Government

Sidon was ruled by kings, sometimes with the support or supervision of larger empires. Royal inscriptions name members of several dynasties, including Tabnit, Eshmunazar II, and Bodashtart.

Royal authority was tied closely to temples, trade, and diplomacy. Under Assyrian and Persian rule, local rulers had to balance their own interests with the demands of imperial overlords. Sidon also had important civic and merchant communities, although their precise political roles varied over time.