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Where did Carthage settle?
TunisiaThe city of Carthage was founded in the 9th century BC on the coast of Northwest Africa, in what is now Tunisia, as one of a number of Phoenician settlements in the western Mediterranean created to facilitate trade from the city of Tyre on the coast of what is now Lebanon.
Where did the Carthaginians live?
The Carthaginians were Phoenician settlers originating in the Mediterranean coast of the Near East. They spoke Canaanite, a Semitic language, and followed a local variety of the ancient Canaanite religion, the Punic religion.
Who originally settled Carthage?
the Phoenicians of TyreAccording to tradition, Carthage was founded by the Phoenicians of Tyre in 814 bce; its Phoenician name means “new town.”
What happened to the Carthaginian empire?
Carthage narrowly avoided destruction after the Second Punic War, and was destroyed by the Romans in 146 BC after the third and final Punic War. The Romans later founded a new city in its place.
Does Carthage still exist?
Julius Caesar would reestablish Carthage as a Roman colony, and his successor, Augustus, supported its redevelopment. After several decades, Carthage became one of Rome's most important colonies. Today, the ruins of ancient Carthage lie in present-day Tunisia and are a popular tourist attraction.
Is Carthage still salted?
No. This claim likely comes from the alleged salting of Carthage by Scipio Africanus. Although the Romans razed the city and Scipio was known for his terrible hatred of Carthage, no ancient sources support salting. Carthage was later rebuilt and became one of the most populous cities in the Empire.
What language did Carthage speak?
Phoenician languagerelation to Phoenician language …of the language, known as Punic, became the language of the Carthaginian empire. Punic was influenced throughout its history by the Amazigh language and continued to be used by North African peasants until the 6th century ce.
What was the old name of Carthage?
Carthage, whose Phoenician name was Qart Hadasht (new city), was one of those new settlements. It sat astride trade routes going east to west, across the Mediterranean, and north to south, between Europe and Africa.
What nationality was Hannibal?
TunisianHannibal / NationalityHannibal was born in 247 B.C. in North Africa. Polybius and Livy, whose histories of Rome are the main Latin sources regarding his life, claimed that Hannibal's father, the great Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca, brought his son to Spain (a region he had begun to conquer around 237 B.C.) at a young age.
Did any Carthaginians survive?
Scipio agreed that the 50,000 Carthaginian survivors who had sheltered in Byrsa to survive and be sold into slavery, but declared that all Roman deserters who had fought for Carthage would be killed. The city had previously had a population between 200,000 - 400,000.
Was Carthage better than Rome?
Carthage was the dominant power of the western Mediterranean at the time, and had an extensive maritime empire; meanwhile, Rome was a rapidly expanding state that had a powerful army but a weak navy....Punic Wars.Date264 BC – 146 BCLocationWestern Mediterranean regionResultRoman victory, destruction of Carthage
Why did Rome destroy Carthage?
The destruction of Carthage was an act of Roman aggression prompted as much by motives of revenge for earlier wars as by greed for the rich farming lands around the city. The Carthaginian defeat was total and absolute, instilling fear and horror into Rome's enemies and allies.
What did Carthaginians call themselves?
Phoenicians"Punic" derives from the Latin poenus and punicus, which were used mostly to refer to the Carthaginians and other western Phoenicians. These terms derived from the Ancient Greek word Φοῖνιξ ("Phoinix"), plural form Φοίνικες ("Phoinikes"), which was used indiscriminately to refer to both western and eastern Phoenicians.
What race were Carthaginians?
PhoeniciansIn short, the Carthaginians were Phoenicians, that is, northwest Semites, probably Canaanites, and of the same stock and almost the same language as the Hebrews.
What language did Carthage speak?
Phoenician languagerelation to Phoenician language …of the language, known as Punic, became the language of the Carthaginian empire. Punic was influenced throughout its history by the Amazigh language and continued to be used by North African peasants until the 6th century ce.
What nationality was Hannibal?
TunisianHannibal / NationalityHannibal was born in 247 B.C. in North Africa. Polybius and Livy, whose histories of Rome are the main Latin sources regarding his life, claimed that Hannibal's father, the great Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca, brought his son to Spain (a region he had begun to conquer around 237 B.C.) at a young age.
Where did the city of Carthage originate?
