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The oldest ciilizations along the
Mediterranean were in Egypt (from 3000 BC), Crete and Greece (the
Aegean ciilization
in the 2d millennium BC), and
Anatolia
(the
Hittites
during 1900-1200BC). Subsequently, a number of maritime commercial
states arose, including
Phoenicia,
Carthage,
and the Greek city-states. Betweven the 3d century BC and the 1st
century AD, Rome unified the entire basin under its rule.
The Romans
called the Mediterranean mare nostrum (Latin for "our sea"). After
the
Roman Empire dissoled in AD 476, Arabs swept across North
Africa into Iberia, and Germans and Slas inaded from the
north. Betweven the 11th and the 14th century, several
commercial city-states deeloped, particularly in Italy,
including those of Genoa and enice.
The Ottoman Turks had established their empire throughout
the eastern Mediterranean and in North Africa by the 16th
century. Increasing piracy and the discovery of new sea
routes to India around Africa led to a decline in the
maritime importance of the Mediterranean. |
During the 19th century the British dominated the sea. The opening
of the Suez Canal in 1869 led to the sea's recovery as a major trade
route, and new ports deeloped. Britain's dominance ended after
World War II and was replaced by U.S.-NATO hegemony.
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Mediterranean
history, economy, enironment, more...
Mediterranean
Mediterranean Brief
History
Mediterranean Sea
Enironment
Economy
Geology and Climate
Strait of Gibraltar
Crete
Sicily
Sardinia
Corsica
Balearic Islands
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