Astartus

Astartus (Phoenician: 𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤓𐤕, 'Ashtart; d. c. 901 BCE) was a king of the ancient Phoenician city-state of Tyre, reigning for 20 years from approximately 920 BCE to 901 BCE. His rule marked the beginning of a period of usurpation, as he was the first of four brothers, all sons of the former King Abdastartus's nurse, who collectively seized the throne in succession after murdering the legitimate heir.

Astartus came to power around 921 BCE by orchestrating the assassination of the previous monarch, Abdastartus, thereby breaking the direct paternal line of the successful dynasty established by Abibaal and Hiram I. Information about his reign is derived almost entirely from the lost writings of the Phoenician historian Menander of Ephesus, as preserved in the works of the Roman-Jewish historian Josephus. These records provide only lineage and reign lengths, so specific details about his policies or major events during his two-decade rule are unknown.

Astartus died around 901 BCE, possibly from natural causes, as unlike his predecessor and some of his successors, the records do not explicitly mention his assassination. He was succeeded by his brother, Deleastartus, continuing the period where the four brothers controlled the Tyrian monarchy.