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Questions and Answers
What were the Phoenicians known for?
Which two regions are considered the cradles of civilization in the Ancient West Asia?
What were the primary goods traded by the Phoenicians?
What was the relationship between Phoenicia and Assyria after the Bronze Age Collapse?
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Where were the Phoenicians located geographically?
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What did the Phoenicians use their warships for?
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What was the Phoenician name of the ancient city of Tyre?
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In its golden age, approximately how many inhabitants did the ancient city of Tyre have?
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Which king was historically the first known ruler of Tyre?
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What was the primary purpose of Phoenician merchants exploring the Atlantic Ocean?
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What led to the founding of Carthage by Queen Dido and a group of exiles?
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What was Tyre known for during its period of prosperity?
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What did Phoenician merchants offer in exchange for raw materials like iron, silver, and lead?
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Who led the exiles to Africa and eventually founded Carthage?
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What did Tyre acquire mainland territory for?
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Under which ruler did Tyre have dominance over Sidon by the middle of the 8th century BC?
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Study Notes
- Carthage is the focus of this video, but first, we will discuss the origins and prosperity of the Carthaginians, who founded Carthage.
- Ancient West Asia had two cradles of civilization: Mesopotamia and Egypt. Between these were a series of city-states, including the Phoenicians.
- The Phoenicians, also known as Canaans or "Phoenices/Poeni," were expert seafarers and traders who inhabited the eastern Mediterranean since at least the third millennium BC.
- Phoenicians are famous for their naval inventions, such as the keel, prow-borne battering ram, and caulking material. They had three primary types of ships: warships, transport barges, and small fishing boats.
- Phoenicians engaged in extensive trade, making them wealthy and prosperous. They were located at the crossroads of major trade routes, and their primary goods included tin, copper, cedar wood, textiles, and glass.
- Phoenicia, the region where the Phoenicians lived, was strategically located and had been a part of Canaan. It experienced power shifts, with Egypt and Assyria attempting to control it.
- Phoenicians faced external pressures, with Egypt and Assyria trying to seize their cities and territories. However, after the Bronze Age Collapse, Phoenicia gained more independence and eventually became a vassal of Assyria.
- Phoenician cities, including Sidon and Tyre, were often in competition for mercantile hegemony. Sidon was dominant for a while due to its harbors and inland territories, but Tyre later became the most famous and prosperous city, known for its massively expanded commerce.
- Tyre, whose Phoenician name is "Sor," was a remarkable ancient city with 30,000 inhabitants in its golden age. It was located on an island off the coast and had a dense population.- Tyre's multistory buildings were taller than Rome's during the Augustan era.
- Tyre acquired mainland territory for food and water supplies, and its coastal waters yielded Tyrian purple shellfish.
- Historically first known Tyrian king was Hiram, who ruled from 971 to 939 BC and had trading relationships with many lands.
- Phoenician merchants offered household goods, luxury items, and Tyrian purple in exchange for raw materials like iron, silver, and lead.
- Phoenician merchants explored Atlantic Ocean for ivory and tin, making early settlements in Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia.
- Tyre, under King Ithobaal I, had dominance over Sidon by the middle of the 8th century BC.
- Pressures such as overpopulation or Assyrian demands may have led to Phoenician migrations and the founding of Carthage.
- Carthage, founded in 813 BC, was established by Queen Dido and a group of exiles after she faked losing Tyre's gold.
- Elissa, disguised as a man, led the exiles to Africa, where they were warmly welcomed and granted land, eventually founding Carthage.
- Carthage, which became a dominant power in the region, started as a small colony with the help of a high priest and his followers.
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Description
Explore the origins, prosperity, and significance of the Phoenicians, including their maritime innovations and extensive trade. Learn about the strategic location of Phoenicia and the competition between its cities. Delve into the founding and early days of Carthage, a small colony that rose to become a dominant power in the region.
