The Phoenicians

The Phoenicians was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 3200 BC onward. All major Phoenician cities were on the coastline of the Mediterranean, some colonies reaching the Western Mediterranean. The Phoenicians used the galley, a man-powered sailing vessel, and are credited with the invention of the bireme.

It is uncertain to what extent the Phoenicians viewed themselves as a single ethnicity and nationality. Their civilization was organized in city-states, similar to ancient Greece. Each city-state was a politically independent unit. They could come into conflict and one city might be dominated by another city-state, although they would collaborate in leagues or alliances.

**Byblos** first became the predominant center from where the Phoenicians dominated the Mediterranean and

Erythraean (Red) Sea routes. Later, **Tyre** gained in power, and **Carthage** was founded in 814 BC under Pygmalion of Tyre.

In 539 BCE the eastern part of the Phonician civilization, was invaded and conquered by the Persians. It is likely that much of the Phoenician population migrated to Carthage and other colonies following the Persian conquest.

### **Carthage**

With the Persian conquest of eastern Phoenicia, Carthage became the new capital of the Phoenician civilization. Carthage and the cities under its control was also called the Punic cities. Through its trade Carthage came to be one of the biggest and richest cities of the ancient world, though this resulted in rivalry with Syracuse, Numidia, and Rome.

Carthage relied heavily, though not exclusively, on foreign mercenaries,especially in overseas warfare. The core of its army was from its own territory in north Africa (ethnic Libyans and Numidians (modern northern Algeria), as well as "Liby-Phoenicians"—i.e., Phoenicians proper). These troops were supported by mercenaries from different ethnic groups and geographic locations across the Mediterranean who fought in their own national units; Celtic, Balearic, and Iberian troops were especially common.

The navy of Carthage was one of the largest in the Mediterranean, using serial production to maintain high numbers at moderate cost. The sailors and marines of the Carthaginian navy were predominantly recruited from the Phoenician citizenry, unlike the multi-ethnic allied and mercenary troops of the Carthaginian armies. The navy offered a stable profession and financial security for its sailors. This helped to contribute to the city's political stability, since the unemployed, debt-ridden poor in other cities were frequently inclined to support revolutionary leaders in the hope of improving their own lot.[19] The reputation of her skilled sailors implies that there was in peacetime a training of oarsmen and coxswains, giving their navy a cutting edge in naval matters.

Carthage derived the original core of its religion from Phoenicia. The Phoenician pantheon was presided over by the father of the gods, but a goddess was the principal figure in the Phoenician pantheon. The system of gods and goddesses in Phoenician religion also influenced many other cultures.

The supreme divine couple was that of Tanit and Ba'al Hammon. The goddess Astarte seems to have been popular in early times. At the height of its cosmopolitan era Carthage seems to have hosted a large array of divinities from the neighboring civilizations of Greece, Egypt and the Etruscan city-states.

But some part of the religion, seemed to focus on Animal Sacrifice, and the sacrifice of children.