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CHAP. IV .] EARLY COLONIES OF THE PHOENICIANS. 93
mankind: one of these took a northern direction through Different
Asia Minor towards the foot of the Caucasus, from whence it route“
penetrated into Central Asia.1 The second, which seems to
have been the most ancient, sought the rich products of Babylonia
and those of the shores of the Persian Gulf,2 which
doubtless included, in the latter case, other eastern countries
also; since by this route the silks, spices, and other valuable
merchandize of India, found their way to the shores of the
Mediterranean, through the emporiums of Tadmor and Baalbek,
which afterwards sprang up to facilitate the transport of merchandize.
The pre-eminence of Phoenicia in commerce and
civilization was, however, as much owing to the enterprise of Situation of
its people as to its geographical position; since the tract in Phoemcia-
question consists merely of a narrow strip of land, with the
elevated range of Lebanon on one side and the Mediterranean
Sea on the other,3 without any particular advantages in respect
of harbours.
The island colony of Aradus was situated towards the
northern extremity of Phoenicia, and to this succeeded, nearly
at equal intervals in following the coast southward, Tripolis,
Byblus, with the earlier capital Sidon, which was called after
the first-born son of Canaan; finally, at the southern extremity, Separate
the daughter of Sidon, the celebrated city of Tyre. With the and
exception of some commercial connexion, these settlementspll(eDicia-
were at first separate kingdoms or states; consisting, in each
case, of a particular city with a certain tract of territory
attached; but all, in the sequel, became in some measure
dependent on Tyre, and were united in one common worship,
that of the Tyrian Hercules. The latter city, Palce-Tyrus’
appears to have been built on the mainland,4 but it is stated
that a castle had been founded about 2 7 4 0 b .c .5
This structure, as well as the Temple of Hercules, wascastieof
no doubt situated on the island to which in this, as in otherTyre-
1 Ezekiel, chap. X X V II.
8 The Phoenicians were descended from the Erythreans. Dionvsius
Perieg., V., 305. , ’
3 See above, vol. I., p. 539.
4 Vol. I., p. 481. 5 Herod., lib. I I ., cap. xliv.