In true Mediterranean fashion, Ibiza , like a lot of other places in the region, has an exciting history of political upheavals, takeovers, pirates and sieges. As a result, Ibiza encompasses within its walls an intriguing legacy inherited from the various cultures that inhabited it. Ibiza (also spelled Iviza or Ivica ), along with the island Formentera, was known to the Greeks as Pytioussa ("pine-covered islands") and was also named by the Carthaginian colonizers as Ibossim , Aibusim or Ebusim , which literally means the island of Bes after the god of celebrations, fire and fertility.
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A small Spanish island located in the Mediterranean south east of Barcelona , Ibiza started out as a port founded by Phoenician settlers in the Balearic Islands in 654 B.C. and was known to the Romans for its lead, marble and wine. During the Assyrian invasions and the subsequent decline of Phoenicia, Ibiza came under the Carthaginians, another former Phoenician colony. Around 400 B.C. Ibiza had become a major trader established in the sparsely settled Mediterranean trade routes, trading dye, fish sauce and salt. During the Second Punic War, Ibiza arranged a favorable treaty with Rome and became an official Roman municipality. Ibiza was spared from further destruction and managed to survive well into the Empire days. As a result, Ibiza is a prime place to research on the Carthaginian-Punic civilization in the present day.
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Ibiza is a celebrated tourist destination, famous for its renowned nightlife. While Ibiza is the main town, Ibiza is made up of five municipalities. Other towns such as San Jose, Sant Antoni de Portmany, Sant Joan de Labritja, Cala de Portinatx, and Santa Eulalia del Rio are also popular among the tourists.
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