On this narrow strip of land, are also the city of Tyre (Sour), founded towards - 2750, and Sidourna (Sidon). Under the influence of Sumerians, phoenician civilization is founded on the cities, like and before the Greeks. Around these cities; small rich kingdoms form a rather loose "confederation". This profitable trade between Byblos and Egypt is in great decline during the 1st intermediate period. At the same time, an amorrite invasion causes a weakening of the city. The principal richness of Tyree is the purple. Ugarit, (Ougarit) which maintains the trade and political with Cyprus, knows the first alphabet in XIVth century.

Phoenicians are dominated by Hyksos, then occupied by the Egyptians of the XVIIIth dynasty, blocked on all sides by the mountain, so they turn to the sea and they dominate in the commercial traffic. They trade with Cretans then Mycenians. The ruin of the Cretan thalassocracy, towards - 1400, benefit Phoenicians which dominates the Mediterranean since Dorians ruined the Greek fleets. Egyptian protectorate lasts 400 years and seems marked in Byblos, Sidon becomes a naval base for the Pharaohs while Hittites make pressure on the littoral, in particular Suppiluliuma and they dominate Ougarit.

Tyre is dominated by Sidon until the 14th century fastens the hegemony, while Ougarit whose port gets Egyptian corn in Hittites is destroyed by the People of the Sea, towards - 1190. This invasion frees phoenicians cities from the Egyptian supervision. Towards -1110, Sidon is taken by the Philistines. Teglath-Phalasar, the Assyrian king fights against Arameans in Syria, and he constrained the cities phoenicians with the payment of a tribute, towards - 1100. The Assyrian military occupation is short, the invasion of Arameans is right of the first Assyrian empire. It is the beginning of the maritime expansion, under the direction of Tyre. Its king Hiram 1st (969-935), increases the two ports, connects them by a channel and is allied with Hebrew king Solomon. He sends materials and technicians for the construction of the Temple of Jerusalem.
 
 
 

Maritime Expansion 

On the circumference of the Mediterranean Sea, Phoenicians create many commercial counters. Installed in Cyprus at the 10th century, they collide into the Greeks on the Ionian coast and are driven out of Rhodos and the Aegean Islands. At the beginning of the 1st millenium, Phoenician fleet moves towards the Occident and attains Sicily quickly. They are fixed in Egypt, Libya and at the Maghreb. And for their necessity of copper and tin, they land on the Iberian peninsula. They are established even on the Moroccan Atlantic coast.

Their ships are caulked with the bitumen coming from the Dead Sea. During the obscure period of Greece, they are alone to furrow the Mediterranean Sea and they melt a commercial empire between the 10th and the 8th century. They hold the monopoly of tin, essential to make bronze and also the weapons. They carefully maintain the secrecy on its source: in addition to Iberie, they go to Armorique and to the "Cassiterids Islands" (Scilly Isles). Terrifying narrations and a hunting for the foreign ships ensure to them this advantage until the founding of Massilia. They are also the only ones to sail in open sea, being directed with the sun the day and the polar star the night.

Pressure of the Anatolian empires

In the 9th century the Assyrians come back in force. At once Assur-Nazirpal II then Salmanasar III make countryside in Palestine and impose the tribute on the cities phoenicians cities.

One reads in Annals of Assur-Nazirpal II:

"The tribute of the kings of the coast of the sea, those of Tyre, Sidon, Byblos, Makhalata, Maisa, Kaisa, Amurru and Arvad which stands in the medium of the sea, was composed of money, gold, tin, copper, vases of bronze, clothes of wool, clothes of flax, of monkeys and a nakhirou, a marine animal. I receive all that like tribute and they kissed my feet "

It is in - 875, there was not of battle, the cities treat with the invader who will return.

This financial loss causes the departure of a Tyreian colony around the princess Didon (Elissa) into - 814. They melt in Tunisia Qarat Hadash i.e. the new village. The failure of the battle of Qarqar, the internal difficulties of the Assyrian empire and the presence of Urartu in Syria attenuate the Assyrian domination of the phoenicians cities. But after a new revolt, Tiglath-Phalasar III, ejects Ourateans of Syria and receive the tribute in several cities phoenicians. The true conquest begin. Towards - 742, Phoenicia is subjected and the trade with Egypt or the Philistines is prohibited.

