Final answer:
The Phoenicians were notable for their maritime trade across the Mediterranean and establishing a network that included North Africa, specifically Carthage, which became a central trade hub.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ancient Phoenicians, known for their seafaring and trading prowess, sailed from Phoenicia and established trade networks throughout the Mediterranean, even venturing into areas beyond, like the Atlantic Ocean. With their advanced navigation skills, they traveled extensively, founding colonies and trading posts as far as the coastal regions of the Mediterranean, reaching spaces like North Africa and southern Europe.
They also offered valuable commodities like salt, gold, and ivory obtained from Africa, through existing trade routes, to different civilizations that dominated the region over time, such as Egyptians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, and Arabs. It was Carthage on the North African coast, established in 814 BCE, which later became a central hub of the extensive Phoenician trade network and a noteworthy rival to the Roman Republic.