The history of Phœnicia is peculiarly a history of separate cities and
colonies, never united into one great independent state, though now and
then alliances existed between several cities in order to repel a common
danger. Each city of Phœnicia was governed by a king or petty chief,
under or with whom an aristocracy, and at times elective magistrates,
appear to have held sway. But the genius of the race cared little for
political development; they devoted themselves almost exclusively to
commercial pursuits.