Editing Sidon (section)

===Persian and Hellenistic periods===
[[File:Archäologisches Museum Istanbul 2013-03-18y.jpg|thumb|Tomb of the Mourning Women, Hellenistic [[necropolis]] of Sidon, now in the [[Istanbul Archaeology Museums]]]]
Like other Phoenician city-states, Sidon suffered from a succession of conquerors, first by the [[Achaemenid Empire]] in the 6th century BC, ending with its occupation by [[Alexander the Great]] in 333 BC, and the start of the [[Hellenistic period]] of Sidon's history.<ref name=":3" /> The Persian influence seems to have been profound, as is observed in the change of the architectural style of the city. 
In exchange for supporting his conquest of [[Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt|Egypt]], King [[Cambyses II]] of Persia awarded Sidon with the territories of [[Tel Dor|Dor]], [[Jaffa|Joppa]], and the [[Sharon Plain|Plain of Sharon]].{{efn|[[Sarcophagus of Eshmunazar II|See lines 18–20 of the Eshmunazar II sarchophagus inscription.]]}}{{efn|The territories of the Phoenician cities could be discontiguous: thus, the lands and the cities of Dor and Joppa belonging to the Sidonians were separated from Sidon by the city of Tyre.{{sfn|Elayi|1997|p=66}}}}{{Sfn|Briant|2002|p=490}}

Under the [[Diadochi]] or successors of Alexander, it enjoyed relative autonomy and organised games and competitions in which the greatest athletes of the region participated. In the Hellenistic period [[Royal necropolis of Ayaa|necropolis of Sidon]], important finds such as the [[Alexander Sarcophagus]] (likely the tomb of King [[Abdalonymus]] rather than Alexander<ref name=":02" />), the [[Lycia]]n tomb and the Sarcophagus of the Crying Women were discovered, which are now on display at the [[Istanbul Archaeology Museum|Archaeological Museum]] of [[Istanbul]].<ref name="Turkey">{{Cite news |url= http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/europe/turkey/istanbul/attraction-detail.html?vid=1154654614207 |title= Istanbul Archaeology Museum |access-date= 10 May 2008 |newspaper= The New York Times |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://archive.today/20120524104810/http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/europe/turkey/istanbul/attraction-detail.html?vid=1154654614207 |archive-date= 24 May 2012 }}</ref>