CLEP Western Civ I

Answer: E - The Phoenicians were regarded by the classical Greeks and Romans as “traders in purple” because they controlled most of the world supply of a purple dye that is made from Murex sea snails. Purple was the color of the clothing of the elite ruling classes in the ancient world. The Phoenicians were a prosperous civilization because they excelled at commercial shipping, which was how they dealt purple dye among their many other goods.