“Fingere l’identità” Ten Years on: Phoenicians beyond Identity

Abstract

Ten years ago, on the occasion of the publication of the fortieth number of the Rivista di Studi Fenici, I had the opportunity to begin my line of research on the problem of Phoenician identity. The main purpose of my contri- bution published in that issue, which had the emblematic title “Fingere l’identità fenicia”, was to explore some of the problems that I considered fundamental to a renewed formulation of the question (which was first raised in 1963 by Sabatino Moscati). A decade on from that contribution, therefore, on the occasion of the fiftieth issue of the Rivista di Studi Fenici, I would like to revisit the main aspects of the problem, exploring some parts of it in more depth. Above all, I aim to reflect on the point we have now reached in relation to a theme that is central – as identity certainly is – to studies dedicated to Phoenician culture.