Phoenicians.es looks at nothing less than the birth of Western civilization, before the Greeks and Romans, with all that implies.
The Phoenicians founded Cadiz, the first city in Western Europe, roughly 3,000 years ago, bringing fundamental change to a rural society living in round huts made from mud and branches.
Two-storey brick townhouses, urban planning, the alphabet, wine and olive oil, the potter’s wheel, crafted metalwork, precious jewellery, fine clothing and exotic aromatics - these innovations mark the dawn of today's Western world.
The Phoenicians transformed cultural darkness into light without the use of force, seeking profit rather than plunder, and living in harmony with the local population for hundreds of years.
We profile the Phoenician settlements, sanctuaries and necropolises dotted along the coast of Southern Spain. Little is known and much to be discovered - we base our knowledge on fragments of memory and flickers of truth, but the Phoenician influence runs deep.