Carthage was founded by Phoenicians coming from the Levant. The city's name in Phoenician language means "New City". There is a tradition in some ancient sources, such as Philistos of Syracuse, for an "early" foundation date of around 1215 BC – that is before the fall of Troy in 1180 BC; however, Timaeus of Taormina, a Greek historian from Sicily c. 300 BC, gives the foundation date of Carthage as thirty-eight years before the first Olympiad; this "late" foundation date of 814 BC is the one generally accepted by modern historians. As such, Utica predates Carthage. The name Utica is derived from a Punic stem ' dtāq, meaning "to be old", which lends some support to this chronology, for Carthage signifies "new city" (as stated above). The fleets of the King Hiram of Tyre, as recounted in the Bible, perhaps joined at times by ships assigned to Solomon, would date to the 10th century. "For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram." The Punic port city of Utica was originally situated at the mouth of the fertile Wadi Majardah (Medjerda River), at a point along the coast about 30 kilometres north of Carthage. "Utica is named besides Carthage in the second treaty with Rome (348), and... appears again as nominally equal with Carthage in the treaty between Hannibal and Philip of Macedon (215). She does not appear in the first treaty with Rome (508), which perhaps means she was fully independent and not even bound in the Carthage-Rome alliance." Of course, eventually Utica was surpassed by Carthage.
Where was Carthage founded?
The city of Carthage was founded in the 9th century BC on the coast of Northwest Africa, in what is now Tunisia, as one of a number of Phoenician settlements in the western Mediterranean created to facilitate trade from the city of Tyre on the coast of what is now Lebanon. The name of both the city and the wider republic that grew out of it, Carthage developed into a significant trading empire throughout the Mediterranean. The date from which Carthage can be counted as an independent power cannot exactly be determined, and probably nothing distinguished Carthage from the other Phoenician colonies in Northwest Africa and the Mediterranean during 800–700 BC. By the end of the 7th century BC, Carthage was becoming one of the leading commercial centres of the West Mediterranean region. After a long conflict with the emerging Roman Republic, known as the Punic Wars (264–146 BC), Rome finally destroyed Carthage in 146 BC. A Roman Carthage was established on the ruins of the first. Roman Carthage was eventually destroyed—its walls torn down, its water supply cut off, and its harbours made unusable—following its conquest by Arab invaders at the close of the 7th century. It was replaced by Tunis as the major regional centre, which has spread to include the ancient site of Carthage in a modern suburb.
What was the trade network of Carthage?
The trade network which Carthage inherited from Tyre depended heavily on Carthage keeping commercial rivals at arm's length. The goods produced by Carthage were mainly for the local African market and were initially inferior to Greek goods. Carthage was the middleman between mineral resource-rich Iberia and the east. She bartered low-priced goods for metals, then bartered those for finished goods in the east and distributed these through their network. The threat from the Greek colonists was threefold: undercutting the Phoenicians by offering better products; taking over the distribution network; and preying on Punic shipping. While the Greek colonies also offered increased opportunities for trade and piracy, their nosing into areas of Punic influence caused the Punic cities to look for protection from their strongest city. Carthage took up the challenge.
What was Carthage's influence on the West?
Carthage spread her influence along the west coast relatively unhindered, but the chronology is unknown. Wars with the Libyans, Numidians and Mauri took place but did not end with the creation of a Carthaginian empire. The degree of control Carthage exerted over her territories varied in their severity. In ways, the Carthaginian hegemony shared some of the characteristics of the Delian League (allies sharing defence expenditure), the Spartan Kingdom (serfs tilling for the Punic elite and state) and to a lesser extent, the Roman Republic (allies contributing manpower/tribute to furnish the Roman war machine). The African lands near to the city faced the harshest control measures, with Carthaginian officers administering the area and Punic troops garrisoning the cities. Many cities had to destroy their defensive walls, while the Libyans living in the area had few rights. The Libyans could own land, but had to pay an annual tribute (50% of agricultural produce and 25% of their town income) and serve in the Carthaginian armies as conscripts.
What was Carthage used for?
Carthage was one of a number of Phoenician settlements in the western Mediterranean that were created to facilitate trade from the cities of Sidon, Tyre and others from Phoenicia, which was situated in the coast of what is now Lebanon. In the 10th century BC, the eastern Mediterranean shore was inhabited by various Semitic populations, who had built up flourishing civilizations. The people inhabiting what is now Lebanon were referred to as Phoenicians by the Greeks. The Phoenician language was very close to ancient Hebrew, to such a degree that the latter is often used as an aid in the translation of Phoenician inscriptions.
