Carthage (ancient city) - definition of Carthage (ancient city) by The Free Dictionary Carthage (ancient city) - definition of Carthage (ancient city) by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . Car·thage (kär′thĭj) An ancient city and state of northern Africa on the Bay of Tunis northeast of modern Tunis. It was founded by the Phoenicians in the ninth century bc and became the center of a maritime empire in the Mediterranean after the sixth century bc. The city was destroyed by the Romans at the end of the Third Punic War (146 bc) but was rebuilt by Julius Caesar and later (ad 439-533) served as capital of the Vandals before its virtual annihilation by the Arabs (698). Car′tha·gin′i·an (kär′thə-jĭn′ē-ən) adj. & n. Carthage (ˈkɑːθɪdʒ) n (Placename) an ancient city state, on the N African coast near present-day Tunis.

Founded about 800 bc by Phoenician traders, it grew into an empire dominating N Africa and the Mediterranean. Destroyed and then rebuilt by Rome, it was finally razed by the Arabs in 697 ad. See also Punic Wars Car•thage (ˈkɑr θɪdʒ) n. an ancient city-state in N Africa near modern Tunis: founded by the Phoenicians in the 9th cent. B.C.; destroyed 146 B.C. in the last Punic War. Car•tha•gin•i•an (ˌkɑr θəˈdʒɪn i ən) n., adj. ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: Noun 1.

Carthage - an ancient city state on the north African coast near modern Tunis; founded by Phoenicians; destroyed and rebuilt by Romans; razed by Arabs in 697 Phenicia , Phoenicia - an ancient maritime country (a collection of city states) at eastern end of the Mediterranean Carthaginian - a native or inhabitant of ancient Carthage Translations Carthage, Tunisia - Travel Photos by Galen R Frysinger, Sheboygan, Wisconsin ancient city of Carthage Carthage (ancient city) (Latin Carthago) great city of antiquity, on the northern coast of Africa, near modern Tunis, Tunisia. Dido was the legendary founder and queen of Carthage; the city was probably established as a trading post toward the end of the 9th century BC by Phoenicians. Phoenician grave site The earliest artifacts unearthed by archaeologists at the site date from 800 BC.

The city was known to its Punic or Phoenician inhabitants as the "new city," probably to distinguish it from Utica, the "old city." Built on a peninsula jutting into the Gulf of Tunis, Carthage had two splendid harbors, connected by a canal. Above the harbors on a hill was the Byrsa, a walled fortress. entrance to archeological site By the subjugation of the Libyan tribes and by the annexation of older Phoenician colonies, Carthage in the 6th century BC controlled the entire North African coast from the Atlantic Ocean to the western border of Egypt, as well as Sardinia, Malta, the Balearic Islands, and part of Sicily. A Carthaginian admiral, Hanno, made a voyage along the Atlantic coast of North Africa. marker The maritime power of the Carthaginians enabled them to extend their settlements and conquests, forming a scattered empire devoted to commerce.

Among the commercial enterprises were the mining of silver and lead; the manufacture of beds and bedding; a lumber industry in the Atlas Mountains; the production of simple, cheap pottery, jewelry, and glassware for trade; and the export of wild animals from African jungles, of fruits and nuts, and of ivory and gold. what the Roman baths were Carthage produced little art. Most of the work of the Carthaginians was imitative of Egyptian, Greek, and Phoenician originals. In literature only a few technical works appeared. Thus, little is known of the everyday life of Carthage, its government, or its language. Religion in Carthage involved human sacrifice to the principal gods, Baal and Tanit, the equivalent of the Phoenician goddess Astarte. The Greek gods Demeter and Persephone and the Roman goddess Juno were adapted to later religious patterns of the Carthaginians. layout of the baths Carthage engaged in war almost continually with Greece and with Rome for 150 years.

