The First Seafaring Civilizations Mr. Blais Ancient World History

Crete Crete is an island in the middle of the eastern Mediterranean They were home to the first major seafaring civilization know as the Minoans The Minoans were named after one of their greatest kings, King Minos

Trade Due to their island status the Minoans made their livings through trade. They traded goods such as pottery, swords, grains, olives, jewelry, and precious metals across the eastern Med. This trade and the ships they used for trade became the life blood of Minoan culture. Their trade also influenced later peoples such as the Phoenicians and Mycenaeans

Minoan Cities The Minoan’s capital city was Knossos. Knossos and other cities always had a central palace, usually many stories tall Merchants, captains, and shipbuilders lived closest to the palace, artisans and farmers lived further away. Most cities did NOT have defensive walls which was unique in the ancient world.

Minoan Civilization Declines Minoan civilization mysteriously ended around 1450 B.C.E. It is believed that a series of large earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tidal waves led to their eventual downfall. Later Crete was taken over by the Mycenaeans and became part of Ancient Greece. The Minoans ship building techniques and trading prowess were later borrowed and adapted by the Greeks and the Phoenicians

Phoenicia Phoenicia was located along the west coast of the Mediterranean Sea in modern day Israel, Lebanon, and Syria By 1150 B.C.E. the Phoenicians were the most powerful traders in the Med. Phoenicians were never a fully united people, for they all lived in separate and powerful city-states However the Phoenicians did share a common culture, religion, and lifestyle

Cities The cities of Tyre, Sidon, and Byblos were some of the strongest Phoenician city-states Each city was ruled by a king, but that king also had to answer to a powerful council of merchants Cities had large stone walls around them and a sea port always located just outside the wall. Ports were the hub of the cities, with new ships and goods coming and going daily

Trade The Phoenician turned to the sea because their land was not fertile enough to grow food for everyone Cedar forests in the hills surrounding their cities made great shipbuilding materials Phoenician became excellent seafarers and navigators. It is believed some even ventured out into the Atlantic Ocean and even made it to Britain Never the less they dominated Med. Trade for hundreds of years

Goods and Outposts The Phoenicians not only traded across the Med. but they also set up outposts, one of their most famous was the city of Carthage Between their outposts and cities Phoenicians traded their goods such as cedar, cloth, glass, perfumes, and dyes for precious metals found across the Med. They also traded goods from other civilization such as wine, papyrus, weapons, ivory, and precious metals. Their royal purple dye was very expensive and highly sought after by royalty all around the Med.

Phoenician Decline The Phoenicians dominated trade across the Med. from 1150 to about 814 B.C.E. At this time primary city-states were conquered by the Assyrians However their contributes to civilization and maritime trade are astounding. Outposts such as Carthage, would continue to dominate trade in the Med. until about 200 B.C.E.