In the fourth week of our classes, I learned about Thalassocracy. This terms refers to any city state that exerts power over the seas in the means of trade or colonization. An example of this was the Phoenicians (2500-550 BC) who originally came from the Erythean sea, known today as the Red Sea. The Phoenicians came to ihabit a place between this sea, which meant that they had two routes for trading. The Phoenicians also at the time, had two capitals: Byblos (2500-1000 BC) and Tyke (900-550 BC). Sidon and Simyra were settlements that were taken over by Phoenicians.

Furthermore, I also got to learn that the Phoenicians were the first to invent the alphabet, consisting of only 22 consonents in total. The Greeks later on modified their language to create the English language.

The king of Phoenicia was Ahiram. After his death, he was buried in a coffin which had the Phoenicians alphabet inscribed on it. This coffin was called the “Sarco Phagus”.

The Social Structure of Phoenicia was King-centric. Which means that the king was valued above religion. Receding religion, came the council of elders.

As a part of their culture, the Phoenicians imitated other art, making it harder to differentiate its kind within History.

Mysteriously, however, history says that the Phoenicians civilization wiped out between 1300-1200 B.C. This is also when the late Bronze age collapsed. Primary records say that the downfall of this civilization might be due to the “Sea People” destroying their settlements.