new city could be founded. In the end, they landed in a convenient bay in northern Africa.
Elissa won the favor of the local tribes with gifts and asked to sell her a plot equal in area to the skin of a bull. As a true daughter of her people, the exiled queen went to the trick. At her command, the skin was cut into many thin strips,with which they fenced off a place that significantly exceeded the area that was agreed upon earlier.
Today we know that the most famous Phoenician colony was the city of Carthage (Kart Hadasht). But in the year of its foundation, it was just a small settlement, spread out on the top of a hill and the adjacent seashore.
The peak of the power of Carthage
Over time, the new Phoenician colony grew, and its convenient location attracted a lot of other settlers to the city: Italics, Greeks, Etruscans. Private and state slaves worked at the numerous shipyards of Carthage, participating in the construction of an artificial port. It consisted of two parts (civilian and military), connected by a narrow channel. From the sea, the city was a whole forest of masts. In the era of its highest prosperity, the Carthaginian state occupied a significant territory, which included not only the entire Western Mediterranean, but also the original Phoenician cities, united to protect against the Greeks.
Thus, by the end of the 8th century BC, the largest Phoenician colony was the city of Carthage. It gained independence from the metropolis in the 7th century BC. he was engaged in the colonization of territories. On the island of Ibiza, the Carthaginians founded their first dependent city. However, their main problem was the Greeks, who were trying to gain a foothold in Sardinia, Corsica and Sicily. While Carthage was competing with the cities of Hellas for hegemony in the Mediterranean basin, the power of Rome was growing imperceptibly for it. The time has come andcollision became inevitable.
Punic Wars
In the 3rd century BC, Rome felt that it was strong enough to fight against Carthage, which monopolized trade in the Mediterranean. If before they were allies, now differences due to commercial interests have made them enemies. The first war, called the Punic (the Romans called the Phoenicians puns), began in 264 BC. Intermittently, it continued until 241 BC, ending unsuccessfully for Carthage. He not only lost Sicily, but also had to pay a huge indemnity.
The second military conflict, which began in 218 BC, is associated with the name of Hannibal. The son of a Carthaginian commander, he was the greatest strategist of antiquity. Irreconcilable hostility to Rome prompted him to unleash a new war when he served as commander-in-chief of Carthage in Spain. However, the military talent of Hannibal did not help to win the military conflict. Carthage lost many colonies and, under the terms of the agreement, was obliged to burn its fleet.
The third and last Punic War lasted only three years: from 149 to 146 BC. As a result, Carthage disappeared from the face of the earth - by order of the Roman commander Aemilian Scipio, the city was plundered and burned to the ground, and its former territories became a province of Rome. This de alt a heavy blow to the Phoenician trade, from which it was never able to recover. Finally, Phoenicia left the historical scene in the 1st century BC, when its easternterritories in the Middle East, previously plundered and subjugated by Alexander the Great, were captured by the army of the Armenian king Tigran the Great.
The trace of an ancient civilization in the modern world
The Phoenicians, as excellent merchants, kept scrupulous business records, using for this purpose the alphabetic script they created. Over time, its merits were appreciated by other peoples. So, the Phoenician alphabet formed the basis of the Greek and Latin letters. On the basis of the latter, in turn, developed writing, which is used today in many countries of the world.
However, not only the alphabet reminds us today of the civilization of the Ancient East that has sunk into oblivion. There are still some cities that were once Phoenician colonies. And their modern names sometimes coincide with those that were given to them at the founding many centuries ago, for example, Malaga and Cartagena in Spain or Bizerte in Tunisia. In addition, the Sicilian city of Palermo, the Spanish Cadiz and the Tunisian Sousse in ancient times were also founded by the Phoenicians, but under different names.
In addition, genetic studies have shown that about 30% of the M altese are descendants of the Phoenician colonists. Thus, this ancient people still did not disappear completely. His trace on our planet can be found in the modern world.
