The Sea Faring Phoenicians
Who Were The Phoenicians?
• Phoenicians were people from the area of
Phoencia
– Phoenicia located in the Fertile Crescent
– Area is now known as Lebanon
– Located along the Mediterranean Sea near the Jordan
R.
– Very close to the area of Palestine
– Never became a nation; only rich city-states
• Phoenicians best known for their sailing and
shipbuilding skills
Trading Posts of the Phoenicians
• Phoenicians became famous for their sea trading
– Barely traded on land at all
• Created rich city-states along the coast
• 3 main cities – Tyre, Sidon and Byblos
– Cities were located 30 mi away; one day’s sailing trip
– Would sail from city to city for trading purposes
– Increases trade by rivers and seas by doing this
• Traded many different products by sea
– Wine, weapons, precious metals, ivory and slaves
Major Phoenician Achievements
• Purple dye (murex)- used for clothing, very
luxurious
– Made from collecting snails and allowing them to die
– Each snail = 1-2 drops of purple dye
• Ships and Sailing- incredible ship builders
• The Alphabet – created the Phoenician alphabet
–
–
–
–
Needed a way to record transactions
1st alphabet to use symbols to represent sounds
Made it easier for people to learn languages
Greeks would later adopt alphabet and change it
The Origins of Judaism
&
The Hebrews
Who Were the Hebrews?
• Hebrews- people that lived in the area of
Palestine
– Shared the area with the Phoenicians
• The Hebrews lived in an area known as Canaan
– Area was a crossroads of trade for the entire world
– Canaan was believed to be promised to Jews by God
Judaism:
st
1
Monotheistic
Religion
• Monotheistic- belief in only one God
– First time in history people believe in only one
single God
• Religion starts nearly 4000 years ago
• The history we have comes from the Torahreligious book of Judaism
– Told stories of history as well as laws of
religion
– Ten Commandments will also be used as laws
of the religion
How Did It All Start?
• Around 2000 BCE, God (known as Yahweh)
chose Abraham to be the father of the Jews
– Abraham lived in Ur, but left when he heard
God’s voice and traveled to Canaan
• Families traveled for years, to Canaan,
Egypt and other locations
• Trips were part of a covenant
– Covenant- promise between God and followers
– People promised to be faithful, God promised
protection of his people
The Hebrews and Egypt
• Hebrews migrate to Egypt due to drought
– At first they’re honored, then they’re enslaved
• Pharaoh becomes scared of the number of
Jews in Egypt
– Calls for the death of all male babies
• One mother hid her child along the Nile
– Baby was found by Egyptian princess and cared
for; raised in luxury
– This baby was Moses
Who Was Moses?
• Moses would lead his people from captivity
in Egypt
– Known as the Exodus
• Exodus takes Moses and Jews across the
Red Sea to Mt. Sinai
– Here Moses get 10 Commandments
– Believed this created a new covenant
Movie
What About After Moses?
• Jews wander the desert for 40 years
– Moses dies; they return to Canaan
• After retaking land they split it between 12
judges to be ruled (like cities)
• 1000 BC- Kingdom of Israel is formed
– Philistines attacked lands, defeated all but
Judah’s land (where we get Judaism)
– 3 Kings lead Jews against Philistines
• Saul, David, and Solomon
– King David will defeat Philistine Goliath
The Kingdom of Israel
• Philistines are defeated, kings build a new
empire
– Jerusalem is built as the capital by David
• Solomon beautifies Jerusalem with a
temple (known as Solomon's Temple)
• Assyrians would take over the area, but the
Jews would still be there
• Neo-Babylonians came in and destroyed
everything, including Solomon’s Temple
– Jews put into captivity- called the Exile
Solomon’s Temple
Before & After the Babylonians