Wow, it's been a long time since I visited the site. Good job on the new format of it, I like it.

I decided to come back to pose a few questions, since there seems to be people here with a little more knowledge about such things as than I am. I recently started studying the Phoenician and Carthage cultures and travels, and came across on some texts from Greek and Roman historians about them. The best known, I believe is Herodotus' text about Necho II contracting with Phoenicians to find a route around Lybia (Africa) so he could flank his enemies in the north. This given that he stopped construction on a canal between the Med. and Red Sea, because of a dream.

Now I know Herodotus is not the best historical source in the world, and I being the skeptic that I am would discredit the story as fiction (Even Herodotus himself did!) if it wasn't for a few details in it. I would like your opinions on them as well if you don't mind.

"the Phoenicians made a statement which I myself do not believe to the effect that they sailed west around the southern end of Africa, they had the sun on their right"

Now considering that no Greek, Egyptian, or other civilization traveled that far south, how could Herodotus, or the Phoenicians make up such, when it is very accurate on when a ship sails around the Cape of Good Hope? It is possible he got a lucky guess, but that is a far shot in my opinion.

Not only does that little detail nag at me, it is the history of Necho II's politics and policy that does as well. He had a history of trying to benefit Egypt economically by improving access to sea routes. And what better way to improve it by sailing around Africa to the other side of the world (at least in their eyes the other side of the world) and cut out he middle man of possible enemies and pirates that lurked in the Med. Sea.

I would appreciate your opinions on this, and please don't treat this is "Ah this is proof that the Old World established itself in the New World and shared the theory of pyramids with them." because that's not what I'm saying. I'm just trying to find a little more information on a civilization cloaked in secrets of trade locations, and supreme navigational skills.

Thanks,
Jay