The Phoenicians were an ancient civilization that lived around 1200 B.C. to around 800 B.C. The Phoenicians were named by the Greeks because no one knows what they actually called themselves. The name that they were first known as was Phoinix, which signifies the red and purple dye that they were famous for. They used the dye to color royal families robes. The Phoenicians lived Eastern Mediterranean, as merchants and sailors. They were some of the most skilled shipbuilders and sailors of their time. On some of their ships, they adorned, or decorated, them with horses’ heads, for the god of sea.
Phoenicians were the creators of the alphabet, which has slowly formed throughout the years as what we have today. The city of Gebal, actually gave the Bible its name. Their city was the great exporter of papyrus, which was the paper they used in that time period. The Phoenicians had two major city-states, Tyre and Sidon, which held the most spiritual centers. Tyre was the city of the Temple of Melqart. Melqart was a Phoenician god, God of the City, which protected sailors and overseas civilizations. The Phoenicians built a Temple of Marqart, to worship him, so that he would protect them over the years.
Around 334 B.C, a man that went by Alexander the Great, went to the city of Baalbek, and took over control. He then went to Sidon and Tyre and they both followed his demands, but when he wanted to do a sacrifice in the holy temple in Tyre, the Tyrians did not allow it. They fought him for it winning the first time. Then he went and seized them, and he massacred most of them. The ones that were lucky enough to survive were sold into slavery. Only the wealthy, who were rich enough to buy themselves out of it, were free. Slowly, the Phoenician civilization disappeared.
Phoenicians were the creators of the alphabet, which has slowly formed throughout the years as what we have today. The city of Gebal, actually gave the Bible its name. Their city was the great exporter of papyrus, which was the paper they used in that time period. The Phoenicians had two major city-states, Tyre and Sidon, which held the most spiritual centers. Tyre was the city of the Temple of Melqart. Melqart was a Phoenician god, God of the City, which protected sailors and overseas civilizations. The Phoenicians built a Temple of Marqart, to worship him, so that he would protect them over the years.
Around 334 B.C, a man that went by Alexander the Great, went to the city of Baalbek, and took over control. He then went to Sidon and Tyre and they both followed his demands, but when he wanted to do a sacrifice in the holy temple in Tyre, the Tyrians did not allow it. They fought him for it winning the first time. Then he went and seized them, and he massacred most of them. The ones that were lucky enough to survive were sold into slavery. Only the wealthy, who were rich enough to buy themselves out of it, were free. Slowly, the Phoenician civilization disappeared.