What factors influenced the citizens of Carthage?
Exactly what social/political/geographic/military factors influenced the citizens of Carthage, and not the other Mediterranean Phoenician colonial members to create an economic and political hegemony is not clearly known. The city of Utica was far older than Carthage and enjoyed the same geographical/political advantages as Carthage, but it opted to be an allied entity, not a leader of the Punic hegemony that came into being probably sometime around the 6th century BC. When the Phoenician trade monopoly was challenged by Etruscans and Greeks in the west and their political and economic independence by successive empires in the east, Phoenician influence from the mainland decreased in the west and Punic Carthage ultimately emerged at the head of a commercial empire. One theory is that refugees from Phoenicia swelled the population and enhanced the culture of Carthage during the time the Phoenician homeland came under attack from the Babylonians and Persians, transferring the tradition of Tyre to Carthage.
Where did the Greeks begin their colonization?
The mainland Greeks began their colonization efforts in the western Mediterranean with the founding of Naxos and Cumae in Sicily and Italy respectively, and by 650 BC Phoenicians in Sicily had retreated to the western part of that island. Around this time the first recorded independent action by Carthage takes place, which is the colonization of Ibiza. By the end of the 7th century BC, Carthage was becoming one of the leading commercial centres of the West Mediterranean region, a position it retained until overthrown by the Roman Republic. Carthage would establish new colonies, repopulate old Phoenician ones, come to the defence of other Punic cities under threat from natives/Greeks, as well as expand her territories by conquest. While some Phoenician colonies willingly submitted to Carthage, paying tribute and giving up their foreign policy, others in Iberia and Sardinia resisted Carthaginian efforts.
Where did the Carthaginians settle?
Soon the Carthaginians established colonies along the south coast of Spain, the north coast of Africa, and in Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia, and the Balearic island of Ibiza. For about three centuries the interests of the Carthaginians was restricted to trade in the same goods that had been the hallmark of Phoenician activity: silver, salt, fish, ...
Where was Carthage located?
Carthage was founded as a North African trading outpost by the Phoenicians about 800 BC. Located on a peninsula close to present day Tunis, Carthage rose to prominence following the fall of Phoenicia in 575 BC.
What was the real trigger for the Second Punic War?
Nevertheless, the real trigger that was to unleash the Second Punic War was the siege and conquest of Sagunto 219-18 BC. Although Sagunto was situated south of the Ebro and technically under Carthaginian command, it had placed itself under Roman protection sometime between 225 and 220.
What happened to Hannibal in Carthage?
With the defeat of its armies in Italy and Iberia, the city of Carthage itself was exposed; it did not take long for the Roman legions to land on the north shores of Africa and defeat Hannibal who had returned to North Africa. Hannibal was exiled and shortly after committed suicide.
What happened after Carthage was defeated?
The situation changed dramatically and assumed a much more militaristic tone after Carthage’s defeat at the hands of Rome in the first of the Punic Wars, 265-241 BC. Carthage not only lost Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia, but was also encumbered by having to pay Rome financial compensation.
How old was Hannibal when he moved to the peninsula?
Only 25 years old and apparently indoctrinated by his father to hate the Romans, Hannibal quickly moved to bring as much of the peninsula under his control as possible, advancing inland as far as Salamanca.
Who was the general of Carthage after the loss of Sicily?
After the loss of Sicily and, shortly after, of Sardinia and Corsica , Carthage called on its most experienced general, Hamilcar Barca, to establish a military presence in Spain to compensate for those humiliating losses.
What was Carthage founded on?
Historians today question the veracity of the Dido legend, but it is clear that Carthage was founded as a trading outpost by the Phoenicians – a maritime civilisation originally from the region that today forms part of Lebanon. The city gradually grew to become a major centre of Mediterranean trade, and controlled a network of dependencies in North Africa, Spain, and Sicily.
What were the Carthaginians able to benefit from?
The Carthaginians were able to benefit from their city’s location at the heart of the ancient Mediterranean trade routes.
What happened to Carthage in 149 BC?
After a three year struggle, the city eventually succumbed. The Roman Senate dictated that the city be burned and the remaining citizens sold into slavery. A brutal end for a once glorious city.
What was Rome's war with Carthage?
Rome’s wars with Carthage were some of the most brutal and famous of its early history. But who were the people of Carthage?
