Citation with stable link: Philip A. Harland, 'Phoenicians: Strabo on the achievements of Tyrians and Sidonians (early first century CE),' Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World, last modified August 31, 2024, https://philipharland.com/Blog/?p=21779.
Ancient author: Strabo, Geography 16.2.22-24 (link).
Comments: As Strabo surveys cities within Syria and Phoenicia, he turns to the two most famous cities, Tyre and Sidon. Here he focusses on the achievements of both of these peoples whose contributions are considered comparable, if different. This contrasts to the very negative treatment of Itureans that preceded.
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[For Strabo’s preceding discussion of Itureans, go to this link].
[Rivalries between Tyre and Sidon over importance]
(16.2.22) Since I have traversed Coele-Syria in the special sense of that name, I will pass on to Phoenicia. I have already described the parts of this country extending from Orthosia to Berytos. After Berytus one comes to Sidon, at a distance of about four hundred stadium-lengths. However, between the two places are the Tamyras river, the grove of Asklepios, and a city of Leones.
After Sidon one comes to Tyre, the largest and oldest city of the Phoenicians. Tyre rivals Sidon not only in size but also in its fame and antiquity, as handed down to us in numerous myths. Now although the poets have referred more repeatedly to Sidon than to Tyre (Homer does not even mention Tyre) and the colonies sent into Libya and Iberia as far even as outside the Pillars [i.e. beyond the Rock of Gibralter], they tend rather to hymn the praises of Tyre. Anways, both cities have been famous and illustrious, both in early times and at the present time. No matter which of the two one might call the metropolis of the Phoenicians, there is a dispute in both cities. Now Sidon is situated on the mainland near a harbour that is by nature a good one.
[Tyrians and their achievements]
(16.2.23) Tyre is completely an island, being built up nearly in the same way as Arados. It is connected with the mainland by a mole, which was constructed by Alexander when he was besieging the city. It has two harbours, one that can be closed and the other, called the “Egyptian” harbour, which is open. The houses here, it is said, have many stories, even more than the houses at Rome. For this reason, when an earthquake took place, it almost completely wiped out the city. The city was also unfortunate when it was taken by siege by Alexander.
However, Tyre overcame such misfortunes and restored itself both by means of the maritime activity of its people, in which the Phoenicians in general have been superior to all peoples of all times, and by means of their dye-houses for purple. The Tyrian purple has proved itself by far the most beautiful of all. The shell-fish are caught near the coast and the other things required for dyeing are easily acquired. Although the great number of dye-works makes the city unpleasant to live in, it still makes the city rich through the superior skill of its inhabitants.
The Tyrians were considered autonomous not only by the kings, but also, at small expense to them, by the Romans, when the Romans confirmed the decree of the kings. Herakles [Melqart] is paid extravagant honours by them. The number and the size of their colonial cities is an evidence of their power in maritime affairs. Such, then, are the Tyrians.
[Sidonians and their achievements]
(16.2.24) The Sidonians, according to tradition, are skilled in many beautiful techniques, as the poet [Homer] also points out. Besides this they are pursuers of wisdom in astronomy and arithmetic, having begun their studies with practical calculations and with night-sailings because each of these pertains to the merchant (emporikon) and the shipper (nauklērikon). For example, geometry was invented, it is said, from the measurement of lands which is made necessary by the Nile when it confounds the boundaries at the time of its overflows. This knowledge, then, is believed to have come to the Greeks from the Egyptians and astronomy and arithmetic is believed to come from the Phoenicians.
At the present time, by far the greatest store of knowledge in every other branch in the pursuit of wisdom is to be had from these cities. If one must believe Poseidonius, the ancient teaching about atoms originated with Mochos, a Sidonian, born before Trojan times. However, let us dismiss ancient things. In my time there have been famous philosophers from Sidon: Boethos, with whom I studied the Aristotelian form, and his brother Diodotus. From Tyre there is Antipater and, a little before my time, Apollonios, who published a tabulated account of those who pursue wisdom and the books of Zeno’s sect. . . [omitted sections].
[For Strabo’s subsequent discussion of Judeans, go to this link].
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Source of translation: H.L. Jones, Strabo, 8 volumes, LCL (Cambridge, MA: HUP, 1917-28), public domain (passed away in 1932), adapted by Justin Nadeau and Harland.