The Phoenicians originated in modern Lebanon. Their cities were located near the coast of the Mediterranean Sea; the mountains of Lebanon rose behind them. When the Phoenicians began to expand, instead of crossing the mountains, they expanded towards the sea. As they expanded, the Phoenicians formed new colonies and established trade routes (see Appendix A) . However, the Phoenicians' exploration and trade did not stop at the Mediterranean, they expanded into Brittany, moved deep into Africa, and reached the Americas. The Phoenicians traded and interacted with many civilizations and peoples. Despite these interactions, our knowledge of the Phoenicians is neither complete nor comprehensive. Most of what we know comes from what others have said about them. For example, Plutarch, a Greek, wrote in the first century AD, long after the fall of the Phoenicians: "They are a bitter and fractious people, submissive to rulers, tyrannical towards those they govern, abject in fearful, fierce when provoked, unwavering in his resolve, and so strict that he dislikes all humor and kindness. each other. Another opinion from a geographer, who also lived in the first century AD, named Pomponius Mela, depicts the Phoenicians in a much better light. “The Phoenicians were an intelligent race, who thrived in war and peace. They excelled in writing and literature, as well as other arts, seamanship, naval warfare, and ruling an empire. Perhaps this gives a better idea of ​​who the Phoenicians really were. Unfortunately, there are very few surviving Phoe...... middle of paper ......ory.4.iv.html April 2, 2014 Drawing of an Assyrian relief taken at Edey, Maitland. The Traders of the Sea. Alexandria: Time-Life Books, 1974. Secondary sources Edey, Maitland. The Sea Traders. Alexandria: Time-Life Books, 1974. Harden, Donald. The Phoenicians. New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1962. Holst, Sanford. Phoenicians: Lebanon's Epic Legacy. Los Angeles: Cambridge and Boston Press, 2005. McKay, John. et al. A History of World Societies: Volume 1 to 1600. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. Moscati, Sabatino. The world of the Phoenicians. trans. Alastair Hamilton New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1968. Peterson, Barbara. Population of the Americas: currents, canoes and DNA. New York: Nova Science Publishers, 2011.