How was the economy of the phoenicians similar or different to the other ancient river civilizations?

The Phoenician economy was similar to other ancient river civilizations because it was based on trade, but they standout because they had three factors in favor: geographic, agricultural and crafting.  

Explanation:

The Phoenicians were an ancient civilization located in Canaan, at the coast of the Mediterranean sea. One of their major contributions to humanity is the invention of the Alphabet and they are known as one of the greatest trading power in the ancient world.  

The word Phoenician is Greek for People of the Sea, they were known for shipbuilding and for their vast trading network across water with big civilizations especially Ancient Greece.

Phoenicians standout from other ancient civilizations because they produced the Tyrian purple, which was a purple dye extracted from a shell used for garments the Greek royalty used. They also traded wood, slaves and glass.