Complete History of Lebanon: From Ancient Phoenicia to Civil War and Modern Politics
The earliest signs of civilization in what is now Lebanon reach back over seven thousand years, placing it among the world’s oldest continuously inhabited regions. Long before modern borders were drawn, this stretch of Mediterranean coastline was home to the Canaanites—later known as the Phoenicians—an ancient maritime people whose cities such as Tyre, Sidon, and Byblos became thriving hubs of trade and culture. These seafaring pioneers built sturdy cedar ships and established trade routes that linked them to Egypt, Greece, and the far western Mediterranean. Their alphabet, carved on stone and etched on clay, would later inspire the Greek and Latin writing systems.