Phoenicia

__**Phoenicia**__ 
 * **Arts ** || * famous for their dyed purple clothing called Tyrain Purple.
 * made from the extract of the murex snail
 * very influenced by the civilizations they interacted with via trade: Egyptians, Europeans, Romans, Greeks, Persians, etc
 * famous for intricatly carved ivory, colorful glass, bright and patterned textiles, and metal jewelry ||
 * **Social ** || No much is known about he Phoenicians' life, because their records were on Pupyrus which has since dissintegrated over time.
 * relied mostly on costal living: diet of seafood and tradition of fishing and sailing ||
 * **Political ** || * monarchy: King Tyre 10th century BC
 * densley populated city-states
 * was not a fighting nation: subordinated intself to conquering powers in order to maintain commercial rights and autonomy
 * friendly with the Hebrews--> trade alliance with King Solomon
 * supplied the Persians with a fleet to attack Greece (300?)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">everyday politics were dominated by large merchant families ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Religion ** || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Semetic
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">inspired by nature and the elements
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">worshiped the god Baal and goddess Astarte. made human sacrifices to god Moloch in times of panic
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">temples were often central social buildings within cities
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">had decorated burials and tombs ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Ideas/ Tech ** || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">used cuneiform, but also had one of the first character alphabets.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">best ship builders and navigators
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">their ships were superior to all others, giving them naval dominance ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Trade/ Economics ** || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">"the great merchants"
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">were the main traders of Mediterranean
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">silver mines in Spain
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">traded raw materials (cedar, pine, metals), food (wine, spices, fish), and luxury goods (carved ivory, glass, and purple textiles)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">linked the middle east and asia to europe and northern Africa
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">skilled Phoenician artisans were imported throughout the Mediteranean to aid with design and building ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Environment ** || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">occupied the Syrian coast (now Lebanon), but had naval dominance of the Mediterranean. Their actual territory was very small, leaving little room for agriculture or outlying towns.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Tyre: one of the biggest cities, center of purple-dye industry
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Sidon: other big city, center of glassmaking
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Byblos: biggest city, center of cedar industry--> Phoenician Cedar was used to buil the Temple of Jeruselem
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">established colonies on various Mediteranean islands: Cyprus, Sardinia, Balearic islands
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Carthage: one of the largest cities in the world with 400,000 people
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">controled the straigh of Gibraltar and much of the norther coast of Africa ||

Phoenician trade routes Re-Created: media type="youtube" key="0tyUMssb60A" height="315" width="420"

sources: [] [] [] [] "Lentoid flask [Levantine] (74.51.431)". In//Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History//. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/74.51.431 (October 2006) [] []