Wars with Greece, beginning in 409 BC, concerned the control of Sicily, which lay only about 160 km (about 100 mi) from Carthage and formed a natural bridge between North Africa and Italy. Carthage first encountered defeat in Sicily in 480 BC, when the Carthaginian general Hamilcar (flourished 5th century BC) commanded a force that hoped to expand Carthaginian influence throughout Sicily, but was defeated by Gelon, the tyrant (ruler) of Syracuse. the remains Further Carthaginian attempts to conquer Sicily were thwarted by armies under the command of the Syracusan tyrants Dionysius the Younger, Dionysius the Elder, Agathocles, and Pyrrhus, king of Epirus. After their final defeat in 276 BC, the Carthaginians continued to hold territory in Sicily; 12 years later the first of the Punic Wars against Rome began. the lower level The First Punic War (264-241 BC) brought to the fore the Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca.

Defeated in Sicily, Hamilcar invaded Spain. His conquests in southern Spain were completed by his son-in-law Hasdrubal and by his son Hannibal. Carthage ceded its holdings in Sicily to Rome after the final Roman victory at the Aegates Islands. During the Second Punic War (218-201 BC), Hannibal marched eastward along the northern shore of the Mediterranean from Spain and finally crossed the Alps into Italy. Hannibal's final defeat, however, resulted in the loss of Spain and various island possessions of Carthage. statue of a Roman God In the Third Punic War (149-146 BC), the Romans under Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus Numantinus destroyed the city of Carthage. In a final gesture of contempt, the Romans spread salt over the ruins. The victors thus fulfilled the wish of the Roman statesman Cato the Elder. remains of the baths lower level Occupancy of the site was forbidden for 25 years. In 122 BC a new city, Colonia Junonia, was founded; it lasted only 30 years.

In 46 BC Julius Caesar visited the site and proclaimed that a city should be built there. His wishes were fulfilled by the Roman emperor Augustus, in 29 BC, when a city called Colonia Julia Carthago was founded. This new city flourished until, according to some historians, it was second only to Rome in prosperity and administrative importance. broken granite column Roman Carthage also became a center of Christianity, being the seat of a bishop from late in the 2nd century. St. Cyprian was bishop there in 248; Tertullian, a Christian ecclesiastical writer, lived and worked in Carthage in the 3rd century; and St. Augustine was bishop of nearby Hippo in the early 5th century. underground heating chambers Carthage was fortified against barbarian attack in 425. In 439 the Vandal king Gaiseric subjugated the city. It remained the Vandal capital until 533, when the Byzantine general Belisarius captured the city, renaming it Colonia Justiniana Carthago in honor of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I.

Between 697 and 705 the city was captured by the Arabs. bird in a cage (Fragment from a Roman mosaic) In 698 it was again destroyed. A great deal of archaeological activity was carried on at the site, particularly in the late 19th century, uncovering early Punic artifacts and Roman, Byzantine, and Vandal buildings. Today Carthage is a wealthy suburb of Tunis. Text from Microsoft Encarta The Cemetery site covers 27 acres of the plateau lying between the Mediterranean and the Bay of Tunis, both of which are a mile or so distant. It is located near the site of the ancient Carthaginian city destroyed by the Romans in 146 BC and lies over part of the site of Roman Carthage. After World War 11 a survey made jointly by representatives of the Secretary of War and the American Battle Monuments Commission revealed that all of the sites of the temporary cemeteries established in North Africa during the war had major disadvantages. The present site was established ï¿½in 1948. It lies in the sector of the British First Army which liberated the Tunis area in May 1943..

Construction of the cemetery and memorial was completed in 1960. Here rest 2,841 of our Military Dead, representing 39 per cent of the burials which were originally made in North Africa and Iran. A high proportion of these gave their lives in the landings in, and occupation of Morocco and Algeria and in subsequent fighting which culminated in the liberation of Tunisia. Others died as a result of accident or sickness in these and other parts of North Africa, or while serving in the Persian Gulf Command in Iran. Ancient City of Carthage | Archinomy Ancient City of Carthage Location: The ancient site of Carthage was located on the edge of North Africa that is now Tunisia, on the Eastern side of Lake Tunis. Carthage, from this prime location, could control trade from the eastern to the Western Mediterranean. Carthage was founded as a Phoenician Colony about 800 BC. It was once the center of the Phoenicians' vast trade empire. Carthage was later conquered and destroyed by the Romans in 146 BC. It was rebuilt by the Romans and occupied by early Arab conquerors.

