History of Phoenicia by George Rawlinson

(5 User reviews)   865
By Jason Bauer Posted on Jan 12, 2026
In Category - Wit & Irony
Rawlinson, George, 1812-1902 Rawlinson, George, 1812-1902
English
Ever wonder who really invented the alphabet? Or who those mysterious 'Purple People' were that the ancient Greeks kept mentioning? George Rawlinson's 'History of Phoenicia' is like a detective story for the ancient world. It chases a civilization that was a superstar trader and explorer, only to almost vanish from the history books. This book pieces together the clues from old ruins, broken pottery, and what their rivals wrote about them. It's the story of a people who connected the whole Mediterranean but somehow got forgotten. If you like puzzles about the past, this is a fascinating one to solve.
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History, Commerce, Art, &c., of this celebrated and interesting nation. Kenrick, making a free use of the stores of knowledge thus accumulated, added to them much information derived from modern research, and was content to give to the world in a single volume of small size,[02] very scantily illustrated, the ascertained results of criticism and inquiry on the subject of the Phoenicians up to his own day. Forty-four years have since elapsed; and in the course of them large additions have been made to certain branches of the inquiry, while others have remained very much as they were before. Travellers, like Robinson, Walpole, Tristram, Renan, and Lortet, have thrown great additional light on the geography, geology, fauna, and flora of the country. Excavators, like Renan and the two Di Cesnolas, have caused the soil to yield up most valuable remains bearing upon the architecture, the art, the industrial pursuits, and the manners and customs of the people. Antiquaries, like M. Clermont-Ganneau and MM. Perrot and Chipiez, have subjected the remains to careful examination and criticism, and have definitively fixed the character of Phoenician Art, and its position in the history of artistic effort. Researches are still being carried on, both in Phoenicia Proper and in the Phoenician dependency of Cyprus, which are likely still further to enlarge our knowledge with respect to Phoenician Art and Archæology; but it is not probable that they will affect seriously the verdict already delivered by competent judges on those subjects. The time therefore appeared to the author to have come when, after nearly half a century of silence, the history of the people might appropriately be rewritten. The subject had long engaged his thoughts, closely connected as it is with the histories of Egypt, and of the “Great Oriental Monarchies,” which for thirty years have been to him special objects of study; and a work embodying the chief results of the recent investigations seemed to him a not unsuitable termination to the historical efforts which his resignation of the Professorship of Ancient History at Oxford, and his entrance upon a new sphere of labour, bring naturally to an end. The author wishes to express his vast obligations to MM. Perrot and Chipiez for the invaluable assistance which he has derived from their great work,[03] and to their publishers, the MM. Hachette, for their liberality in allowing him the use of so large a number of MM. Perrot and Chipiez’ Illustrations. He is also much beholden to the same gentlemen for the use of charts and drawings originally published in the “Géographie Universelle.” Other works from which he has drawn either materials or illustrations, or both, are (besides Movers’ and Kenrick’s) M. Ernest Renan’s “Mission de Phénicie,” General Di Cesnola’s “Cyprus,” A. Di Cesnola’s “Salaminia,” M. Ceccaldi’s “Monuments Antiques de Cypre,” M. Daux’s “Recherches sur les Emporia Phéniciens,” the “Corpus Inscriptionum Semiticarum,” M. Clermont-Ganneau’s “Imagerie Phénicienne,” Mr. Davis’s “Carthage and her Remains,” Gesenius’s “Scripturæ Linguæque Phoeniciæ Monumenta,” Lortet’s “La Syrie d’aujourd’hui,” Serra di Falco’s “Antichità della Sicilia,” Walpole’s “Ansayrii,” and Canon Tristram’s “Land of Israel.” The difficulty has been to select from these copious stores the most salient and noteworthy facts, and to marshal them in such a form as would make them readily intelligible to the ordinary English reader. How far he has succeeded in doing this he must leave the public to judge. In making his bow to them as a “Reader” and Writer “of Histories,”[04] he has to thank them for a degree of favour which has given a ready sale to all his previous works, and has carried some of them...

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The Story

This isn't a story with a single hero, but the tale of an entire people: the Phoenicians. For centuries, they were the shipping and trading masters of the Mediterranean. From their famous cities like Tyre and Sidon, they sailed everywhere, setting up colonies (including Carthage) and trading their prized purple dye and cedar wood. Then, they were gradually conquered by bigger empires like Assyria and Persia, and their unique culture blended away. Rawlinson's book works to pull them back into the light, showing us who they were before they faded from view.

Why You Should Read It

I loved how this book changes your mental map of the ancient world. We always hear about Egypt, Greece, and Rome, but the Phoenicians were the vital link between them all. Rawlinson makes you appreciate them as the practical geniuses they were—brilliant sailors, savvy businesspeople, and the folks who gave us the alphabet we're using right now. It feels like restoring a missing piece to a giant historical puzzle. It's not a fast-paced adventure, but the quiet thrill of rediscovery is totally there.

Final Verdict

Perfect for history buffs who enjoy 'deep dives' into lesser-known cultures, or for anyone curious about where our writing system came from. It's detailed, so it requires a bit of focus, but the payoff is a much richer understanding of how the ancient world worked. If you've ever looked at a map of the Mediterranean and wondered about all the spaces between the famous empires, this book has your answers.



📚 Usage Rights

This text is dedicated to the public domain. Knowledge should be free and accessible.

Logan Wright
2 months ago

I was skeptical at first, but the clarity of the writing makes this accessible to a wide audience. This book will stay with me for a long time.

Logan Brown
5 months ago

Once I started reading, the author's voice is distinct, making the complex topics easy to digest. This has earned a permanent place in my collection.

Aiden Hill
1 month ago

This stood out immediately because it serves as a poignant reminder of the human condition. This left a lasting impression on me.

Jennifer Johnson
2 weeks ago

I have to admit, the interplay between the protagonists drives the story forward beautifully. One of the best books I've read this year.

Matthew Davis
1 week ago

I discovered this unexpectedly and the writing style is poetic but not overly flowery. This deserves far more attention.

5
5 out of 5 (5 User reviews )

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