Mediterranean Civilizations Coach Parrish OMS Chapter 2, Section 4

Phoenician Sea Power ► Tyre was a major city located in a region called Phoenicia. Tyre sold purple cloth that they dyed from snail glands. ► Phoenicians became major traders because of the snail dye and also wood from cedar forests. ► They controlled trade in the Mediterranean by telling stories of horrible sea creatures.

Example of snails used by Phoenician

Phoenician Alphabet ► Phoenician Alphabet – set of 22 symbols that represented the sounds of the language. ► Served as the basis of many languages, including English. ► Alphabet meant that common people could begin writing. Cuneiform was only used by very skilled scribes.

Phoenician Alphabet

Rise of Israel ► A small group of people originally called the Hebrews, settled around the Jordan River Valley. Became known as the Israelites. ► Much of what is known about the history of Israel comes from the Jewish Torah and the Christian Bible. ► First leader of Israel was Abraham (c BC)

Abraham the Leader ► The Israelites trace their beginnings to Mesopotamia. They began as shepherds and merchants outside Sumerian cities. ► According to the Bible, Abraham had his people practice monotheism – belief in one god.

From Canaan to Egypt ► Jewish Torah explains that Abraham lead his people to Canaan. ► Once the Israelites got to Canaan, a horrible famine struck the land. Famine – time when there is so little food, many people starve. ► After the famine hit, they fled to Egypt where they lived well for a few hundred years until an Egyptian king forced them out because he feared they were too powerful.

In the Desert ► Moses led the Israelites from Egypt into the desert, called the Exodus. ► They wandered in the Sinai Desert for 40 years, where God gave them the Ten Commandments. ► Eventually they returned to Canaan where they settled and became farmers.

Settlement in Canaan ► United under their first king, Saul, who helped fight off enemies. ► David, the 2 nd king of Israel, established his capital in Jerusalem.

A Divided Kingdom ► After David died, his son, Solomon, inherited the kingdom. After Solomon died, the country split into two kingdoms. 1. Northern kingdom – Israel 2. Southern kingdom – Judah ► Assyrians conquered the Israelites and gained control of Judah.

Sent Into Exile ► In 722 BC, the Israelites resisted Assyrian rule and were exiled to distant parts of the land. ► Exile – force people to live in another place or country. ► Assyrians controlled Judah until they were defeated by the Chaldeans. Later, the king of Judah rebelled against the Chaldeans, and Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem.