Phoenicians: Lebanon's Epic Heritage

This is the most complete history of the Phoenicians assembled to date, and includes new research by leading scholars of the Mediterranean. Since the Phoenicians were involved with the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians in many of the great events of antiquity, this detailed account brings those epic events to life as never before. These shipbuilders from Lebanon became famous sea traders whose cedar was used in early Egyptian temples and placed in the Great Pyramids. Archaeology and classical sources show how they were involved with the beautiful Minoan civilization on Crete, and with the Sea Peoples who influenced the fall of the Mycenaeans and Hittites. They founded colonies as far as Spain and Morocco, and circulated the first alphabet. They competed with the rising Classical Greeks, and lost cities to Alexander the Great. Successful campaigns by Hannibal of Carthage were followed by an epic loss to newly-emerging Rome. This book has 113 sources, freshened with many maps and pictures.