Archaeology
TyrusTyros, TyrePlace descriptionTyre was built on an island. Before the beginning of the first millennium BC, Tyre comprised two parts. The main part was the city of Tyre and the smaller part was a temple dedicated to Baal. During the Early Bronze Age, permanent settlements appeared in Tyre but they were abandoned during the entire Middle Bronze Age. In the earliest Late Bronze Age, Tyre was only used for burial and storage purposes. The city was rebuilt in the late 15th century BC. A century later, Tyre became a client state of Egypt. During the 12th century BC, the Sea Peoples destroyed many cities on the Syrian coast, but the archaeological record of Tyre and other Phoenician sites shows no indication of destruction. Tyre continued to be a thriving centre. During the early Iron Age, its economy continued to develop freely while it was not under the control of any empire. Tyrian merchants continued to expand their trade westward and paid particular attention to the trade of metal. By the 8th century BC, Phoenician merchants had already developed a trade route for metal as far as Spain. Tyre maintained this trade route and established way stations in North Africa and Carthage was one of these centres. In addition to the western Mediterranean, Tyre expanded its trade eastward under King Hiram I. Tyrian expertise in crafts and architecture was famous. The Tyrian experts even helped out the construction of King David’s palace and Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. During the Assyrian domination, tribute and taxes were imposed on Tyre. The first Tyrian revolt against the Assyrian rule and the consequent destruction of the city dates to the reign of Sennacherib. Esarhaddon also suppressed a later revolt by King Baal of Tyre. A treaty was made afterwards, but the Assyrians had taken over the authority over the commerce of the city. The final Assyrian suppression on Baal of Tyre dates to the reign of Ashurbaniqal. After the Babylonians defeated the Assyrian Empire, Tyre was subsequently ruled by this new power. After 539BC, Tyre fell under the Persian dominance and became a part of the fifth satrapy of the empire. During the 4th century BC, frequent but unsuccessful revolts took place. In 332BC, it took seven months for Alexander the Great to successfully invade Tyre. Under the Seleucids, Tyre prospered and by the Roman period it had already become a major trade centre in the east. Except from the breakwaters and jetties of the ancient Phoenician port, most visible archaeological remains also date to this period. The Roman paved road along extensive necropoleis connected the mainland and the city of Tyre through a monumental archway. The burial ground contained a lot of Greek and Latin inscriptions. The city was laid out along a colonnaded street, which had a 2nd century AD mosaic pavement. An aqueduct was running parallel to the street and brought water from a mainland spring. A statue of Hadrian has been uncovered. There was also a palaestra where athletes were trained. A huge Roman bath and a hippodrome were built. The hippodrome was one of the largest in the Roman world. Later structures after the Roman period included an early Byzantine basilica and a crusader cathedral. |