Sidon – World History

Alexander-Sidon
The Alexander Sarcophagus is a late 4th century BCE discovered during excavations near Sidon, Lebanon in 1887 CE. - Image by Carole Raddato.

Sidon is the Greek name (meaning ‘fishery’) for the ancient Phoenician port city of Sidonia (also known as Saida) in what is, today, Lebannon (located about 25 miles south of Beirut). Along with the city of Tyre, Sidon was the most powerful city-state of ancient Phoenicia and first manufactured the purple dye which made Tyre famous and was so rare and expensive that the color purple became synonymous with royalty.

More about Sidon and the Pheonician trade.