The Tyrians, although not so early celebrated either in sacred or
profane history, had yet attained greater renown than their Sidonian
kinsmen. It is useless to conjecture at what period or under what
circumstances these eastern colonists had quitted the shores of the
Persian gulf, and fixed their seat on the narrow belt between the
mountains of Lebanon and the sea. Probably at first they were only
factories, established for connecting the trade between the eastern and
western world. If so, their origin must be sought among the natives
to the east of the Assyrians, as that race of industrious cultivators
possessed no shipping, and was hostile to commerce. The colonists
took root on this shore, became prosperous and wealthy, covered the
Mediterranean with their fleets, and its shores with their factories.
Tyre in the course of time became the dominant city, and under her
supremacy were founded the Phoenician colonies in Greece, Sicily,
Africa, and Spain. The wealth of her merchant princes had often tempted
the cupidity of the despots of Asia. Salmanassar, the Assyrian conqueror
of Israel, directed his attacks against Tyre, and continued them for
five years, but was finally compelled to raise the siege. Nabuchadonosor
was more persevering, and succeeded in capturing the city, after a siege
that lasted thirteen years. The old town, situated on the continent was
never rebuilt; but a new Tyre rose from its ruins. This occupied the
area of a small island, described by Pliny as two miles and a half in
circumference. On this confined space a large population existed, and
remedied the want of extent by raising story upon story, on the plan
followed by the ancient inhabitants of Edinburgh. It was separated from
the main land by an armlet of the sea, about half a mile in breadth
and about eighteen feet deep. The city was encircled by walls and
fortifications of great strength and height, and scarcely pregnable
even if accessible.
_Family Library, No. 3._
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