Origin: Carthage was founded in 814 or 813 BC. The first settlers were people from Tyre in Phoenicia. According to tradition, their leader was a princess named Elissa, better known as Queen Dido, who founded Carthage after she fled from Tyre. The inhabitants there agreed to give her as much land as she could encompass with a single Ox hide. By cutting the hide into thin strips, Dido was able to enclose a large area. Punic Carthage: Carthage was a powerful city-state with a large commercial empire in the western Mediterranean. It had support of tribes and of older Phoenician colonies, Carthage in the 6th century, by the subjugation of the Libya, could control the entire north African coast from the Atlantic ocean to the western border of Egypt, as well as Sardinia, Malta, the Balearic Islands, and part of Sicily. Topography: Carthage had inlets to the sea to the north and South, which made it master of the Mediterranean's maritime trade. All ships crossing the sea had to pass between Sicily and Carthage, affording it great power and influence.

Carthage’s main port contained two linked harbors, with a common entrance from the sea 21.3m wide, which could be closed with iron chains: A circular one for harboring the city's massive navy of 220 warships A rectangular one for mercantile trade. The central island rose to a considerable height, allowing Carthaginian commanders to observe what was going on at sea, while approaching ships had no clear view of what lay within. The City Plan: The city had a huge Necropolis, religious area, market places, council house, towers, and a theatre, and was divided into four equally-sized residential areas with the same layout. The Byrsa Hill The centre of Punic Carthage was at the present Byrsa hill, a hilltop from where there are great views of the Gulf of Tunis. The Byrsa, a citadel located on a low hill in the middle of the city overlooking the sea. The Hill of Byrsa, where in the 8th century BC, Carthage was founded is a storehouse of history.

Newly restored, the former Cathedral of Saint Louis, which crowns the hill is now a cultural center and the nearby national museum of Carthage holds an impressive collection of Punic statues, steels and urns. Residences Carthage was a city of glittering palaces and luxury houses lived in by the rich merchant classes. Their town houses rose six-storey high along narrow streets. Each house was built around a central courtyard & had its own cistern along with a rudimentary drainage system. Their private estates in the countryside were large houses and gardens backing on to extensive plantations that benefited from the complex irrigation systems. Herds of cattle and flocks of sheep pastured on the surrounding plains. Religion: Carthaginian religion was based on Phoenician religion, a form of polytheism. Religion in Carthage involved human sacrifice to the principal gods, baal and tanit. The Greek Gods Demeter and Persephone and the Roman Goddess Juno were adapted to later religious patterns of the Carthaginians. Punic Stelae: Tophet, ancient sanctuary of goddess tanit, was a high place designated for the sacrifice of children to gods.

Urns have been unearthed containing the ashes of more than 20,000 boys aged between two and 12 sacrificed by the Carthaginians in the eighth century BC. Carthaginian Military: While Carthage's navies were uncontested, it did not maintain a strong standing army. Instead, it relied on mercenaries, hired with its considerable wealth, to fight its wars. Punic Wars: The Punic Wars were a series of three wars fought between Rome and Carthage. The main cause was the clash interests between the Carthaginian and the Roman empire. The Romans were interested in expansion via Sicily, part of which lay under Carthaginian control. 1st Punic War (264 to 241 BC) It began as a local conflict in Sicily. The war was costly to both the powers. Rome emerged victorious &forced Carthage to pay a massive tribute. Carthage spent the years following the first Punic War improving its finances and expanding its colonial empire. 2nd Punic War (218 BC to 201 BC) The second Punic War is most remembered for the Carthaginian Hannibal's crossing of the Alps.

