The Phoenicians are a playable civilization in Age of Empires. They are primarily an offensive civilization.
The Phoenicians are excellent in all areas of combat, especially at sea, but lack elite siege engine units, making them ineffective when combating heavily fortified areas on land, but their cheap Elephant Units can make up for it if used properly.
They are best used on water maps due to their many naval bonuses, such as fast firing Catapult Triremes, and increased woodcutting speed.
Historically, they had impressive cultural advance, being known for their excellent shipworking skills, and they are credited along with the ancient Syrian city state of Ugarit, to be the first creators of human alphabet. They also had many relations with the Greek, as evidence of trade between the Canaanites (early Phoenicians), Egypt, Cyprus, and Greece has been discovered, as well as the fact that the Phoenician phonetic alphabet was adopted and modified by the Greeks probably at the 8th century BC.[1] Their art was largely inspired by the Greeks, however historically their architecture, and culture (to an extent) was inspired by the Egyptians due to their relationship, and trade networks with the Egyptians.
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Age of Empires
The Rise of Rome