What happened to the city of Rome?
After a three year struggle, the city eventually succumbed. The Roman Senate dictated that the city be burned and the remaining citizens sold into slavery. A brutal end for a once glorious city.
Where was wine first produced?
One of the earliest centres of wine production, evidence of Carthaginian goods, including wine amphorae, have been excavated as far away as the British Isles and the Atlantic coast of West Africa.
Which countries would have rubbed shoulders with Celts and Iberian forces from Spain in Carthage’?
As a result, soldiers from Libya and Numidia (modern Algeria), would have rubbed shoulders with Celts and Iberian forces from Spain in Carthage’s army.
Where did the Carthaginians fight?
However, just like their Phoenician predecessors, the Carthaginians also became involved in wars with the Greeks. They mostly fought on the island of Sicily, against the powerful Greek colony of Syracuse . Interestingly, while the Greeks were fighting the Persians at Salamis in 480 B.C., another important Greek victory took place against the Carthaginians on the island of Sicily at the Battle of Himera . This battle was the first of seven so-called Sicilian Wars, which lasted from 480 to 265 B.C.
What is the history of Carthage?
The reason for this is that Carthage was a city settled by immigrants from Lebanon: the Phoenicians. They were some of the best traders during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. However, with limited resources and the neo-Assyrian Empire at their front door, many Phoenicians started to settle abroad. They settled in Cyprus, Spain, and North Africa and were often competing with the Greeks who were also impelled to settle elsewhere due to limited resources. This colonization of North Africa soon spread to Tunisia with the founding of Carthage in 814 B.C.E. This foundation was said to be led by the famous, if somewhat legendary Phoenician, Queen Dido . After Carthage’s foundation, the city would still stay in contact with the rest of Phoenicia, especially their mother city of Tyre .
What Became of Carthage?
Centuries after North Africa became a colony of Rome, Carthage would rise up again as an economic hotspot. They would continue under the Vandals and the Byzantines until the Umayyad invasion which would also destroy Carthage. However, this would then lead them to shift the administrative and economic center of power in Tunisia to the neighboring city of Tunis. It remains the dominant city of Tunisia today. Despite the city no longer existing, the site is still a famous tourist attraction. It is a testament to Tunisia’s ancient past, home to empires that can stand up to superpowers such as Rome.
Why were the Carthaginians so famous?
The Carthaginians were additionally known for their trade power because of the already mentioned colonies. They enabled trade routes throughout the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. They would then ally with other Phoenician cities, such as Gades in Spain and Amazigh kingdoms of Northern Africa.
Why did the Punic War start?
The First Punic War between the titans of Carthage and Rome would begin in the place that Carthage had been fighting on for centuries, Sicily. The reason for this was the two empires fighting for rival sides on the island. At first, the war was a deadlock as Carthage was superior in the seas and the Romans dominated the land. This stalemate would not last as the Romans would adopt and innovate naval technology. They were finally able to defeat the Carthiginains with an exclusive navy. This soon caused the Carthiginains to give up the island of Sicily. Consequently, they lost Corsica and Sardinia to the Romans. Despite this setback, the Carthigianins would rebuild their empire in Spain under the rule of Hannibal . Their activities in Spain would soon start the second Punic War. Carthage attacked the Spanish town of Saguntum, which was a Roman ally.
Where did Carthage originate?
Well known for exporting expensive purple dye, they are also known for resisting the Romans during the Punic Wars. Hannibal, the infamous Carthaginian military commander, was a nemesis of Rome for several decades. Most notably, Carthage has the ignominious reputation for performing large scale child sacrifice over a period of several centuries.#N#Carthage was settled by the Phoenicians in the middle of the ninth century BC. Exactly how they got to North Africa is somewhat obscure. More certain is their place of origin: the Lebanese coast of Canaan. This region was considered Canaanite during the second millennium BC. Near the beginning of the Iron Age (1200 BC), the Phoenicians had taken control of this region. Scholars call the Lebanese coast Phoenicia, the name given to the region by the Greeks, from their word for “purple.” The ancient world’s purple dye industry developed from extracting a fluid from a Mediterranean mollusk, the murex. Not only did the people of the Phoenician coast develop this industry, they specialized in shipping this very valuable commodity all over the Mediterranean world. There are many connections between Israel and the Phoenician territories, most notably, the cities of Tyre and Sidon.1#N#Like any nation which inhabits a new region, the Phoenicians brought their ancestral Canaanite beliefs and practices with them when they settled at Carthage. Several lines of evidence demonstrate that one of these distinctive practices was child sacrifice. Numerous biblical texts refer to this horrific Canaanite practice. One of the earliest references is found in Deuteronomy 12:31: “You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the LORD hates they [the Canaanites] have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.” Later, God condemns his people for sacrificing their own children to the gods of Canaan in the Hinnom Valley on the south side of Jerusalem (Jer 7:30–32).
