Tyre

   Seaport on the southwest coast of modern Lebanon, south of Berytus and Sidon (qq.v). It was the birthplace of the pagan philosopher Porphyry (q.v.), who died ca. 306. Within a decade of his death, it was equally famous for its sumptuous Christian basilica (q.v.), consecrated in 316/317, and described in glowing terms by Eusebios of Caesarea (q.v.). Less glowing was the contentious church council of 335 that condemned Athanasios (q.v.). Tyre, like Berytus, flourished as a center of silk (q.v.) production, and as a center of the purple dye industry; the shellfish (the murex), the source of the dye, was found off Tyre's coast.