Mark Woolmer offers new insights based on recent archaeological discoveries at the heart of modern-day Lebanon, presenting a fresh appreciation of this fascinating yet elusive Semitic people. Discussing material culture, language and alphabet, religion (including the sacred prostitution of women and boys to the goddess Astarte), burial customs, and trade and expansion towards the Phoenician west, he explores Phoenicia in all its paradoxical complexity.

In antiquity, the Phoenicians were considered wise scribes and daring sailors who ventured beyond the boundaries of the known world, as well as skilled engineers who built monumental port cities like Tyre and Sidon. The Phoenicians were also regarded (especially by their Roman rivals) as profiteers who traded harshly in human lives. The author shows that they were above all masters of the sea: this was a civilization that navigated Africa a thousand years before Vasco da Gama in 1498.

The Phoenicians offer a captivating glimpse into ancient history. Latin sources suggest that they once had an extensive literature of history, law, philosophy, and religion, but all have been lost today. In this revised and updated edition, Woolmer evaluates recent historiographical developments in the field, bringing the current edition in line with contemporary understanding.

Pages: 272, Year of Publication: 1202, Dimensions: 13.8x13.8cm