Before Chrift 594, 2i7 



the jfrt/- in which it fliould happen, feems to infer, that his Egyptian 

 or Phoenician mafters had but a dark conception of the theory of ecUp- 

 fes, by the accuraie knowlege of which the modern geographer is 

 enabled to dehneate with precifion the furface of the earth, and the na- 

 vigator can afcertain his poiition, or direct his courfe through the 

 boundlefs oci\in with a much more aflured confidence, than the antients 

 could poflibly have in their recoUeclion of the appearance of the land, 

 while diredting their timid courfe along the winding Ihores of the Me- 

 diterranean. 



5f),| — Apries, who fucceeded his father Pfammis as king of Egypt, 

 had a fleet upon the Mediterranean, with which he carried on a war 

 againfl: the maritime cities of Sidon and Tyre, and fought a naval bat- 

 tle with them, in which, if we may credit Diodorus Siculus, he obtained 



the victory*. \^Herod. L. ii, c. 161 Diod. Sicul. L. i, p. 79. cd. Am- 



Jlel 1746.] 



588 — The very antient and long-flourifiiing commercial city of Si- 

 don appears to have been now eclipfed by the profperity of her mod 

 antient colony of Tyre, whofe commercial fplendour is thus delineated 

 by the prophet Ezekiel, \c. 27] who thereby gives us a brief {ketch of 

 the {late of commerce throughout a very con{iderable part of the then 

 known world. 



The people of all the neighboui'ing countries were employed by the 

 Tyrians in building and navigating their (hips, which were magnificent- 

 ly adorned with ivory, purple, and fine linen ; and their naval com- 

 manders were among the moft refpectable of the citizens, every office, 

 and every line of duty, in tiie commercial departnients being eileemed 

 honourable. On the otlier hand the univerfal prediled:ion of the Ty- 

 rians for trade and navigation induced them to employ foreign mercena- 

 ries in their military efcablifhment f , oblervlng however the precaution 

 to colled them from a variety of nations, Perfians, Lydians, Africans, 

 &c. whofe diverfity of languages and interefls might render it difficult 

 for them to confpire againit the ftate. Though their own veflels were 

 very numerous, and they were fully fenfible of the great importance 

 and value of the carrying trade, they gave free permilfion to ' all the 

 * {hips of the fea with their mariners' to refort to their harbour, and to 

 buy and fell in their city. 



The imports from the various nations were as follows : fine linens \. 

 from Egypt ; blue, and purple, from the ifles of Elilha ; filver, iron, 



* Diodorus fays lie took Sidon, and reduced die ages, followed the fame fyftcm of policy in their 



the other cities of Pliccnicia by the terror of his military eltablifliment. But no government can 



arms. He beat the fleets of Phoenicia and Cyprus ever be affured of the fidelity of fuch mercenaries, 

 in a great naval battle, and returned, loaded with \ Or bvjfus, apparently tine flax, as a raw nia- 



fpoil, to Egypt. terial. See the text of Ezekiel in Jerom's tranlla- 



I The republic of Venice, the Tyre of the mid- tion, and Bochart, Geog.Jair. col. J55. 



