or ZIDON, a celebrated city and port of Phenicia, and one of the
most ancient cities in the world; as it is supposed to have been founded
by Sidon, the eldest son of Canaan, which will carry it up to above two
thousand years before Christ. But if it was founded by Sidon, his
descendants were driven out by a body of Phenician colonists, or Cushim
from the east; who are supposed either to have given it its name, or to
have retained the old one in compliment to their god Siton, or Dagon.
Its inhabitants appear to have early acquired a preëminence in arts,
manufactures, and commerce; and from their superior skill in hewing
timber, by which must be understood their cutting it out and preparing
it for building, as well as the mere act of felling it, Sidonian workmen
were hired by Solomon to prepare the wood for the building of his
temple. The Sidonians are said to have been the first manufacturers of
glass; and Homer often speaks of them as excelling in many useful and
ingenious arts, giving them the title of Πολυδαιδάλοι. Add to this, they
were, if not the first shipwrights and navigators, the first who
ventured beyond their own coasts, and in those early ages engrossed the
greatest part of the then commerce of the world. The natural result of
these exclusive advantages to the inhabitants of Sidon was, a high
degree of wealth and prosperity; and content with the riches which their
trade and manufactures brought them, they lived in ease and luxury,
trusting the defence of their city and property, like the Tyrians after
them, to hired troops; so that to live in ease and security, is said in
Scripture to be after the manner of the Sidonians. In all these
respects, however, Sidon was totally eclipsed by her neighbour and rival
Tyre; whose more enterprising inhabitants pushed their commercial
dealings to the extremities of the known world, raised their city to a
rank in power and opulence unknown before, and converted it into a
luxurious metropolis, and the emporium of the produce of all nations.
After the subversion of the Grecian empire by the Romans, Sidon fell
into the hands of the latter; who, to put an end to the frequent revolt
of the inhabitants, deprived it of its freedom. It then fell
successively under the power of the Saracens, the Seljukian Turks, and
the sultans of Egypt; who, in 1289, that they might never more afford
shelter to the Christians, destroyed both it and Tyre. But it again
somewhat revived, and has ever since been in the possession of the
Ottoman Turks.
most ancient cities in the world; as it is supposed to have been founded
by Sidon, the eldest son of Canaan, which will carry it up to above two
thousand years before Christ. But if it was founded by Sidon, his
descendants were driven out by a body of Phenician colonists, or Cushim
from the east; who are supposed either to have given it its name, or to
have retained the old one in compliment to their god Siton, or Dagon.
Its inhabitants appear to have early acquired a preëminence in arts,
manufactures, and commerce; and from their superior skill in hewing
timber, by which must be understood their cutting it out and preparing
it for building, as well as the mere act of felling it, Sidonian workmen
were hired by Solomon to prepare the wood for the building of his
temple. The Sidonians are said to have been the first manufacturers of
glass; and Homer often speaks of them as excelling in many useful and
ingenious arts, giving them the title of Πολυδαιδάλοι. Add to this, they
were, if not the first shipwrights and navigators, the first who
ventured beyond their own coasts, and in those early ages engrossed the
greatest part of the then commerce of the world. The natural result of
these exclusive advantages to the inhabitants of Sidon was, a high
degree of wealth and prosperity; and content with the riches which their
trade and manufactures brought them, they lived in ease and luxury,
trusting the defence of their city and property, like the Tyrians after
them, to hired troops; so that to live in ease and security, is said in
Scripture to be after the manner of the Sidonians. In all these
respects, however, Sidon was totally eclipsed by her neighbour and rival
Tyre; whose more enterprising inhabitants pushed their commercial
dealings to the extremities of the known world, raised their city to a
rank in power and opulence unknown before, and converted it into a
luxurious metropolis, and the emporium of the produce of all nations.
After the subversion of the Grecian empire by the Romans, Sidon fell
into the hands of the latter; who, to put an end to the frequent revolt
of the inhabitants, deprived it of its freedom. It then fell
successively under the power of the Saracens, the Seljukian Turks, and
the sultans of Egypt; who, in 1289, that they might never more afford
shelter to the Christians, destroyed both it and Tyre. But it again
somewhat revived, and has ever since been in the possession of the
Ottoman Turks.