The Minoans dominated trade in the Mediterranean Sea from 2000-1400 BC with their advanced civilization based on the island of Crete. They traded their high quality pottery, spreading their culture and influencing future Greeks. Natural disasters around 1200 BC may have weakened the Minoans and allowed Greek invaders to attack. The Phoenicians then dominated Mediterranean trade from 1100 BC, operating out of cities like Sidon and Tyre in present-day Lebanon. They developed the first alphabetic writing system which was adopted by the Greeks and became the basis for modern alphabets like English.

1. Ch. 3.3

2. Dominated trade in the Mediterranean Sea from 2000-1400 B.C. Lived on Crete, Map Best pottery of the time. Traded pottery with neighboring cultures, This spreads culture around the area. Ideas/beliefs influence future Greeks Ended about 1200 B.C. Natural disasters, earthquakes ,volcanoes, may have wiped out the cities or at least weakened them enough for attacks from Greek invaders.

4. Knossos, the Minoan capital city. An advanced and thriving culture. Probably peaceful -Minoan cities no fortifications Wall paintings show them as athletic, graceful. Art depict women’s role in religious ceremonies.

5. 1100 B.C., Crete falls Now the Phoenicians dominate trade. Located in present day Lebanon. Map Great shipbuilders and seafarers. Important cities: Sidon, Tyre, Berytus, Byblos and Carthage Famous for purple dye, made from a rotting murex snail. It took 60,000 snails to make 1 pound of dye! Phoenicians need system for recording transactions Developed phonetic alphabet

6. The Phoenicians developed a writing system that used symbols to represent sounds. The Phoenician system was phonetic—that is, one sign was used for one sound. In fact, the word alphabet comes directly from the first two letters of the Phoenician alphabet: aleph and beth. The Greeks adopted the Phoenician Alphabet, adapting it into the Greek Alphabet we know today, which is the basis for the English Alphabet.

7. How could long distance trade affect these ancient civilizations? How does trade affect our civilization today?