Sidonians

Sidonians were the inhabitants of Sidon (Arabic: Saida), an ancient Phoenician city-state on the Mediterranean coast of the Levant in what is today southern Lebanon. Sidon was one of the principal Phoenician city-states, alongside Tyre and Byblos, and served as an important maritime and commercial hub.

Historically, Sidon rose to prominence in the Bronze Age and continued as a major port into the Iron Age and classical periods. The Sidonians contributed to Phoenician trade networks across the Mediterranean, engaging in shipbuilding, glassmaking, textile production, and other crafts. They spoke a Phoenician dialect and were part of the broader Phoenician cultural sphere, which also contributed to the spread of the Phoenician alphabet, a script that influenced Greek and, ultimately, Latin writing.

Throughout antiquity, Sidon was variously under the influence or control of major powers, including Egypt, Assyria, Persia, and the Hellenistic kingdoms, before incorporation into the Roman Empire and later political entities. The city remained a regional nucleus of commerce and culture, noted by Greek and Roman writers.

In modern times, Sidon—called Saida in Arabic—forms a major city in southern Lebanon and the administrative center of the Sidon District. Its historic harbor and old town, along with landmarks such as castle fortifications, reflect its long-standing maritime heritage.