What are the inscriptions on the funerary stelae at Carthage?
Third, the engravings found on the funerary stelae at Carthage are devastating to the skeptical position—under the stelae are urns containing the burnt remains of the children. In particular, there is a certain Semitic inscription, mlk, which has a very close connection to the OT. Hebrew, like other Semitic languages, was originally written without vowels.12 Based on epigraphical studies by Paul Mosca,13 these Semitic inscriptions have been translated as mulk. Stager explains: “Mulk is a technical word in Semitic for a live sacrifice fulfillment of a Tophet vow, just as other Semitic words are used to indicate cereal offerings and other kinds of animal sacrifices” (emphasis added).14 This evidence directly contradicts Fantar’s contention, as the Semitic inscription mlk is compelling evidence that the children were still alive when they were brought to the sacrificial fires, corroborated by the Greek and Roman sources.15
Where was the urn of sacrifice found?
Of interest are two cinerary urns whose closest parallel, according to the authors, were found in the Carthaginian tophet , dated to the eighth century BC. Several of the urns discovered at Tyre contained human bone fragments, many of which appear to have been incinerated at high temperatures. Multiple stelae have been discovered and examined as well. While we ought to be cautious in drawing connections, further research may provide more definitive evidence placing an actual tophet in the prominent and important biblical city of Tyre, right in the Phoenician homeland.22
Who discovered the stelae?
At Hazor, archaeologist Yigael Yadin discovered several stelae from Late Bronze I (ca. 1483–1400 BC), one of which contained the carved relief of upraised hands, along with a disk and crescent. This stela predates the Carthaginian versions by several centuries. It is fascinating to see the similarity in the designs preserved for such a long period of time. Yadin believed that the hands, disk and crescent represent the same gods, stating: “it is quite clear that the Punic culture preserved elements of the Phoenician culture, and the latter was definitively influenced by Canaanite elements, similar to the ones uncovered at Hazor.”21 This connection to the Canaanite city of Hazor provides more powerful evidence from archaeology connecting the Carthaginian deities to Canaan.
Did the Phoenicians inherited the child sacrifice?
Much more could be said in making the connections between the biblical accounts and child sacrifice at the Carthaginian tophet. The Phoenicians evidently inherited this demonic practice from their Canaanite ancestors, affirming the biblical references. This issue of Bible and Spade will continue to explore those connections, and, with sober consideration, connect the practice of child sacrifice in the ancient world to the perpetuation of legalized abortion on demand in the United States in the present day. It is this subject to which I will now briefly turn.
Did Carthage have infant sacrifices?
Our study emphasizes that historical scientists must consider all evidence when deciphering ancient societal behavior. The idea of regular infant sacrifice in Carthage is not based on a study of the cremated remains, but on instances of human sacrifice reported by a few ancient chroniclers, inferred from ambiguous Carthaginian inscriptions, and referenced in the OT. Our results show that some children were sacrificed, but they contradict the conclusion that Carthaginians were a brutal bunch who regularly sacrificed their own children.
What happened to most of the Carthaginians?
However, that happened to most of the Carthaginians was assimilation into the Tunisian Amazigh, the population being genetically blended with the migrating tribes of Africa. Founder mutations in Tunisia: implications for diagnosis in North Africa and Middle East
Why were Carthaginians more berber than any other civilization?
It depends which period we’re talking about I suppose in the early centuries it was still mainly levantine but quickly carthaginians were probably more berber than anything else because most phoenician settlers took local women and weddings between carthaginians and berbers were very common even among the elite ( for example the wedding between Naravas and salammbô or Syphax and Sophonisba) also : “ Berber princes married women from Carthaginian society, which was largely open to the natives, so that very early on it was difficult to distinguish a Carthaginian of purely Phoenician origin from
Who were the Numidian ancestors?
