Syria was the site of various early civilizations, notably that of the Phoenicians. Falling successively within the empires of Persia, Macedon, and Rome, it became a centre of Islamic power and civilization from the 7th century and a province of the Ottoman Empire in 1516. After the Turkish defeat in the First World War Syria was mandated to France, becoming independent with the ejection of Vichy troops by the Allies in 1941. From 1958 to 1961 Syria was united with Egypt as the United Arab Republic.