Back to Phoenician Cities Sidon

Sidon is said to mean "fishing". It was the third great Phoenician city-state, rivalling Byblos and Tyre as a naval power. In Darius' time, towards the end of the 6th century BC, it was the capital of the fifth Persian satraphy and a showplace of buildings and gardens. The town was conquered by the Crusaders after a famous siege lasting 47 days, then retaken by Saladin 70 years later. The Castle of the Sea, built by Crusaders in 1228, guards the entry to the habour. The Great Mosque, the ruins of the castle of St Louis, the Phoenician temple to the god Eshmoun, and the burial grounds with their catacombs and underground chambers, are all relics of Sidon's impressive past.

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