170 THE HISTORY QF COMMERCE. 
like Tyre and Sidon, in the manufacture of all wares of oriental luxury, 
in gold and silver embroidery, in ornamental and jeweller's work, and as 
at the present day like Bagdad, in costly carpets, and products of wool 
and silk, was celebrated before all other places. 
Greece or Hellas also raised herself in these early times, through 
Phoenician and Egyptian colonies, favoured by navigation and com- 
merce ; and colonies of the Ionian Greeks on the western coast of Asia 
Minor, especially Milet, the Queen of all GrEeco- Asiatic cities Ephesus, 
and Smyrna, renowned as places of trade for the commerce of the 
Levant, acquired a commercial importance, which the storm that over- 
threw in the sixth century the Persian rule was not able to destroy, and 
only had this effect, that from this Ionian coast commercial colonies 
were settled in several islands in the Archipelago, in the Peloponnesus, 
on the coast of Italy, Sicily and Galicia itself where Marseilles was 
founded, and as a result Athens and Corinth, with their many colonies, 
which in like manner, as important maritime commercial places, after- 
wards became noted for their manufactures. 
But greater than all, after the fourth century before Christ, rose the 
Phoenician colony of Carthage, on the North coast of Africa (in the 
neighbourhood of the present Tunis). Not only did she elevate her- 
self to be an important commercial state, but in the spirit of her under- 
takings, excelled the mother country by improvements in navigation, 
acquiring the dominion of the seas, and for a long time embracing the 
commerce of the west. Carthage ruled, as a result, the coasts and 
islands of the Mediterranean, founding colonies at Syracuse in Sicily, and 
at Carthagena in Spain. Her fleets went through the pillars of Hercules 
into the open ocean, to Armoricum and Britannia, and carried a part 
of her commerce to the West Coast of Africa. The Carthagenians 
formed caravan roads for commerce, which remain to this day, through 
Fezzan and Upper Egypt as far as Arabia ; so that Carthage became at 
last so rich and powerful, that it excited the jealousy and fear of the 
uncultivated Romans, aroused their thirst for conquest, and by them she 
was conquered 196 years before Christ. Carthage rose like ancient 
Tyre to greatness by her commercial enterprise, only to share like that 
city the same sorrowful downfall ! 
Still later, on the northern coast of the same part of the earth, a 
new maritime city was founded, which quickly rose to commercial im- 
portance, — Alexandria in Egypt, even at this day one of the most 
flourishing maritime cities of the Mediterranean. This city was first 
built after the destruction of Tyre and the downfall of the Phoenician 
commerce 332 years before Christ, by Alexander the Great, and called 
after the Conqueror of Asia Minor and Egypt. Under the splendid 
dominion of the Greek regal dynasty, the Ptolomies it at the same time 
became the seat of Grecian education and activity, and like Athens 
and Corinth soon absorbed everything to itself, which its magnitude in 
liches, arts, science, and industry could command. By virtue of its 