The Numidians were among the ancestors of modern Berbers. By the time of their incorporation into the Roman military they had been living side-by-side with the Cathaginians for several centuries and there was a lot of intermixing in both directions (so, for example., the Numidian royal family included very native names like Masinissa or Syphax but also very Carthaginian names like Adherbal and Mastanabal.
Who defeated Jugurtha?
Jugurtha, another unlucky Numidian king, was defeated by Marius. I’m not convinced that this image is really him, however: the coin is so similar to the one below — which is usually identified as Hannibal’s father the Carthaginian general Hasdrubal. This could reflect the degree of intermarriage between Numidian and Carthaginian elites… or somebody re-using old coin dies… or perhaps that’s a conventional image of Melqart and not either leader at all.
Who was the founder of the Numidian kingdom?
Masinissa (ⵎⵙⵏⵙⵏ in Berber) made a timely alliance with the Romans against Carthage, and became the founder of the Numidian kingdom. This is probably done a hundred years or more after his death.
Was the Carthaginians mixed with the Arabs?
The Carthaginians were Canaanites and African they were NOT mixed, The Arabs are tmixed hough!
Where did Dido settle in Carthage?
After the brother of Dido (famed for her role in Vergil's Aeneid) killed her husband, Queen Dido fled her palace home in Tyre to settle in Carthage, North Africa, where she sought to buy land for her new settlement.
Why are the people of Carthage so primitive?
The people of Carthage seem more primitive compared to modern sensibilities than the Romans or Greeks for one main reason: They are said to have sacrificed humans, babies, and toddlers (possibly their first born to "ensure" fertility). There is controversy over this.
Where were the Phoenicians located?
The principal city of the Phoenicians, Carthage, was located near modern Tunis, on a promontory on the Northern Coast of Africa.
Who was the queen of the new community?
Dido was the queen of this new community. Later, Aeneas, on his route from Troy to Latium, stopped in Carthage where he had an affair with the queen. When she found that he had abandoned her, Dido committed suicide, but not before cursing Aeneas and his descendants.
Did the leaders of Carthage hire mercenary soldiers?
Unlike the Romans of their time, the leaders of Carthage hired mercenary soldiers and had a capable navy. They were extremely adept at trade, a fact that allowed them to rebuild a profitable economy even after the setbacks of military defeat during the Punic Wars, which included a yearly tribute to Rome of almost 10 tons of silver. Such wealth allowed them to have paved streets and multi-story homes, compared with which proud Rome looked shabby.

Overview
Sicilian Wars
Defeat in the First Sicilian War had far reaching consequences, both political and economic, for Carthage. Politically, the old government of entrenched nobility was ousted, replaced by the Carthaginian Republic. A king was still elected, but the senate and the "Tribunal of 104" gained dominance in political matters, and the position of "suffet" became more influential. Economically, sea-borne trade with the Middle East was cut off by the mainland Greeks and Magna Graecia bo…
Beginning
Carthage was one of a number of Phoenician settlements in the western Mediterranean that were created to facilitate trade from the cities of Sidon, Tyre and others from Phoenicia, which was situated in the coast of what is now Lebanon. In the 10th century BC, the eastern Mediterranean shore was inhabited by various Semitic populations, who had built up flourishing civilizations. The people inhabiting what is now Lebanon were referred to as Phoenicians by the Greeks. The Phoe…
Dido and the foundation of Carthage
Carthage was founded by Phoenicians coming from the Levant. The city's name in Phoenician language means "New City". There is a tradition in some ancient sources, such as Philistos of Syracuse, for an "early" foundation date of around 1215 BC – that is before the fall of Troy in 1180 BC; however, Timaeus of Taormina, a Greek historian from Sicily c. 300 BC, gives the foundation date of Carthage as thirty-eight years before the first Olympiad; this "late" foundation date of 814 …
Colony of Tyre
Little is known of the internal history and dealings of the early Phoenician city. The initial city covered the area around Byrsa, paid an annual tribute to the nearby Libyan tribes, and may have been ruled by a governor from Tyre, whom the Greeks identified as "king". Utica, then the leading Phoenician city in Africa, aided the early settlement in her dealings. The date from which Carthage can be counted as an independent power cannot exactly be determined, and probably nothing di…
Beginning of Carthaginian hegemony
The mainland Greeks began their colonization efforts in the western Mediterranean with the founding of Naxos and Cumae in Sicily and Italy respectively, and by 650 BC Phoenicians in Sicily had retreated to the western part of that island. Around this time the first recorded independent action by Carthage takes place, which is the colonization of Ibiza. By the end of the 7th century BC, Carthage was becoming one of the leading commercial centres of the West Mediterranean regio…
Reign of kings
Carthage was initially ruled by kings, who were elected by the Carthaginian senate and served for a specific time period. The election took place in Carthage, and the kings at first were war leaders, civic administrators and performed certain religious duties. According to Aristotle, kings were elected on merit, not by the people but by the senate, and the post was not hereditary. However, the crown and military commands could also be purchased by the highest bidder. Initially these …
Conflict with the Greeks
The nature of the conflict between Carthage and the Greeks was more due to economic factors rather than ideological and cultural differences. The Greeks did not wage a crusade to save the world from Imperium Barbaricum but to extend their own area of influence, neither was Carthage interested in wiping out Greek ideals. It was the vulnerability of the Carthaginian economy to Greek commercial competition that caused Carthage to take on the Greeks during the early year…
Origins: The Legend of Dido
- According to myth, the city of Carthage, located near modern day Tunis on the North African coast, was founded by Queen Dido in the 9th century BC. Also known by her Greek name of Elissa, Dido is most famous today as a character in Virgil’s Aeneid, where she vainly attempts to seduce the wandering Aeneas as he flees the destruction of Troy. Pitted ...
