Phoenicia

Phoenicia was an ancient Semitic-speaking civilization and cultural region along the eastern Mediterranean coast of the Levant, roughly corresponding to the coastal areas of modern Lebanon and parts of Syria and Israel. Its heartland consisted of influential city-states, notably Tyre, Sidon, and Byblos, with Arwad (Arados) and Berytus (Beirut) also prominent. The Phoenicians flourished from the late Bronze Age into the early Hellenistic period, roughly c. 1500–300 BCE.

Economy and technology: The Phoenicians were renowned traders and seafarers who built an extensive Mediterranean network. They exported cedar wood, textiles, glass, metalwork, and the famous Tyrian purple dye derived from sea snails. Their shipbuilding, navigation, and commercial practices supported widespread contact with other civilizations and the establishment of coastal trading posts and colonies across North Africa, Iberia, and the islands of the western Mediterranean, including Carthage in modern Tunisia and Cadiz in Spain.

Writing and culture: The Phoenicians developed one of the earliest alphabets, a 22-consonant script that facilitated trade and administration. This alphabet was widely adopted by Greek merchants and later influenced the Latin alphabet, making their writing system a foundational step in the history of writing in the region.

Political structure and history: The region did not form a single unified state; instead, a network of semi-independent city-states dominated the political landscape. Over time, Phoenicia fell under the influence of larger empires, including the Achaemenid Persians, followed by conquest by Alexander the Great and incorporation into Hellenistic kingdoms, and ultimately into the Roman Empire.

Legacy: Phoenician cities contributed to Mediterranean urbanism, long-distance trade, and the spread of writing. Their cultural and commercial activities left enduring imprints on the ancient world and on the development of Western writing systems.