Home Region: Levant (Southwest Asia)

Phoenician Empire

1200 BCE 332 BCE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 lb_phoenician_emp / LbAcPho

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

2000 BCE 1175 BCE Canaan (il_canaan) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity:

No Polity found. Add one here.

Displayed:

Learn more about polity border choices. Map Modern Map only Opacity Year Play rate (y/s)
Hit enter after changing the year or setting the play rate.

General Description

The term ’Phoenicia’ refers to a group of allied cities - rather than a politically centralized state - located in the southern Levant, in present-day Lebanon and northern Israel. It is difficult to assign exact dates to this quasi-polity, ^[1] but here we focus on the period between c. 1200 BCE and 332 BCE, when the Phoenician city of Tyre fell to Alexander the Great. ^[2] The Phoenicians were skilled traders and seafarers. ^[3]
Population and political organization
The ruler of a Phoenician city was somewhere between human and divine. He was not a god, but was the highest priest with a privileged relationship to the city’s patron deity. ^[4] However, his power was not unlimited: merchant families also wielded considerable influence in public affairs and, at least in Byblos, Sidon, and possibly Tyre, the king was assisted by a council of elders. In Tyre, between 605 and 561 BCE, the monarchy was replaced with a republic, in which the government was led by a series of judges known as suffetes, who ruled for only short terms. ^[5]
Reliable population figures for the Phoenician cities are lacking.

[1]: (Röllig 1983) Röllig, Wolfgang. 1983. “The Phoenician Language: Remarks on the Present State of Research.” In Atti Del I. Congresso Internazionale Di Studi Fenici E Punici: Roma, 5-10 Novembre 1979, 375-85. Rome: Istituto per la Civiltà Fenicia e Punica. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/KKX2FPFB.

[2]: (Briant 2010, 9) Briant, Pierre. 2010. Alexander the Great and His Empire: A Short Introduction. Translated by Amélie Kuhrt. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/2BWW9KRM.

[3]: (Kaufman 2014, 3-4) Kaufman, Bret. 2014. “Empire without a Voice: Phoenician Iron Metallurgy and Imperial Strategy at Carthage.” PhD Dissertation, Los Angeles, CA: UCLA. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/6HWAI37J.

[4]: (Bonnet 2004, 102) Bonnet, Corinne. 2004. I Fenici. Rome: Carocci. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/CHKFPEHR.

[5]: (Etheredge 2011, 122) Etheredge, Laura. 2011. Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. New York: Britannica Educational Publishing. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/B8B3HGFK.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

4 Capital

5 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

4 Suprapolity Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

2 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

1 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

2 Indigenous Coin

2 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases

2 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp) was in:
(1180 BCE 1031 BCE)	Galilee

Home NGA: Galilee

General Variables

Identity and Location Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	36 S Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Original Name	Phoenician Empire Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Capital	Tyre Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Capital	Sidon Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Capital	Tyre Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Capital	Sidon Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Tyre Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Sidon Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Phoenicia Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Fnkhw Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Alternative Name	Phoiniki Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Temporal Bounds Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	570 BCE Expert
Loading...

Duration	[1200 BCE ➜ 332 BCE] Expert
Loading...

Political and Cultural Relations Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	none Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Suprapolity Relations	vassalage to [---] Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Suprapolity Relations	none Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Suprapolity Relations	vassalage to [---] Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Supracultural Entity	Phoenician Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Succeeding Entity	Macedonian Empire Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Scale of Supracultural Interaction	[8,000 to 10,000] km² Expert	1200 BCE 801 BCE
Loading...

Scale of Supracultural Interaction	[20,000 to 40,000] km² Expert	800 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Preceding Entity 2000 BCE 1175 BCE	Canaan (il_canaan) [continuity] Expert
Loading...

Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Language Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Semitic Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Language	Phoenician Expert	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Religion Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[40,000 to 60,000] people	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Polity Territory	[8,000 to 10,000] km²	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Polity Population	[10,000 to 60,000] people	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Hierarchical Complexity Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[5 to 7]	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Religious Level	[5 to 6]	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Military Level	[4 to 8]	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Administrative Level	-	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Professions Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Professional Priesthood	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Professional Military Officer	Unknown Suspected	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Bureaucracy Characteristics Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Merit Promotion	Unknown Suspected	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Full Time Bureaucrat	Unknown Suspected	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Examination System	Unknown Suspected	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Law Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Judge	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Formal Legal Code	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Court	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Specialized Buildings: polity owned Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Irrigation System	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Food Storage Site	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Drinking Water Supply System	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Transport Infrastructure Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Port	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Canal	Absent Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Bridge	Absent Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Special-purpose Sites Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Information / Writing System Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Script	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Nonwritten Record	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Mnemonic Device	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Information / Kinds of Written Documents Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Sacred Text	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Religious Literature	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Practical Literature	Unknown Suspected	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Philosophy	Unknown Suspected	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Lists Tables and Classification	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

History	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Fiction	Unknown Suspected	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Calendar	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Information / Money Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Precious Metal	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Paper Currency	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Indigenous Coin	Absent	1200 BCE 461 BCE
Loading...

Indigenous Coin	Present	460 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Foreign Coin	Absent	1200 BCE 599 BCE
Loading...

Foreign Coin	Present	598 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Article	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Information / Postal System Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Unknown Suspected	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

General Postal Service	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Courier	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Information / Measurement System Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Stone Walls Mortared	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Settlements in a Defensive Position	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Modern Fortification	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Moat	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Fortified Camp	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Earth Rampart	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Ditch	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Complex Fortification	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Long Wall	absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Military use of Metals Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Iron	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Copper	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Bronze	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Projectiles Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Sling Siege Engine	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Sling	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Self Bow	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Javelin	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Handheld Firearm	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Crossbow	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Composite Bow	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Atlatl	Unknown Suspected	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Handheld weapons Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Sword	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Spear	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Polearm	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Dagger	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Battle Axe	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Animals used in warfare Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Elephant	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Donkey	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Dog	Unknown Suspected	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Camel	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Armor Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Shield	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Scaled Armor	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Plate Armor	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Limb Protection	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Leather Cloth	Present Inferred	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Laminar Armor	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Helmet	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Chainmail	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Breastplate	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Naval technology Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Unknown	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Present	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent	1200 BCE 332 BCE
Loading...

Human Sacrifice Phoenician Empire (lb_phoenician_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More