Reading
with request of Egypt King Necho II Phoenicians - sailed around Africa X
1. Ship technology - advanced X ships - small & man-powered -> survived X in harsh condition
2. Expeditions - practical purpose Egyptian canal - way to Mediterranean X circumnavigate
3. P -> want reputation -> fabricated story
Lecture
X
1'. Ships – simple -> OK explorer - recreated journey -> success
2'. Expedition -> practical canal - complete X Construction - stopped b/c war
3'. Phoenicians -> travel -> true!
Evidence – Records: sun moved northward
The lecturer objects to the point mentioned in the reading passage made about Phoenician. The speaker states that the idea in the passage have flaws.
First, the professor argues that the assertion related to technology of ships is wrong. Even though Phoenician ships were not advanced, there is proof to verify an opposing view. Some people recreate a ship based on Phoenician technology. Then, they circumnavigated around Africa very successfully. Even though the ship was damaged by harsh currents and storms, the ship completely finished a journey. This casts doubt on the author's view that it is unlikely for Phoenician to navigate Africa because they had not advanced skills for ships.
Second, the lecturer assert that the claim about a realistic purpose is mistaken. It is hasty to conclude just by looking at a canal. In that time, a canal to link the Mediterranean to the Red Sea was not built completely. In addition, if the canal were built, the canal makes enemy easier to attack a homeland. This contradicts the writer's idea that it is not feasible to sail across the African continent when the construction of the canal was underway.
Finally, the speaker contends that the point concerning mimic story is flawed. We need to take a look at a record related to movement of The sun. Phoenicians' sailor had written their navigational diary. They wrote a unique movement of The sun which was not explained to others. This prove that they surely circumnavigated Africa. This gose against to the author's claim that the Phoenician travel story was fabricated to increase their reputation as sailors.