He and his army invaded Italy from the North and defeated the Roman Army in several battles, but could never cause a political break between Rome and its allies. Crossing the Alps cost Hannibal too many of his men and war elephants. Eventually, Carthage was defeated in Africa by Scipio Africanus. The end of the war saw Carthage's control reduced to the city itself. 3rd Punic War (149 BC to 146 BC) The third Punic War involved an extended siege of Carthage, ending in the city's destruction. In spite of a heroic resistance in which Carthaginian women cut off their hair to provide bowstrings for the catapults, Carthage was burned down. At the start of the first Punic War, Carthage was the dominant power on the Mediterranean. By the end of the third war, Rome had conquered Carthage's empire and razed the city, becoming the most powerful state of the Western Mediterranean. The Fall of Carthage: The fall of Carthage was at the end of the third Punic War in 146 BC.

The city was destroyed completely by the Romans who pulled the Phoenician warships out into the harbor and burned them before the city. They went from house to house, slaughtering the Carthagians and & the few survivors were sold into slavery. The city was set ablaze & the Romans poured salt over the farmland to ensure its barrenness. Roman Carthage: After Carthage's ultimate defeat, the area around the city became a Roman Province. It was not until the Emperor Augustus (reigned from 27 BCE-CE 14) that Carthage became a city again. A new city of Carthage was built on the same land, and by the 1st century it had grown to the second largest city in the Western half of the Roman Empire, with a peak population of 500,000. It was the center of the Roman Province of Africa, which was a major breadbasket of the empire. Carthage also became a center of early Christianity. The city had a rectangular town-plan. The whole town stretched for some two miles parallel to the shore and for about a mile inland, and covered perhaps 1,200 acres.

Its street-plan can hardly be older than Caesar or Augustus, but the shape of its 'insulae' appears to be without parallel in that age. It comes closest to the oblong blocks of Pompeii and of Naples, and its two theatres also recall those towns. It comprised a large number of streets- forty—running parallel to the coast A smaller number running at right angles to these down the hillside towards the shore, and many oblong 'insulae', measuring each about 130 x 500 ft. The reason for its plan can be found in the physical character of the site. The ground slopes down from hills towards the shore, and encourages the use of streets which run level along the slopes, parallel to the shore, and not more or less steeply towards it Antonine Baths Antonine baths in Carthage were once the largest baths in the Roman Empire. In these baths, heat was provided by an underground system of furnaces and – very much like a modern day spa – there were a series of hot rooms, a cold plunge pool and the Roman equivalent of a jacuzzi. The Roman theater is used today for the summer festival of Carthage.

Commerce: Carthage's economy was an extension of Tyre, its parent city. Its maritime power enabled the devoting of the empire to commerce as its massive merchant fleet traversed the trade routes mapped out by Tyre. Carthage inherited from Tyre the art of making a highly valuable commodity in the Mediterranean, the Tyrian Purple Dye which is where we get the colour “Tyrian Purple"--the color reserved for royalty. Mining of silver and lead Manufacture of beds and bedding A lumber industry in the atlas mountains Production of simple pottery, jewelry, and glassware Export of wild animals, fruits, nuts, ivory and gold from African jungles Carthage in Modern Times: Carthage, today, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It remains a popular tourist attraction and residential suburb. Phoenician, Roman and Arab remains can still be seen in the site of this ancient city.

This presentation was created by: Apoorva Bajpai Carthage - definition of Carthage by The Free Dictionary Carthage - definition of Carthage by The Free Dictionary Related to Carthage: Punic Wars Car·thage (kär′thĭj) An ancient city and state of northern Africa on the Bay of Tunis northeast of modern Tunis. It was founded by the Phoenicians in the ninth century bc and became the center of a maritime empire in the Mediterranean after the sixth century bc. The city was destroyed by the Romans at the end of the Third Punic War (146 bc) but was rebuilt by Julius Caesar and later (ad 439-533) served as capital of the Vandals before its virtual annihilation by the Arabs (698). Car′tha·gin′i·an (kär′thə-jĭn′ē-ən) adj. & n. Carthage (ˈkɑːθɪdʒ) n (Placename) an ancient city state, on the N African coast near present-day Tunis. Founded about 800 bc by Phoenician traders, it grew into an empire dominating N Africa and the Mediterranean.

