Social
Hierarchy
Phoenicians divided their society into classes. The king belongs at the top of the hierarchy. Back then, it was believed that the king was too divine to be put into a class. They owned everything in their kingdom and they were also the head of the army.
Social Class- This was the highest class in the Phoenician society. It is made up of government officials, land owners, and priests. These people were considered very important in the society.
Middle Class- This class includes merchants, fisherman, farmers, and craftsmen. They had rights like the people in the social class, but it was limited. They were also considered improtant because they created offerings to the Phoenician gods.
Working Class- This was the lowest class of the hierarchy. It consisted of slaves and servants. They worked for rich people and they were treated very harshly. People in the working class had some rights from the law. Because of law, people in the working class could buy their freedom and join the middle class.
Here is a picture of the Phoenician social hierarchy:
Religion
Phoenicians were Canaanites. The Canaanite religion was an ancient semitic religion. It is also polytheistic. Phoenicians belived in Baal/El (ruler of the universe), Astarte (queen of Heaven), Anath (goddess of love and war), Adon (handsome and young god), and Melqart (god of the underworld). The Phoenicians also believed in life after death. They also sacrificed their first-born to the gods.
Clothing
The people of Phoenicia created their attire from both linen and wool. Phoenician men wore belted pleated skirts. They also wore large necklaces with the gods and goddesses on them. The men also grew out their hair and beards. Phoenician women wore long tunics with belts and tassels. They also had circular head dresses with their hair usually in braids.
Phoenicians were Canaanites. The Canaanite religion was an ancient semitic religion. It is also polytheistic. Phoenicians belived in Baal/El (ruler of the universe), Astarte (queen of Heaven), Anath (goddess of love and war), Adon (handsome and young god), and Melqart (god of the underworld). The Phoenicians also believed in life after death. They also sacrificed their first-born to the gods.
Clothing
The people of Phoenicia created their attire from both linen and wool. Phoenician men wore belted pleated skirts. They also wore large necklaces with the gods and goddesses on them. The men also grew out their hair and beards. Phoenician women wore long tunics with belts and tassels. They also had circular head dresses with their hair usually in braids.
Food and Diet
Ancient Phoenicians grew vines, fruit, vegetables, trees, and wheat which they all ate. Some of the fruits and vegetables they grew and ate were grapes, lentils, peas, and cabbages. They also created stone wheels to crush the wheat into flour to make bread. For protein, they ate fish. People of Phoenicia used salt from the sea and drank water from the rain.
Phoenician Values
Historians do not know much about Phoenician values except that they valued religion a lot.
Education
Not much is known about Phoenician education except that they created an alphabet.
Contributions
In medicine, Phoenicians used natural substances like olive oil, frankincense, myrth, weeds and garlic to heal cuts. Tools were used to remove objects from the eye. Skull surgery was conducted to release pressure on the head.
In science, Phoenicians were skilled at glass-making. They created glass by making a scuptiure of the item they were making out of clay, then adding glass strings around it, letting it cool off, and finally taking the clay out. However this process was very long so the Phoenicians just made class for fancy perfume bottles and jewelry.
In math, Phoenicians had huge advancements. Pythagoras was a half-Phoenician who created the famous Pythagorean Thereom to find a side of a triangle. Many people had followed Pythagoras and created a society just for him.
In the arts, people of Phoenicia created glass jars, beads and art. They traded their beautiful glass objects to other ancient civilizations. Phoenicians also created purple dye. They were also good in metal-crafting and carving.
In literature and language, Phoenicians spoke a Caanite language that is related to Hebrew. However, the Phoenician language was inspired by the Egyptian one. It looked like hieroglyphics. The Phoenician alphabet contained 22 letters. The Phoenician alphabet faded over time, but the Greek alphabet was inspired by it.
Picture of Phoenician alphabet:
Ancient Phoenicians grew vines, fruit, vegetables, trees, and wheat which they all ate. Some of the fruits and vegetables they grew and ate were grapes, lentils, peas, and cabbages. They also created stone wheels to crush the wheat into flour to make bread. For protein, they ate fish. People of Phoenicia used salt from the sea and drank water from the rain.
Phoenician Values
Historians do not know much about Phoenician values except that they valued religion a lot.
Education
Not much is known about Phoenician education except that they created an alphabet.
Contributions
In medicine, Phoenicians used natural substances like olive oil, frankincense, myrth, weeds and garlic to heal cuts. Tools were used to remove objects from the eye. Skull surgery was conducted to release pressure on the head.
In science, Phoenicians were skilled at glass-making. They created glass by making a scuptiure of the item they were making out of clay, then adding glass strings around it, letting it cool off, and finally taking the clay out. However this process was very long so the Phoenicians just made class for fancy perfume bottles and jewelry.
In math, Phoenicians had huge advancements. Pythagoras was a half-Phoenician who created the famous Pythagorean Thereom to find a side of a triangle. Many people had followed Pythagoras and created a society just for him.
In the arts, people of Phoenicia created glass jars, beads and art. They traded their beautiful glass objects to other ancient civilizations. Phoenicians also created purple dye. They were also good in metal-crafting and carving.
In literature and language, Phoenicians spoke a Caanite language that is related to Hebrew. However, the Phoenician language was inspired by the Egyptian one. It looked like hieroglyphics. The Phoenician alphabet contained 22 letters. The Phoenician alphabet faded over time, but the Greek alphabet was inspired by it.
Picture of Phoenician alphabet: