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           Between the period of 1200 B.C. and 900 B.C. there was no major military power in Mesopotamia. Therefor smaller states like Phoenicia and the Hebrew kingdom were able to prosper. These kingdoms especially the Phoenicians started to trade throughout the Mediterranean region. 
           Phoenician cities were organized into individual city-states, which were under theirs own form of government. Each had its own god and its own ruler, whose usually remained in power for life.
          Phoenicians developed a writing system that used symbols to represent sounds. There are 22 symbols in their system. 
          The Phoenicians traded goods they got from
other lands. Their red-purple dye was produced from the murex. Some 60,000 snails were needed to produce one pound of dye, which only royalty could afford.