TheKing of Tyre was the ruler ofTyre, the ancientPhoenician city in what is nowLebanon. The traditional list of 12 kings, with reigns dated to 990–785 BC, is derived from thelost history ofMenander of Ephesus as quoted byJosephus inAgainst Apion I. 116–127.[1] Josephus asserts that Menander had drawn his list from the chronicles of Tyre itself.[2] Menander-Josephus also contains a list of 9 kings and judges, with reigns dated to 591–532 BC in Against Apion I. 154–160.[3]
| Agenor | c. 2050–1450 BC | Son ofPoseidon or ofBelus.Doric Greek historianHerodotus (c. 484–425 BC), born inHalicarnassus under theAchaemenid Empire, estimated in theHistories written at the end of theGreco-Persian Wars (499–449 BC) that Agenor had lived either 1000 or 1600 years prior to his visit toTyre in 450 BC.[4][5] Father ofEuropa andCadmus, founder of the city-stateThebes. |
| Phoenix | Son of Agenor. He is the alleged eponym of the Phoenicians. |
| Abi-Milku | c. 1350–1335 BC | Mayor/Ruler of Tyre during the period of theAmarna letters correspondence (1350–1335 BC) |
The dates for the reconstruction of Menander's Tyrian king list from Abibaal throughPygmalion are established in three places by three independent sources: a Biblical synchronism (Hiram's assistance to Solomon in building the Temple, from 967 BC onwards), an Assyrian record (tribute ofBaal-Eser II/Balazeros II toShalmaneser III in 841 BC), and a Roman historian (Pompeius Trogus, who placed the founding ofCarthage orDido's flight from her brother Pygmalion in the latter's seventh year of reign, in 825 BC, 72 years before the founding of Rome).[6]
| Abibaal | 993–981 BC | His beginning date is conjectural. |
| Hiram I | 980–947 BC | Contemporary of David and Solomon |
| Baal-Eser I (Balazeros I, Ba‘l-mazzer I) | 946–930 BC | |
| Abdastartus (‘Abd-‘Astart) | 929–921 BC | |
| Astartus (‘Ashtart) | 920–901 BC | Killed predecessor. First of 4 brothers to reign. |
| Deleastartus (Dalay-‘Ashtart) | 900–889 BC | |
| Astarymus (‘Ashtar-rom) | 888–880 BC | |
| Phelles (Pilles) | 879 BC | Last of the 4 brothers |
| Ithobaal I (Ethbaal I) | 878–847 BC | Killed predecessor. Father of BiblicalJezebel. |
| Baal-Eser II (Balazeros II, Ba‘l-mazzer II) | 846–841 BC | Paid tribute toShalmaneser III in 841 BC |
| Mattan I | 840–832 BC | Father of Pygmalion andDido |
| Pygmalion (Pummay) | 831–785 BC | Dido fled from Pygmalion and foundedCarthage during his reign. |
TheNeo-Assyrian Empire established its control over the area and ruled through vassals who are named in Assyrian records.
| Ithobaal II (Tuba‘il) | 750–739 BC | Name found only onIran Stele ofTiglath-Pileser III.[7] Gave tribute to Tiglath-Pileser III. |
| Hiram II | 739–730 BC | Also paid tribute to Tiglath-Pileser III[8] |
| Mattan II | 730–729 BC | |
| Elulaios (Luli) | 729–694 BC | |
| Abd Melqart | 694–680 BC | |
| Baal I | 680–660 BC |
Menander's Tyrian king list also described the period from Ithobaal III through Hiram III. Tyre regained independence with Assyria's demise, although Egypt controlled Tyre during some of the time afterwards. Eventually, Tyre fell under the control of theNeo-Babylonian Empire.
| missing | –592 BC | |
| Ithobaal III (Ethbaal III) | 591–573 BC | This is the king mentioned in Ezekiel 28:2 at the time of the fall of Jerusalem.[9] Carthage became independent of Tyre in 574 BC. |
In the 560s the monarchy was overthrown, and an oligarchic government established, headed by "judges" orshoftim (cf. Carthage). The monarchy was restored with the ascension of Hiram III to the throne.Josephus mentions these judges in his treatiseAgainst Apion (Book I, §21), and which last judge (Hiram III) is said to have been contemporary withCyrus the Great. According to Josephus, Hiram's reign extended to the fourteenth year of Cyrus', ascension to power in Babylon. Cyrus took control of Babylon on October 29, 539, therefore Hiram III's rule spanned from 551 to 532 BC.[10]
AfterAlexander the Great conquered Tyre in 332 BC, the city alternated betweenSeleucid (Syrian Greek) andPtolemaic (Egyptian Greek) rule. Phoenicia came under the rule of theRoman Republic in the 1st century BC.
But from the birth ofDionysus, the son ofSemele, daughter ofCadmus, to the present day is a period of about 1000 years only; ...