The Phoenicians: while their homeland was primarily located in present-day Lebanon, their reach extended throughout the Mediterranean, stretching all the way from the Middle East and Cyprus to the Iberian Peninsula. They were part of the ancient Phoenician civilization, which flourished between 1550 and 300 BCE. Their city-states produced many prominent merchants, traders, and colonizers, being located along the naval trading routes. But how and when did these traders and mariners come to be the dominant commercial power in Europe for a significant part of antiquity?
Click on to discover who the Phoenicians were and to learn about their historical legacy.