The Phoenicians

The Phoenicians lived more than 3,000 years ago. Their home was along the coast of what is now Lebanon. They were famous sailors and traders who built fast wooden ships. The Phoenicians traveled far across the sea to buy and sell goods.

Great Traders

The Phoenicians sold many special things to other lands. They traded purple cloth, glass, cedar wood, and metals. Their ships sailed all over the Mediterranean Sea. They set up trading towns in places like Spain and North Africa. The city of Carthage was one of their most famous colonies.

The First Alphabet

The Phoenicians made one of the first alphabets in the world. It had 22 letters and only showed sounds. Before this, writing used hundreds of picture signs. Their simple alphabet was easy to learn. Later, the Greeks and Romans used it to make their own alphabets.

Fun Facts

• The name Phoenicia means 'land of purple' because of their famous purple dye.
• They made purple dye from tiny sea snails.
• Our modern alphabet comes from the Phoenician one.

Did You Know?

Phoenician sailors may have sailed all the way around Africa more than 2,500 years ago.