The Phoenicians

 sure it's from wikipedia, but it's true:

Though the Phoenicians were long considered a lost civilization due to the lack of indigenous written records, academic and archaeological developments since the mid-20th century have revealed a complex and influential civilization.^[17] Their best known legacy is the world's oldest verified alphabet, which they transmitted across the Mediterranean world.^[18][19] The Phoenicians are also credited with innovations in shipbuilding, navigation, industry, agriculture, and government. Their international trade network is believed to have fostered the economic, political, and cultural foundations of Classical Western civilization.^[20]