384 P H d 
David’s time; or to inquire why Herodotus fuppofes the 
Phoenicians came from the Red Sea. Their origin we 
have already feen. That fome of the Edomites fled into 
this country in the days of David, and that they were a 
trading people, is very evident: what improvements they 
brought with them into Phcenice, it is hard to fay ; and, 
by the way, it is as difficult to afcertain their numbers. 
In all probability they brought with them a knowledge 
of the Red Sea, and of the fouth parts of Arabia, Egypt, 
and Ethiopia} and by their information made the Phoe¬ 
nicians acquainted with thofe coaffs; by which means 
they were enabled to undertake voyages to thofe parts. 
Their whole thoughts were employed on fchemes to 
advance their commerce. They affefled no empire but 
that of the fea ; and feemed to aim at nothing but the 
peaceable enjoyment of their trade. This they extended 
to all the known parts they could reach ; to the Britifh 
ifles, commonly underflood by the Cajfiterides; to Spain, 
and other places in the ocean, both within and without 
the flraits of Gibraltar; and, in general, to all the ports pf 
the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and the Lake Mseotis. 
In all thefe parts they had fettlements and correfpond- 
ents, from which they drew what was ufeful to them- 
felves, or might be fo to others; and thus they exercifed 
the three great branches of trade ; viz. importation, ex¬ 
portation, and tranfportation, in full latitude. Such was 
their fea-trade; and for that which they carried on by 
land in Syria, Mesopotamia, Aflyria, Babylonia, Perfia, 
Arabia, and even in India, it was of no lefs extent, and 
may give us an idea of what this people once was, how 
rich and how defervedly their merchants are mentioned 
in Scripture as equal to princes. (Ifa. xxiii. 8.) Their 
country, though fmall, was the great ftorehoufe that con¬ 
tained every thing which could adminifter to the necefli- 
ties or luxuries of mankind, which they diftributed to 
others as they judged would be heft for their own intereft. 
Their own commodities were, as we have obferved already, 
the purple of Tyre, the glafs of Sidon, and the fine linen 
made in their own country ; thefe and other curious pieces 
of art, in metals and wood, feem to have been the chief, and 
almoft only, commodities of Phoenice itfelf. Their terri¬ 
tory was fo fmall, as not to afford any export of their own 
growth; and, indeed, it is more likely that they wanted 
than abounded with the fruits of the earth. 
Their commerce and navigation derived peculiar ad¬ 
vantage from their dripping, and they had excellent 
means for providing themfelves with (hips. Their larger 
embarkations were of two forts, round drips, or gauli, and 
long drips, galleys, or triremes. When they drew up in 
line of battle, the gauli were difpofed at a fmall diftance 
from each other in the wings, or in the van and rear ; 
and their triremes were contracted togetherin the centre. 
In order to difcourage other nations from engaging in 
commerce, they practifed piracy, or pretended to be at 
war with fuch as they met when they thought themfelves 
ftrongeft. This was a natural ffroke of policy in people 
who grafped at the whole commerce of the then known 
world. At Tyre was the famous fifhery already men¬ 
tioned, which contributed fo much to enrich that city. 
In connexion with the navigation of the Phoenicians, we 
might mention their voyages in the fervice of Solomon ; 
and the long voyage which fome of them are faid to have 
undertaken in the fervice of Necho, king of Egypt, round 
Africa, failing out of the Red Sea and returning by the 
way of the ffrait’s mouth, in which they employed three 
years. 
Phoenicia, as we have already obferved, was divided 
into feveral fmall kingdoms, of which fome were confined 
within the narrow bounds of one city and its territory. 
