Abstract: In this paper we study the social structure of the western Phoenicians in the western extreme of the Medi- terranean during the 1st millennium BCE based on written sources and archaeological information. Tis society was very complex and was made up of an aristocracy, free men and individuals in a situation of dependence. Furthermore, we study the historical data regarding the institutional organization of western Phoenician cities. To that end, we use references to eastern Phoenician institutions as well as those belonging to Carthage and other cities within its territory, comparing them with the data from historical and epigraphic sources from cities of the western Mediterranean. We also identify some individual magistracies, such as the sufetes, and collegial institutions such as ͑m or popular assembly, or b͑ l, a corporation of local aristocrats. Keywords: Western Phoenicians; Society; Aristocracy; Collegial Institutions. 1. Introduction Te social and institutional aspects of Phoenician cities in the Western Mediterranean has not been one of the main study points in recent years of research regarding the Phoenicians, with the exception of Carthage, city of which we have the largest amount of literary sources to refer to. Te task of reconstructing, even the main features, of the social structure of a complex society, as was that of the western Phoenicians, with al- most no written sources, both literary or epigraphic, could seem almost impossible. Nonetheless, the analysis of the scarce written sources, and the study of data recovered from the archaeological record can lead to relia- ble results. Tis is especially true if we unite the data with the general concept and the specifc characteristics we know about the western Phoenician and Carthaginian societies, in wait of novel information resulting from new research and epigraphic fndings that could expand our understanding of this society. In this paper we are going to review the epigraphic and historical sources that exist, as well as data recovered from the archaeological record, analysed from a social point of view. Tis way we can make a pro- posal regarding the reconstruction of the society and institutions that characterized western Phoenician cities in the Mediterranean Extreme West. We will re-examine the Colonial Period (from the last quarter of the 9th to the end of the 7th century BC), the Urban Period (from the 6th to the end of the 3rd century BC), 1 moment in which the Phoenician colonies reorganized into city-states, and the Late Phoenician Period (from the end of the 3rd century to the change of era) after the Roman conquest. Given the lack of data in many aspects, it is obvious that this essay presents more questions than answers and that many of the aspects must be considered from a general point of view, establishing both spatial and temporal analogies. * Department of Geography, History and Humanities. University of Almeria (Spain); jllopez@ual.es. Tis paper is one result of the Research Project HUM2674 Los inicios de la presencia fenicia en el Sur de la Península Ibérica y en el Norte de África, fnanced by the Council for Innovation, Science and Employment of the Government of Andalucía. Tis is part of the activity of the Research Group HUM741, belonging to the CEI-Mar and the Research Center Comunicación y Sociedad of the University of Almería. Te author would acknowledge the interesting and useful comments on the text suggested by Dr Bartolomé Mora and Dr Juan Antonio Belmonte Marín; mistakes are of course responsibility of the author. 1 López Castro 2003. THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS OF WESTERN PHOENICIANS IN THE EXTREME WEST OF THE MEDITERRANEAN José Luis López Castro*