The ancient civilization known for its Phoenician alphabet is the Phoenician civilization itself, which thrived between 1500 and 300 BCE in the region of present-day Lebanon and parts of Syria and Israel. Renowned for their maritime trading prowess, the Phoenicians developed one of the first alphabetic writing systems, which had a significant impact on language development throughout the Mediterranean. Their alphabet simplified writing by using symbols to represent individual sounds rather than entire words, influencing the Greek alphabet and, ultimately, many modern writing systems. The spread of the Phoenician alphabet facilitated communication and record-keeping, aiding cultural exchanges across ancient civilizations.