Of all the kings of Phoenicia, thofe of Sidon, Tyre, and 
Arad, feem to have been the molt powerful and wealthy, 
and they certainly make the molt confpicuous figure in 
hiftory ; but their fucceffors, and the years of their refpec- 
tive reigns, are involved in obfcurity and uncertainty, and 
interrupted by fo many chafms, that it is not poflible to 
P H CE 
give a regular detail of their tranfactions. For fuch an 
account as authentic hiftory furniflies, we refer to the 
refpefbive articles, Sidon, Tyre, Arad, &c. After a 
variety of viciflitudes, Phoenicia fell under the power of 
the kings of Babylon. Nabopolaflar, whofe reign com¬ 
menced in the year 626 B. C. became mafter both of Pa- 
leftine and of Egypt. Tyre, after a refiftance of 30 years, 
was taken in the year 573 B. C. But with the death of 
Baal, the title of king became extinil; and Phoenicia 
was for a confiderable time governed by judges. Gerof- 
tratus was the laft of thefe magiftrates; and when he died, 
in the year 554. B. C. the Tyrians fent to Babylon for 
another governor. Merbal was appointed, with the title 
of king, and reigned four years. He was fucceeded by his 
brother Iram, or Hiram, in 550 B.C. and in the 14th 
year of his reign,Cyrus, according to the Phoenician annals, 
made himfelf malter of the Perfian empire. At this time 
Phoenicia comprehended the whole coaft from the vicinity 
of Aradus northwards to the frontiers of Egypt. It now 
became one of the provinces of Perfia, and, without 
making any confpicuous figure in hiftory, it fuftained 
itfelf by its commerce. When Phoenicia at a fubfequent 
period was joined to Syria, it was governed by prefidents 
or rulers fent from Rome. Phoenicia was afterwards one 
of the provinces which Antony abandoned to Cleopatra ; 
but, after the death of both thefe, Auguftus, who pafled 
into Paleftine with Herod, granted to him feveral towns of 
Phoenicia. This province was one of the fcenes in which 
the apoftles and followers of Jefus Chrift preached the 
doctrines of Chriftianity; but the hatred of the Jews 
againfl the Chriftians excited great troubles : the whole 
country was in arms, and the Jews revolted againfl the 
Romans, till at length Jerufalem was taken by Titus. 
The fucceeding emperors diftinguiflied fome of the towns 
of Phoenicia by their attention. Tyre, among others, 
received from Adrian, and alfo from Severus, the title of 
Metropolis; fo that Phoenicia, having its metropolis,, was 
detached from the government of Syria. Under the 
reign of Theodore, and under that of Arcadius, this pro¬ 
vince was divided into two diftinft parts: one was 
called “Maritime Phoenicia,” or Amply Phoenicia; and 
the other, “ Phoenicia of Libanus.” Maritime Phoenicia 
had for its metropolis Tyre, on which depended Sidon, 
Ptolemais, Berytas, Biblos, Tripolis, Area, Orthofia, 
Botrys, Aradus, Antaradus, Porphyrion, Paneas, and 
Sylaminum. Phoenicia of Libanus had for its metropolis 
Damas, to which were fubordinate Laodicea, Abila, He¬ 
liopolis, Jabrunda, Palmyra, Emifa, Danaba, Evaria, Co- 
moara, Cotada, and Sarracene. Chriftianity flouriflied 
for fome time in this province, till at length the Arabs 
gained pofi'effion of it; and Phoenicia, having embraced a 
new worfhip, w r as governed by different dynafties of Ara¬ 
bian princes. In the year 636, the Saracens took Tyre 
and Sidon. After they and the Seljukian Turks had 
poffelfed it 494 years, the Christian crufaders feized the 
country ; but in 1289, Alpiiix, fultan of Egypt, took it, 
and utterly deftroyed Tyre and Sidon, and other ftrong 
places adjacent, that they might never more afford any 
Shelter to the Chriftians. In 1526, Phoenicia was totally 
fubdued by the Turks. For a long time paft Tyre has 
been a mere heap of ruins, inhabited by a few wretched 
fifhermen; but Sidon is ftill of fome note, having about 
6000 inhabitants. 
PHCENI'CIAN, adj. [from Phoenicia.'] Belonging-to 
Phoenicia. 
PHCENI'CIAN, j. An inhabitant of Phoenicia. 
PHCE VICON, in ancient geography, a town of Egypt, 
on the route from Coptos to Berenice, between Coptos 
and Didyme, according to Antonine’s Itinerary. . 
PHCENICOP'TERUS, j. [from theGr.poml, red, and 
wlepov, a wing; and hence this name has, in the modern 
languages', been tranflated by words denoting flame-co¬ 
lour; in Portuguele, flamingo; in Spanilh, flamenco; in 
French, flambant, or flarnmant; which, as Buffon fays, 
was afterwards written flamand (Flemifh) ; and, by this 
ridiculous 
