Historical and geographical background of Tyre: capital of Phoenicia, queen of the Mediterranean trade routes, considered impregnable after 2,000 years of continuous occupation.

Tyre was the capital of the Phoenician Empire and controlled all Mediterranean coastal trade. It was a coastal city with both a mainland section and a small offshore island fortification. It had been continuously occupied for 2,000 years without being destroyed — extraordinary durability for an ancient city. Its naval supremacy gave it the title 'queen of the seas.' This context makes the specific details of the Ezekiel prophecy all the more remarkable to predict.