armies, and migrating populations to pass through, making it the main link between empires. As the primary highway between regions, populations regularly migrated to, from, and through the region. In addition to the presence of important highways, Canaan’s long coastline provides access to ports and shipping traffic. Key port cities such as Joppa, Tyre, and Byblos were stopping points for ships journeying between Egypt, Anatolia, and the Aegean region to the west. Major cities developed over time