23. ID Byblos

The city of Byblos has been inhabited since the time of the Neolithic Revolution. It only became a Phoenician city much later. It is still inhabited today by the people of Lebanon. This is a large example of continuity. The oldest settlement in that area is thought to be an ancient fishing village and is about 7000 years old. A large achievement of the city is the invention of the first alphabet, which was then perfected by Greece. As stated before, this city's economy revolved around trade. One of the main empires that traded with Byblos is Egypt. Egypt would trade many materials for cedar wood and oil, which was abundant in the area surrounding Byblos. This city was destroyed at about 2150 BC by the Amorites, but was rebuilt 200 years later. Byblos also became a religious center for the gods of Phoenicia. This was and still is a very important city in the Near East.

http://www.gorp.com/weekend-guide/travel-ta-byblos-archaeology-history-sidwcmdev_058291.html

Sources: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/295 The Fifth Mountain