Arguably the two most culturally significant languages in the world: Greek and Latin, share a common linguistic root: Phonecian. This intricate connection which has developed from trade, cultural diffusion and mythological influences is extremely interesting to the odd classical lover or to anyone with a pinch of curiosity. At the time (1500-300 B.C.), the Mediterranean was a vibrant world which stemmed from trade. At the heart of this bustling economy were the Phonecians, who’s trading empire spread across the Mediterranean basin. Through this, they acquired authority, allowing their language (particularly their alphabet), to influence modern generations.
To really understand the power and legacy which the Phoenicians had, it is worth first understanding the Phoenicians’ position at the time. The Phoenicians first settled in the coastal region of present-day Lebanon. They were renowned for their seafaring prowess and maritime trade networks. Their influence extended far beyond their homeland, as they established colonies and trading posts across the Mediterranean, from modern-day Spain to North Africa. One of the most significant contributions of the Phoenicians to Latin, Greek and future languages was the development of the alphabet. The Phoenician alphabet, consisting solely of consonantal characters, lacked vowels which were later added by the Greeks in around 850B.C
Trade grew around the world, and the Phoenician merchants who maintained it brought their language along with them. These merchants would teach their writing system to people who had very little way of communicating amongst themselves excluding pictorial or verbal communication. They didn’t spread their language because they felt compassion, but because they realised how through a linguistic domination of the Mediterranean they could control much of its bursting economy.
Most historians believe that around 750 B.C Phoenicians encountered Greek merchants and traders who were using Phoenician script. Realising its ease of use, they adopted the alphabet and about 100 years later, they added vowels to suit the spoken language. It is important to note that most words used in the Greek and Latin alphabets didn’t directly come from Phoenicians but instead from the ancient Indo-European language. In fact, the main linguistic influence that the Phoenicians had was their alphabet. There are however multiple exceptions which I will expand on later. This Greek adaptation of the Phoenician alphabet was later utilised by the Romans for Latin.
Despite the simple transferal of the alphabet, there were many different linguistic diffusions. Examples of these are similar words and colonialisation. Two good examples of transferral of words are: the Greek word “φοῖνιξ” (phoînix) and the Latin word “phoenīx” both derive from the Phoenician word “pn,” meaning “purple” or “crimson.” This reflects the Phoenicians’ renowned production of purple dye, extracted from the murex shellfish, which was highly prized in the ancient world. We can see how some words, used by the Greeks, carry some historical and economic meaning.
Another example of this is the Greek word “σιρικός” (sirikos) and the Latin word “sericum”, both of which refer to silk: a luxury fabric that was imported from the far East via Phoenician trade routes. This highlights again how through language, we can learn more about the ancient world. Through these two examples, we can see how the Pheoenician people not only imparted their alphabet to the Greeks but also certain words which were later adapted and used by the Romans.
Phoenician colonization also played a crucial role in spreading the language throughout the Mediterranean. Phoenician colonies, such as Carthage in North Africa and Gadir (modern-day Cádiz) in Spain, served as hubs of cultural exchange where Phoenician, Greek, and indigenous languages were used ubiquitously alonside each other.
The Carthaginians, descendants of Phoenician settlers, gradually developed a variety of Phoenician specific to their geography. This linguistic synthesis is evident in the Punic language, a derivative of Phoenician that incorporated borrowings from Greek, Latin, and other Mediterranean languages. This all goes to show how Phoenician colonisation propelled the language across the Mediterranean, influencing not only Greek and Latin but also Carthiginian.
It is worth noting that the Latin language derived from Etruscan, a tongue derived from Phoenician-inspired Greek.
Another way in which Phoenician spread was through mythology. The Phoenicians were a people of polytheists, meaning that they worshipped more than one god. Their main deities were Baal, Astarte, and Melqart. These main gods spread throughout the Mediterranean and influenced the theology of many other civilizations.
The diffusion of Phoenician religious practices into Greek and Roman religious traditions led to the adoption of Phoenician gods. For example, the Greek goddess Aphrodite and the Roman goddess Venus are both derived from the Phoenician goddess Astarte, reflecting the effect the Phoenicians had on both civilisations.
In addition to the deities, mythological legends were also transmitted across linguistic and cultural boundaries. The myth of the Phoenician princess Europa, who was abducted by Zeus in the form of a bull and carried to Crete, became a foundational story in Greek and Roman mythology.
In conclusion, I am personally struck by how the Phoenician language had such a profound impact linguistically and culturally on the Greek and Roman languages , now the basis for romance languages such as Italian, French and Spanish.