Which Phoenician port city was known for seafaring and trade in purple dye?

• A. Lothal
• B. Tyrus
• C. Shimoda and Hakodate
• D. Silk Road

Answer: (B)

Think about which Phoenician port became famous for seafaring and a highly valued dye. Tyre, a major Phoenician city on the Mediterranean coast, built its wealth through extensive maritime trade and the production of Tyrian purple, a prized dye made from murex snails. That dye linked Tyre to long-distance commerce across the ancient world, reinforcing its reputation as a leading seafaring trading hub. Lothal is an ancient city in India’s Indus Valley region, not Phoenician and not known for purple dye; Shimoda and Hakodate are Japanese ports with no direct ties to Phoenician dye trade; the Silk Road refers to a vast network of land routes, not a Phoenician port. Tyre is the city most closely associated with both seafaring and the purple-dye trade.