The religion of the Phoenicians was polytheistic and anthropomorphic. The Phoenicians kept the ancient traditional gods of the Semitic peoples:the terrestrial and celestial deities, common to all the peoples of ancient Asia. It should be noted, as a strange fact, that they did not give greater importance to the deities of the sea.
Each city had its god, Baal (lord), often associated with a female entity - Baalit. The Baal of Sidon was Eshmun (god of health). Byblos worshiped Adonis (god of vegetation), whose cult was associated with that of Ashtart (the Chaldean Ihstar; the Greek Astarte), goddess of earthly goods, love and spring, fecundity and joy. In Tire, Melcart and Tanit were worshiped.
To appease the wrath of the gods, animals were sacrificed. And sometimes terrible human sacrifices were made. They even burned their own children. On some occasions, 200 newborns were thrown into the fire at the same time - while the mothers watched, impassively, as the sacrifice was made.
Phoenician Civilization