Destroyed and then rebuilt by Rome, it was finally razed by the Arabs in 697 ad. See also Punic Wars Car•thage (ˈkɑr θɪdʒ) n. an ancient city-state in N Africa near modern Tunis: founded by the Phoenicians in the 9th cent. B.C.; destroyed 146 B.C. in the last Punic War. Car•tha•gin•i•an (ˌkɑr θəˈdʒɪn i ən) n., adj. ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: Noun 1.

Carthage - an ancient city state on the north African coast near modern Tunis; founded by Phoenicians; destroyed and rebuilt by Romans; razed by Arabs in 697 Phenicia , Phoenicia - an ancient maritime country (a collection of city states) at eastern end of the Mediterranean Carthaginian - a native or inhabitant of ancient Carthage Translations Carthage: Ancient Phoenician City-State Carthage: Ancient Phoenician City-State By Owen Jarus, Live Science Contributor | October 24, 2012 12:41pm ET MORE Founded by a seafaring people known as the Phoenicians, the ancient city of Carthage, located in modern-day Tunis in Tunisia, was a major center of trade and influence in the western Mediterranean. The city fought a series of wars against Rome that would ultimately lead to its destruction. The Phoenicians were originally based in a series of city-states that extended from southeast Turkey to modern-day Israel. They were great seafarers with a taste for exploration. Accounts survive of its navigators reaching places as far afield as Northern Europe and West Africa. They founded settlements throughout the Mediterranean during the first millennium B.C.

Ruins at Carthage in Tunisia. Credit: Asta Plechaviciute shutterstock 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. The people spoke Punic, a form of the Phoenician language. The two main deities at Carthage were Baal Hammon and his consort, Tanit. Richard Miles writes in his book Carthage Must Be Destroyed (Penguin Group, 2010) that the word Baal means “Lord” or “Master,” and Hammon may come from a Phoenician word meaning “hot” or “burning being.” Miles notes that Baal Hammon is often depicted with a crescent moon, while Tanit, his consort, is shown with outstretched arms. The city The earliest archaeological evidence of occupation at Carthage dates to about 760 B.C.

The settlement quickly grew to encompass a 25-30 hectare (61-74 acres) residential area surrounded by a necropolis (graveyard), notes Roald Docter, of Ghent University. Within a century the settlement would have city walls, harbor installations and a “Tophet,” a controversial installation in the southeast of the city that may have been used for child sacrifice (it could simply have been a special burial ground). A great marketplace (which the Greeks called an “agora”) also developed and, in later centuries, was located by the sea, writes University of Sydney professor Dexter Hoyos in his book, The Carthaginians (Routledge, 2010). “Besides its role as a market, it would be the obvious place for magistrates to assemble the citizens for elections and lawmaking,” he writes. By 500 B.C., the city’s system of government, as suggested by the large marketplace, was a republic of sorts. Hoyos notes that the Carthaginians had two elected sufetes (the Greeks called them kings) that served along with a senate, citizen assembly and pentarchies (five-person commissions).

There was also an enigmatic body called the “court of 104” that occasionally crucified defeated Carthaginian generals. As with other ancient (and to some degree modern) republics, wealthy individuals from powerful families had the advantage in getting into office. Nevertheless, the combination of trade opportunities and republican structure appears to have had some success at Carthage. In the second century B.C., just before it was destroyed by Rome, the city boasted a population estimated at more than half a million people. As the city grew, so did its external influence, with evidence of involvement in places such as Sardinia, Spain and Sicily, entanglements that would ultimately lead to conflict with Rome. Legendary foundation It wasn’t unusual for large cities in the ancient world to have elaborate foundation myths, and Greek and Roman writers had a tale for Carthage, one set more than 2,800 years ago. According to legend, Carthage was founded by Elissa (sometimes referred to as Dido), a queen of the Phoenician city of Tyre, located in modern-day Lebanon. When her father died she and her brother Pygmalion both ascended the throne.

