The Phoenicians and the West : Politics, Colonies and Trade

Rating:
Summary: A Worthwhile Voyage
Review: In their day the Phoenicians were the quintessential mariners and explorers, planting colonies throughout the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, and more controversially elsewhere along Africa's coasts and probably in the Far East along the monsoon trade route.

This survey work of what is known today about the Phoenicians is the first one in years I believe. Like many maritime peoples, the Phoenicians were often conquered and, given their extensive use of papyrus, their archives have not survived. Since ancient times and to the present day various historians with axes to grind have badmouthed these people.

This isn't the most riveting text I've ever read.

See also Lionel Casson's "The Ancient Mariners", "Travel In The Ancient World", and "Everyday life in ancient Rome", Michael Grant's "The Etruscans" (out of print), and Barry Fell's "America B.C.", as well as websites that show up in a search for the phrase "The Periplus".

Rating:
Summary: Very thorough.
Review: This is an interesting book which describes the Phoenician expansion into the Western Mediterranean from the eighth to sixth centuries B.C. The focus is the Iberian Phoenician settlements on either side of the Pillars of Hercules with Gadir (Cadiz) as the main attraction. As the written record of the Phoenicians themselves did not survive, this work relies primarily on archaeological information and the small body of sources written by the Phoenicians' neighboring cultures (the Greek Homer's epic poetry, the Jewish Old Testament, etc.).

There is much discussion about the social, political, and economic reasons for the Phoenician expansion westward. In addition, the form which this expansion took - from informal trade to outright colonization is explored. A large part of the book is devoted to the competing historical theories regarding this expansion in which the author is obviously well-grounded.

Who engaged in the trade and expansion- the palace, the temple, or independent merchants? How was it organized? What were the ships like? What were the commodities traded? How were Phoenician relations with the indigenous peoples handled? All these questions are answered.

There is obviously comparison between the original Phoenician settlements in the West and those of her daughter colony Carthage which succeeded them. The emphasis in this work is on the Phoenician period rather than the following Punic period of settlement. This is done to give the Phoenicians' initial accomplishments in the West due credit rather than have them overshadowed by Carthage.

With the book's emphasis on the Iberian peninsula, the Phoenician enclaves in the central Mediterranean such as on Malta, Sicily, and Sardinia do not get much attention. I would have enjoyed more comparison between the Phoenician settlements and the subsequent Greek colonies in the West as well.

An interesting read on a little-known but highly-influential ancient people. And don't forget to thank them for this alphabet while you're at it.

Rating:
Summary: Very thorough.
Review: This is an interesting book which describes the Phoenician expansion into the Western Mediterranean from the eighth to sixth centuries B.C. The focus is the Iberian Phoenician settlements on either side of the Pillars of Hercules with Gadir (Cadiz) as the main attraction. As the written record of the Phoenicians themselves did not survive, this work relies primarily on archaeological information and the small body of sources written by the Phoenicians' neighboring cultures (the Greek Homer's epic poetry, the Jewish Old Testament, etc.).

There is much discussion about the social, political, and economic reasons for the Phoenician expansion westward. In addition, the form which this expansion took - from informal trade to outright colonization is explored. A large part of the book is devoted to the competing historical theories regarding this expansion in which the author is obviously well-grounded.

Who engaged in the trade and expansion- the palace, the temple, or independent merchants? How was it organized? What were the ships like? What were the commodities traded? How were Phoenician relations with the indigenous peoples handled? All these questions are answered.

There is obviously comparison between the original Phoenician settlements in the West and those of her daughter colony Carthage which succeeded them. The emphasis in this work is on the Phoenician period rather than the following Punic period of settlement. This is done to give the Phoenicians' initial accomplishments in the West due credit rather than have them overshadowed by Carthage.

With the book's emphasis on the Iberian peninsula, the Phoenician enclaves in the central Mediterranean such as on Malta, Sicily, and Sardinia do not get much attention. I would have enjoyed more comparison between the Phoenician settlements and the subsequent Greek colonies in the West as well.

An interesting read on a little-known but highly-influential ancient people. And don't forget to thank them for this alphabet while you're at it.