The Phoenician civilization began around 1200 BC on the coastal area of the Fertile Crescent or what is known today as modern day Lebanon. The Phoenician people originated from the earlier Canaanite inhabitants living in the region. Even though Phoenicia wasn't fully developed until 1200 BC the Egyptians were still traveling to what was then Byblos to gather wood from the cedar forests for trade. The Phoenicians were greatly influenced by the Greeks which was the inspiration for the name Phoenicia which in Greek means port town. Phoenicia was also organized in city-states that were very similar to how the Greek city-states were run. Each city-states would compete for power and fight with each other for complete dominance of a certain city-state. In 539 BC Cyrus the Great conquered Phoenicia and divided into kingdoms instead of city-states, these kingdoms became Sidon, Tyre, Arwad and Byblos. From here the Phoenicians still prospered until Alexander the Great took Tyre in 332 BC which eventually led to the fall and decline of Phoenicia.