Largest selection of original Biblical stock illustrations

"When Hiram king of Tzur (Tyre) heard that Solomon had been anointed king in his father's place he sent envoys to him, because he had always been friendly with David." (1 Kings 5:1) Easily defended and having a secure harbor off the Phoenician coast, the island city of Tyre traded far and wide throughout the Mediterranean. Its merchants maintained depots for merchandise in every major port and founded new colonies in distant harbors. According to Herodotus Tyre was founded in 2750 BC. King David had a friendly relationship with Hiram, king of Tyre, that was continued by his son Solomon and most of the kings of Israel thereafter. Because of its wealth it was constantly besieged by Egypt and the Assyrian kings then the Babylonians but never taken. Alexander the Great finally captured the island city in 332 BC and it became a Hellenistic city. Jesus visited the coast of Tyre and Sydon (Matthew 15:21, Mark 7:24). The illustration is based on an aerial photo of Tyre today. Several studies have been published about Tyre's original coastline and harbor in the Iron Age which I have relied on in creating this view. Tyre was barely excavated down to the Iron Age levels so I derived scanty information for the layout of the city from the few ancient sources that survive.