Sargon II is annexing the cities of phoenicians whereas Cyprus, the colony phoenician thrives. He captures the cities of Damas and of Samarie, allied of kings de Tyre. After his death, Phoenicians and the kingdoms of Palestine rebel against the assyrian empire, the revolt is directed by king of Sidon and king of Juda . In the year - 701, Sennacherib intervenes with its army in a fast war, its goal is to attack Egypt as soon as possible. The Pharaon Chabaka supports them by sending a small army ordered by his brother Taharqua, who moves towards Lakis but that he does not dwell in front of the advance of the Assyrian army. Sidon is taken, Sennacherib is victorious to Elteqeh, the revolt is defeated. Sennacherib must set out again to fight against Elamites and the Babylonians. It installs princes favorable to his cause.

In 676, Sidon rebels against the Assyrian domination and Assarhaddon shaves the walls of the town and displaces its population, including the herds, in Assyria. Tyre remains against the Assyrians which besiege it (- 672 and - 668). Assarhaddon imposes a treaty which enables him to control the trade phoenician. Released of the yoke of the Assyrians in the year - 612, independence lasts approximately 40 years, supported by Egypt but all recommences with the new power: the Babylonians. Tyre suffers from their king Nabuchodonosor II, a seat during 13 year and is taken towards - 573, all the continental part of the city is destroyed. Sidon resumes the first rank. and Phoenicia whole is subjected. From - 539, the catch of Babylon by Cyrus, allows the return of prosperity in the phoenicians ports. In the fifth Persian satrapy, Phoenicians are well treated, because the Persians need the fleet and the phoenicians sailors. Thus the conquest of Egypt by Cambyse is supported by the phoenicians ships. Xerxes uses them during the Greco-Persian Wars. As a reward, Xerxes offers to them, cities such Dor and Jaffa. He builds two palates, in Sidon, the seat of the Persian governor. The Persian fleet is often driven by phoenicians admirals. The battle of Salamine which aligns 300 phoenicians vessels among over 1207, is at first a defeat of the phoenicians ships opposite to their Athenian rivals. Captains phoenicians left the combat became a trap. The relations with the King are degraded quickly. Towards - 351, the behaviors of the satrap and persians generals cause the revolt in the phoenicians cities.

King Tennis gathers an army and receives help of Egypt in the shape of 4 000 Greek mercenaries, ordered by the General Mentor. The satrap and the governor of Cilicie are defeated.

With the conquest of Alexander in 333, the maritime power of Phoenicia in the East ends. One needs a consequent effort to come to end from heroic resistance from Tyr. The other cities, in cold with the Persians accomodate Alexandre and provide vessels for the head office of Tyr. But the position of the island is very strong. It is necessary that the Macedonians build a gigantic slope to get a foothold in the citadel and the combat continues desperate. In September - 332, at the end of 7 months, the survivors are sold like slaves.

In the the time of Successors, Phoenicia, is a stake of the conflict between Seleucids and Lagids. The hellenisation of the country continues.

In - 64, Pompee conquers Phoenicia, "Roman peace" makes find with the ports phoenicians disappeared economic prosperity.
 
 

The fleet of war of Phoenicians

Byblos, Sidon and Tyr needed early a powerful fleet to take care on their economic interests and to defend the shores against any enemy attack. For that, they built ports including long breakwaters made with blocks of stones reaching 3 meters, to break the blades and to offer a protection to the fleet. To avoid the entry of foe ships, a high wall separates the commercial port from the wearing of war.

The warships phoenicians are designed for a type of precise combat. They are small, fast and handy. Dimensions vary between 15 and 20 meters length and between 4 and 6 meters of width. The crew counts from 20 to 40 oarsmen. The prow is finished by a strong sharp-pointed spur which pierces the enemy under the water line. The lower floor is occupied by the oarsmen, the higher floor by the infantrymen. The principle of the naval battle is the shock. The searched goal is a violent impact for piercing the hull, or to wound the oarsmen and to break the oars, then once the immobilized enemy, it is the attack with the weapon of throw or with the torch. Phoenicians are excellent manufacturers of boats, and also excellent pilots.

Herodote says about Phoenicians "they are the best navigators of the world and Sidoniens best among Phoenicians" while Homere describe them like "sailors rapacious who, in their blacks vessels, have thousand cheap goods".

The phoenicians fleets will be put at the service of the Sennacherib Assyrian in VIIIth century, in a punitive forwarding in the Persian Gulf. They lead and make the essence of the Persian fleet of Achemenids, then Alexandre the Great one mobilizes the fleets of Byblos, Sidon and Arvad to make the head office of Tyr.