In the tenth century BCE, the Phoenicians — Iron Age Canaanites of the coastal Levant — sailed west to the Iberian peninsula and through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Atlantic Ocean. They subsequently established colonies in Spain, Portugal, Sardinia, Sicily, and North Africa. In this talk, we will look at the evidence for when and how this happened, and also ask why. What was the situation back home in the Levant that triggered this remarkable venture? And what impact did western exploration and colonization have on the Phoenicians in their homeland, as well as on the places where they settled. Presented by Dr. David Schloen.