The Phoenician people were ancient Humans who were the technological front runners of Human ancient societies around the Mediterranean Sea from 1200 BCE to 900 BCE. Their power base bloomed with the widespread destruction of most Mediterranean civilizations in 1200 BCE. As a people they were most famous for a vast and successful trading empire and the worship of Baal. It was long accepted that the Phoenicians practiced child sacrifice, but this came into question in the 21st century. This new theory suggested that the early Israelites invented the story of child sacrifice due to technological jealousy.

In 2267, Spock used Phoenician child sacrifice as an example of the Federation's lack of religious freedom. (TOS novel: Mission to Horatius)