Phoenicia as a colonial and commercial power
Kingship appears to have been the oldest form of Phoenician government. The royal houses claimed divine descent, and the king could not be chosen outside their members. His power, however, was limited by that of the merchant families, who wielded great influence in public affairs. Associated with the king was a council of elders; such at least was the case at Byblos, Sidon, and perhaps Tyre. During Nebuchadrezzar II’s reign (c. 605–c. 561 bce), a republic took the place of the monarchy at Tyre, and the government was administered by a succession of suffetes (judges); they held office for short terms, and in one instance two ruled together for six years. Much later, in the 3rd century bce, an inscription from Tyre also mentions a suffete. Carthage was governed by two suffetes, and these officers are frequently named in connection with the Carthaginian colonies. But this does not justify any inference that Phoenicia itself had such magistrates. Under the Persians a federal bond was formed linking Sidon, Tyre, and Aradus. Federation on a larger scale was never possible in Phoenicia because no sense of political unity existed to ... (200 of 17,253 words)
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Patrons at an outdoor café in Beirut, Leb.
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Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani).
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A layer of crude oil covering the Ramlat al-Bayḍāʾ public beach in Beirut, Leb., following the 2006 warfare between Hezbollah and Israel.
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Population density of Lebanon.
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Boats docked at the port of Sidon, Leb.
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United Nations emergency-relief coordinator Jan Egeland checking the remains of a bridge destroyed by Israeli air strikes in Lebanon, 2006.
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Ruins at ʿAnjar, Leb.