Traders and Seafarers
- The Carthaginians were able to benefit from their city’s location at the heart of the ancient Mediterranean trade routes. Specialising in the production of fine textiles, perfumes, and household goods such as furniture and cooking implements, in its heyday Carthage was the dominant metropolis in the western Mediterranean, and profited hugely from the merchants pas…
The Carthaginian Army
- Ancient sources, most notably the Greek historian Polybius, reported that the Carthaginian military was predominantly a mercenary-based force. Rather than develop a fully militarised society akin to that of ancient Sparta, the Carthaginians largely relied on others to fight on their behalf. As a result, soldiers from Libya and Numidia (modern Algeria), would have rubbed shoulders with Celt…
Wars with Rome
- Given its position as a trading hub and cultural capital, Carthage was a natural target for the emerging power of Rome. Growing tensions first escalated into war in 264 BC, and over the next hundred years the two states fought three debilitating conflicts – the Punic Wars. Initially, these did not provide decisive victory for either side, with both suffering heavily at the hands of the oth…
The City of Carthage, Tunisia's Ancient Past
- posted on: Apr 21, 2021 By: Christian Jimenez/Arab America Contributing Writer When people think of Tunisia, they think of the Arab Spring or the years under French colonial rule. However, Tunisia’s history is much broader than this. Their history dates to the time of antiquity when one of the greatest North African Empires, Carthage, strongly stood. This nation challenged the all-m…
Carthage’S Origins and Foundation
- To learn about this ancient history of Carthage and Tunisia, we have to start somewhere else. The reason for this is that Carthage was a city settled by immigrants from Lebanon: the Phoenicians. They were some of the best traders during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. However, with limited resources and the neo-Assyrian Empire at their fron...
Carthage’S Relations with Neighbors
- Meanwhile, during the 6th century, Carthage would establish its own colonies independent of Tyre, in Morocco and Spain. There, they would extract resources such as iron, gold, and silver. Some of their Moroccan and Spanish colonies were founded even beyond the Straits of Gibraltar. They would use these colonies as outposts for trade as far away as Britain and Sub-Saharan Africa, a…
Carthage’S System of Government
- Along with their history and trade power, Carthage also had an interesting system of government. At first, being ruled by kings, the Carthaginians had a somewhat similar system of government to the Romans. Carthage had become a republic by the 4th century B.C.E.. Their main form of executive power was invested in the two Suffetes, similar to the Roman consuls. However, they …
The Punic Wars
- The First Punic War between the titans of Carthage and Rome would begin in the place that Carthage had been fighting on for centuries, Sicily. The reason for this was the two empires fighting for rival sides on the island. At first, the war was a deadlock as Carthage was superior in the seas and the Romans dominated the land. This stalemate would not last as the Romans wo…
What Became of Carthage?
- Centuries after North Africa became a colony of Rome, Carthage would rise up again as an economic hotspot. They would continue under the Vandals and the Byzantines until the Umayyad invasion which would also destroy Carthage. However, this would then lead them to shift the administrative and economic center of power in Tunisia to the neighboring city of Tunis. It remai…