Levant

The Levant is an historic region comprising the eastern Coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
It includes Syria, Lebanon, and Israel.

The Mediterranean current flows anticlockwise around the eastern mediterranean, and passes in a northerly direction along the Levantine coast. Once it reaches the coast of Turkey, it flows westward back towards Sicily.

In the summer the winds are predominantly Westerlies, and the Khamsin, hot southerly winds from February to June, enabling sailing vessels to travel north.
In the Autumn the winds become Northwesterlies or Northerlies, making it almost impossible for a sailing vessel to continue North.
There were many ports to put into in the event of bad weather, along the Levantine coast.

The Levantine Ports were entrepot centres for Camel Caravans carrying the Silk and Spice Trade from the East.
The Coastal Cities from North to south:
1. Seleucia of Pieria
2. Tripoli, lebanon.
3. Byblos
4. Beirut (Berytus)
5. Sidon
6. Tyre
7. Haifa
8. Dor
9. Caesarea Maritima
10. Gaza

Phoenicia was a powerful maritime power based in modern Roman Lebanon and Roman Syria, operating between 1550-330 BCE.
Phoenicia is the area known as Canaan mentioned in The Bible, consisting of the northern part of the Levant.
Phoenicia was continually trading or at war with Ancient Egypt. The Report of Wenamun around 1107 BCE, describes this trade during a tense period between the two countries.

Arwad was a well fortified island city off the coast of Syria, with a powerful Phoenician navy whose ships are mentioned on Monuments in Egypt and Assyria. The city dominated the area as far south as Sidon, and the trade inland along the Orontes valley.
Ugarit. dominant between c.1450-1200 BCE.
Byblos, possibly the oldest city in the Ancient World.
Sidon was an Ancient Phoenician Port City, located in modern Lebanon.
Tyre was the great naval Port of Phoenicia. It became the Leader of Phoenicia around 900 BCE.

The Assyria Empire was dominant in the Levant between c. 2,600-605 BCE. Its Capital was Ashur or Assur in Iraq (founded c. 2600 BCE).

After the collapse of the Assyrian Empire at the Battle of Carchemish in 605 BCE, where the combined Assyrian and Egyptian armies were defeated. The Babylonian Empire ruled in the Levant from 605 BCE, until it was replaced by the Persian Empire in 539 BCE.
The Battle of Megiddo (609 BCE) preceded the Battle of Carchemish when the Egyptian army under Necho II defeated the Judaean King Josiah (Bible 1 Esdras), whilst enroute to challenge the Persians at Carchemish.
The Achaemenids founded the Persian Empire and ruled Syria from 538-331 BCE, and Egypt from 525-332 BCE.

Byblos, Lebanon