During 734 BC the Phoenicians, a sea trading people from the north of ancient Canaan, built a small settlement on the natural harbor of Palermo. Some sources suggest they named the settlement "Ziz." It became one of the three main Phoenician colonies of Sicily, along with Motya and Soluntum. However, the remains of the Phoenician presence in the city are few and mostly preserved in the very populated center of the downtown area, making any excavation efforts costly and logistically difficult. The site chosen by the Phoenicians made it easy to connect the port to the mountains with a straight road that today has become Corso Calatifimi. This road helped the Phoenicians in trading with the populations that lived beyond the mountains that surround the gulf. COUNT 4
QSN1 What did Phoenicans name their settlement in 734BC? ANS1 "Ziz." QSN2 Besides Ziz, what other two major settlements belonged to the Phoenicians ANS2 Motya and Soluntum QSN3 Why cant artifacts from the Phoenicians be easily excavated? ANS3 remains of the Phoenician presence in the city are few and mostly preserved in the very populated center of the downtown area QSN4 What is the current name of the road the Phoenicians used for trading? ANS4 Corso Calatifimi