Phenicia

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

in ancient geography, in the largest sense, a narrow strip of country extending nearly the whole a length of the E. coast of the Mediterning of her wings, and so consumed herranean Sea, from Antioch to the borders self; but from the ashes she sprang up of Egypt. But Phœnicia proper was in- , in cluded between the cities of Laodicea the phenix is depicted as an emblem of Syria, and Tyre, comprehending mainly and the territories of Tyre and Sidon, represented in coat-armor in flames. forming then only a a part pa of the country conquered of Canaan. Before Joshua extreme rarity or excellence. Palestine, this country was possessed by Canaanites, sons of Ham, divided into 11 families, of which the most powerful of was that of Canaan, the founder Sidon, and head of the Canaanites, whom A colony the Greeks named Phœnicians. , setof Phoenicians, led by Elissa or Dido and founded tled in Africa 878 B. C., was in- CARTHAGE (q. v.). Phœnicia of Asvaded by Shalmaneser IV., King , King syria 723 B. c.; by Nebuchadnezzar Cyrus, King of Babylon, 587 B. C.; and by of Persia, 536 B. C. The Phoenicians subthe Persians in their sequently assisted wars with the Greeks, and sustained a total defeat from Cimon, om Cimon, at the naval battle of the Eurymedon, 466 B. C. They revolted from Persia 352 b. c., and were conquered by Alexander III. (the Great) 331 B. C. After his death, 323 B. C., dominions Phœnicia was annexed to the of Ptolemy (I.) Soter, King of Egypt. It was seized by Antigonus of Phrygia, 315 B. C., and passed under the protectorate of Tigranes I., King of Armenia B. c. It formed prived of all its liberties by Augustus, 20 b. c.