This did not work out well, with Pygmalion eventually ordering the execution of Elissa’s husband, the priest Acherbas. Elissa, along with a small group of settlers, would leave the city, sailing nearly 1,400 miles (2,300 km) west. The local king, a man named Iarbas, said they could build as large a settlement as could be encompassed by an ox-hide at Carthage (the settlers ended up slicing up the ox-hide really thin). Iarbas would eventually demand that Elissa marry him to which she responded by killing herself with a sword atop a funeral pyre. Archaeologists have yet to find remains of Carthage datable to the ninth century B.C., and scholars tend to regard this story as being largely mythical. The tale, moreover, comes largely from Greek and Roman sources, and it’s debatable whether Carthaginians actually believed in it themselves.

Location of Carthage and Carthaginian sphere of influence prior to the First Punic War (264 B.C.) Credit: Public domain Punic Wars Rome and Carthage would fight a total of three "Punic Wars," which ultimately led to the latter’s destruction and re-founding. The two cities were not always hostile. Before the First Punic War started in 264 B.C., they had a long history of trade, and at one point the two powers actually allied together against Pyrrhus, a king based in Epirus, which is in modern-day Albania. This is known today as the Pyrrhic War. Historians still debate the causes of the Punic Wars but the spark that lit it off happened in Sicily. Carthage had long controlled territory on the western part of the island, fighting off the Greek city of Syracuse. In 265 B.C., the Mamertines, a group of former mercenaries based in Messina, Sicily, appealed to both Carthage and Rome for help against Syracuse. They ended up getting both requests answered. Richard Miles writes that Carthage sent a small force to Messina, which was then ejected by a larger Roman force.

The situation quickly escalated into open war between the two great powers. In the beginning, Carthage had naval supremacy, giving them the edge. However, the Romans built up a fleet quickly, developing a bridge-like device called a “corvus,” which made it easier for their embarked troops to storm Carthaginian ships . The First Punic War would go on for more than 20 years and end in Carthage accepting a humiliating peace treaty that ceded Sicily along with much of their Mediterranean holdings to Rome. The Second Punic War would last from 218 to 201 B.C. and would see the Carthaginian general Hannibal, based in Spain, attack Italy directly by going through the Alps. At first his attack proved successful, taking a great deal of territory and inflicting a Roman defeat at the Battle of Cannae, in southern Italy in 216 B.C. Hannibal was, however, was unable to take Rome itself.

Over the next decade, a series of Roman counterattacks in Italy, Spain and Sicily turned the tide of war against Carthage and in 204 B.C., a Roman force led by Publius Cornelius Scipio landed in Africa, defeating Hannibal at the Battle of Zama. The peace imposed on Carthage left it bereft of land and money. The Third Punic War, from 149 to 146 B.C., consisted mainly of a prolonged siege of Carthage, which ended with the city being burned. A modern-day myth has the Romans “salting the earth” to prevent the fields of Carthage being tilled again; however, there is no ancient evidence for this. A Roman mosaic from ancient Carthage. Credit: Solodov Alexey shutterstock Roman Carthage Carthage would not be gone for long. A century later, Julius Caesar founded a new Roman city on the site and by the second century A.D., it was the largest North African city west of Egypt.

Researcher Aïcha Ben Abed writes that among its features were giant “Antonine baths,” that were “the largest public baths in the Roman Empire” (from Tunisian Mosaics, 2006, Getty Publications), a sign of the city’s success. The importance of Carthage would not diminish as time went on and today Tunis, a modern-day capital of more than 2 million people, surrounds the ancient ruins. Ancient Roman Towns in Today's Tunisia All images © by Roberto Piperno , owner of the domain. Write to romapip@quipo.it . Text edited by Rosamie Moore. Page added in June 2012. - Ancient Roman Towns in Today's Tunisia (detail of the theatre at Thugga ) In 146 BC, at the end of the Third Punic War , the Romans destroyed Carthage and established their first province on the southern shore of the Mediterranean Sea; it was called Africa, a name the etymology of which is uncertain, but which probably meant Land of the Afri, a term indicating the native tribes who lived there prior to the arrival of the Phoenicians who founded Carthage and other towns along the coast.

