The Phoenicians

1
The Phoenicians

• Civilization began in the Mediterranean Sea
• Dominated sea trade across Mediterranean
• Developed from early Canaanites in Israel,
  Lebanon, and Syria
• Phoenician civilization consisted of independent
  city-states
• Rulers were usually priest-kings
• Priest-kings shared power with leading merchant
  families and a citizen assembly

2
Geography influenced Phoenician Life

• Lebanon mountains to the East
• Heavily forested not much land to farm
• Sold purple cloth for high prices
• Craft workers made pottery and glass and metal
  objects
• Used trees to make furniture
• Few natural resources
• Dependent on trade with other cultures
• Imported (brought in) raw materials
• Gold, silver, tin, ivory, iron, etc.
• Exported (produced and sold) goods made of these
  materials
• Iron tools, weapons, wine, olive oil

3
Phoenicians and the Sea

• Location was ideal for sea trade
• Driven to find precious metals
• Right between Europe, Asia, and Africa
• Experts in navigation
• Great knowledge of wind patterns and ocean
  currents
• Used North Star to calculate location
• Explored islands in Mediterranean Sea, Egypt, and
  North African Coast
• Explored Atlantic Ocean towards Britain and West
  Africa

4
Phoenician colonies and city-states

• Trading Stations became colonies as populations
  grew
• Colony area ruled by a distinct country
• Some colonies became wealthy city-states
• Carthage (North Africa)
• Destroyed later by Romans

5
Legacy of the Phoenicians

• Cultural Diffusion Phoenicians culture was
  learned by Romans and Greeks.
• Trade made it possible for their culture to
  spread
• Greeks used Phoenician standard of weights and
  measures
• Developed an alphabet with 22 symbols that made
  writing much easier (cuneiform had hundreds of
  symbols)
• 750 B.C.E Greeks already using Phoenician
  alphabet to trade
• Greeks added vowels to alphabet
• 100 B.C.E Romans adapted this alphabet, which
  looked a lot like ours