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Byblos, also known as Gubla, and later Gebal, is one of the top contenders for the "oldest continuously inhabited city" award.
According to Phoenician belief, it was founded by the God El. Throughout time, they considered it a city of great antiquity. Although its founding is lost within the mists of time, modern scholars believe the site of Byblos is at least 7,000 years old. The current naming of the city and state can be lain at the feet of the Greeks. Some time after 1200 B.C., they gave the region the name of "Phoenicia", referring to the coastal area. They called the city "Byblos".
Geography:
 On the Mediterranean coast, 23 miles north of Beirut, lay Byblos. It can be found close to the modern Jebail. The Dog River’s headland separates the two cities. In ancient times, it served as an important defensive barrier. Many conquerors documented their passage across the high limestone cliffs. The river, being tremendously fast and having many high waterfalls, made it necessary for travelers to go around. This defense was a double-edged sword, however and caused Byblos to fall into disuse. The camel became the vehicle of choice for transportation and could not easily surpass the raging river. Cities with easy trails became routes of choice, bypassing Byblos. By the time ships came into use by the Greeks and Romans, Byblos was overshadowed by Tyre and Sidon.
About 5 miles south of Byblos is the Nahr Ibrahim, recognized in ancient times as the Adonis River. An antiquated road leads up a treacherous track to the village of Afqa. Located within this small town was the famous Temple of Aphrodite.
Byblos can boast about being the site in which the oldest fully intelligible Canaanite alphabetic text was found. It contained a five-line inscription revealing the construction of a wall by one of the kings the city. The characters, dating from 1000 BC, are more ancient. With this text, using twenty-two characters, the Phoenicians from Byblos originated the linear alphabet system that is the origin of the modern western alphabet.
History:
The Pharaohs of the Old Kingdom of Egypt had a sporadic command over trade routes in Palestine and Syria. At Byblos, they had an important merchant colony. Byblos had timber, tin and resin to trade with Egyptian ships carrying papyrus. As a result, Byblos became an important export center, especially for papyrus.
Also, being boat builders of the Biblical period, Byblos became well-versed in the maritime skills.
Byblos was the capital of the Giblites, or 'mountaineers'. These ancient peoples were the leading tribe of Lebanon in the days of Joshua. Research into the Giblites shows they appeared to have been an educated and enterprising people in a very remote age. They were even King Solomon's chief architects when he built the Temple.
Not only were they great architects, but the Giblites were famous as ship-builders. We know this because the ancients of Byblos were the leading men in the dock-yards of Tyre. Apparently, they were members of the same race to which the Hamites and Semites of later times belonged.
Byblos dates back to about 3200
- 20-19th cent. --Mention in both early and late Execration texts.
- 1400-1350 --City-kingdom according to el-Amarna letters.
- pre-1280 --Mentioned in Papyrus Anastasi I.
- c.1100 --Journey of Wen-Amon.
- c.1000 --The oldest fully intelligble Canaanite alphabetic text.
- 333 --Campaign of Alexander: Byblos surrendered without resistance.
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