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Prosperous and enchanting island city, thanks to its glass manufacturing and the
production of its famous
purple dye, Tyre often brought the envious eyes of the conquering hordes.
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 A few historic marks :
Tyre was founded at the start of the 3rd century BC as a modest island city.
Its first golden age began in the 9th and 8th century BC when Phoenician traders
from Tyre founded colonies around the Mediterranean and Atlantic. Tyre's splendid
life style catered to an affluent merchant class whose newly acquired wealth and
prosperity made many powerful enemies such as the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar
and Alexander the Great.
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- After
its Hellenistic period, Tyre fell under Roman rule in 64 BC. During this period,
the Romans built many impressive monuments, including an aqueduct, a triumphal
arch, and the largest hippodrome in antiquity.
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- Later,
under the Byzantine era, Tyre witnesses a second
golden age, consequence of the commerce of purple
dye.
Then Tyre passed under the conquering Islamic army
in 634. It continued to prosper exporting sugar,
as well as, objects made of pearl and glass.
From the 10th century to the early 20th century,
the invading armies of the Crusaders, the Mameluks,
and the Ottomans came, saw and conquered this prosperous
little island city. It was not until the end of
the First World War that Tyre became integrated
into the new nation of Lebanon.
Monuments
and Antiquities :
- The ancient Phoenician port,
- Roman and Byzantine roads,
- Extensive Necropolis,
- Roman hippodromes,
- Roman aqueducts,
And much more.
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