The new province included only the north-eastern part of today's Tunisia and its capital was Utica, a town the inhabitants of which had helped the Romans to defeat the Carthaginians. In 105 BC the province was enlarged after the Romans defeated Jugurtha, King of Numidia and it included Tripolis (three cities) in today's Libya. Clickable map of the archaeological sites (blue dots) covered in this section. The red dots (not clickable) indicate towns which are covered in a separate section . The red line indicates the current border between Algeria (left) and Tunisia (right) Pax Romana is the term used by historians to indicate the long period of peace enjoyed by the Roman Empire between the end of the civil wars in 27 BC and the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius in 180 AD. In the Province of Africa this period of prosperity led to the development of many towns in the interior of the country in addition to those along the coast.

Thysdrus (El Djem): House of Africa: mosaic portraying an allegory of the Roman Empire: Rome is depicted at the centre of the mosaic and is surrounded by some of the provinces: (clockwise) Sicily, Asia , Egypt, an unknown province, Africa and Spain. Africa is identified by elephant tusks. Africa continued to indicate a section of the southern Mediterranean coast and not a continent for many centuries. The Arabs adopted the Roman term and called Ifriqiya today's Tunisia. European medieval maps (T maps) which partitioned the world among the three sons of Noah, associated Africa with the land from Morocco to Egypt, whereas the biblical reference to the Land of Ham was limited to the latter. The Gulf of Tunis and the ancient harbours of Carthage seen from the acropolis of the city In 146 BC the Romans razed Carthage to the ground, burnt all the ships, killed or enslaved all its inhabitants and according to some historians the city was cursed. Carthage however was located in an excellent position and the Romans themselves started to rebuild it in the Ist century BC and Emperor Augustus made it the capital of the province.

The Mejerda Valley near the mouth of the river at Utica Turbidus arentes lento pede sulcat arenas Bagrada, non ullo libycis in finibus amne victus limosas extendere latius undas et stagnante vado patulos involvere campus. Silius Italicus - Punica - Book VI The turbid stream of Bagrada furrows the sandy desert with sluggish course; and no river in the land of Libya can boast that it spreads its muddy waters further, or covers the wide plains with greater floods. (Translation by J. D. Duff) The wealth of Africa resided in its agriculture. The province was one of the granaries of the Empire and in particular it supplied Rome. The valley of the Bagrada (Mejerda) River which flows in the north of the country was renowned for its fertility and the fact that the river was navigable from Simitthus to its mouth made transportation of its crops easy. View of Thugga and of its Capitolium The growth of the settlements from villages to towns can be traced in inscriptions celebrating the construction of monuments or facilities.

At Thugga, the town is referred to as Pagi Thuggensis in an inscription celebrating an arch dedicated to Emperor Claudius . 150 years later an inscription celebrating Emperor Septimius Severus speaks of Civitas Aurelia Thugga. Pagus is the Latin word for country district, whereas civitas indicates a town the inhabitants of which had Roman citizenship. This event at Thugga and other towns was celebrated by erecting a Capitolium, a temple dedicated to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva, the three deities which were worshipped in the Capitolium of Rome. Thuburbo Majus - Ruins of the amphitheatre (left) and of a great cistern (right) Although their economy was based on agriculture, the towns of Africa had all the facilities typical of an urban settlement: paved streets, aqueducts, fountains, baths, tribunals, marketplaces, theatres and amphitheatres. A network of roads linked the towns of the interior with Carthage and other ports. Musti - Arch to Gordianus and Mausoleum of Julii Entrances to towns were often identified by triumphal arches.

