Over the past two centuries or so the great powers which previously dominated Syria and Palestine, the Hittites, Assyria and Egypt, have all suffered eclipse, if not (as in the case of the Hittite empire) complete destruction. This has enabled new peoples to come to the fore, notably the Phoenicians and the Israelites.
The Phoenicians are a people who live in city-states on the Syrian coast. They owe much of their wealth to maritime commerce. Phoenician sailors and merchants are currently engaged in expanding their trading activities across the Mediterranean Sea and beyond. In so doing they will carry many of the techniques of Middle Eastern civilization to the western peoples.
The Israelites were originally a nomadic people who have settled the land of Canaan over the past few centuries. They have recently formed a powerful kingdom, at this time ruled by their famous king, David. Their distinctive religion, revolving as it does around the worship of the One God, Yahweh, will have a deep and lasting impact upon world history.
Related Timelines:
Timeline of Middle East History
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