Religion and Culture

The chief divine figure associated with Tyre was Melqart, whose name means roughly King of the City. Astarte and other Phoenician deities were also worshiped.

The Bible connects the Tyrian and Sidonian royal world with the worship of Baal through Jezebel and Ahab. The biblical language should not be taken to mean that every Phoenician city practiced religion in precisely the same way.

Tyrians spoke a Phoenician language closely related to Hebrew and used a consonantal alphabet. Their art, craftsmanship, seafaring traditions, and religious practices influenced communities throughout the Mediterranean.