In addition to their celebratory purpose they indicated the limits of the urban settlement for some practical aspects such as the prohibition to wear arms and to build tombs. They were not gates of a fortification system, because the towns did not have walls. Roman Legion III Augusta was stationed at Theveste, a town just across the border with Algeria, from which it prevented desert nomadic tribes from entering the province. Sufetula - The forum turned into a Byzantine fortress At the beginning of the IVth century, as a reaction to the persecution of Emperor Diocletian , many Christians of Africa embraced Donatism, a local church supporting a rigorous vision of Christian values in contrast to those who looked for an appeasement with the Roman State. It was the beginning of a religious and ethnic split among the inhabitants of the province which eventually facilitated the invasion of the Vandals, a Germanic tribe, in 439. Africa was conquered by the Byzantines during the VIth century. In order to protect the inhabitants of the towns they turned the forums into small fortresses; they did so in a hasty way by pulling down all the buildings around the forum and by using them as construction material.

This did not prevent the Arabs from conquering the whole province at the end of the VIIth century. Roman tomb at Simitthus The monuments of the Roman period in today's Tunisia can be found in different settings. The Arabs destroyed Carthage and used the columns of its churches/temples to build a large mosque at Tunis . Some towns did not disappear and foundations of Roman buildings can be seen in the heart of the medina, as it occurs at Le Kef, ancient Sicca Veneria. Thugga and other towns went back to being small villages of peasants and their ruins are often surrounded by farms. In general ancient monuments are included in archaeological parks, but it is not unusual to see them immersed in a very rural environment. Mactaris - Arch to Emperor Trajan The images which illustrate this section were taken in April 2012. Those which illustrate this page were chosen with the intention of paying tribute to Spring and its symbolic meaning. The image used as background for this page shows the aqueduct which brought water to Carthage from Ziqua . Move to: Carthage - Ancient History Encyclopedia Carthage by Joshua J.

Mark published on 28 April 2011 According to legend, Carthage was founded by the Phoenician Queen Elissa (better known as Dido ) sometime around 813 BCE although, actually, it rose following Alexander 's destruction of Tyre in 332 BCE. The city (in modern-day Tunisia, North Africa) was originally known as Kart-hadasht (new city) to distinguish it from the older Phoenician city of Utica nearby. The Greeks called the city Karchedon and the Romans turned this name into Carthago. Originally a small port on the coast, established only as a stop for Phoenician traders to re-supply or repair their ships, Carthage grew to become the most powerful city in the Mediterranean before the rise of Rome . A Great Trade Centre After the fall of the great Phoenician city of Tyre to Alexander the Great in 332 BCE, those Tyrians who were able to escape fled to Carthage with whatever wealth they had. Since many whom Alexander spared were those rich enough to buy their lives, these refugees landed in the city with considerable means and established Carthage as the new centre of Phoenician trade.

The Carthaginians then drove the native Africans from the area, enslaved many of them, and exacted tribute from the rest. From a small town on the coast, the city grew in size and grandeur with enormous estates covering miles of acreage. Not even one hundred years passed before Carthage was the richest city in the Mediterranean. The aristocrats lived in palaces, the less affluent in modest but attractive homes, while tribute and tariffs regularly increased the city’s wealth on top of the lucrative business in trade. The harbour was immense, with 220 docks, gleaming columns which rose around it in a half-circle, and was ornamented with Greek sculpture . The Carthaginian trading ships sailed daily to ports all around the Mediterranean Sea while their navy, supreme in the region, kept them safe and, also, opened new territories for trade and resources through conquest . Advertisement Carthage Against Rome It was this expansion which first brought Carthage into conflict with Rome. When Rome was weaker than Carthage, she posed no threat. The Carthaginian navy had long been able to enforce the treaty which kept Rome from trading in the western Mediterranean. When Carthage took Sicily , however, Rome responded.

Though they had no navy and knew nothing of fighting on the sea, Rome built 330 ships which they equipped with clever ramps and gangways (the corvus) which could be lowered onto an enemy ship and secured; thus turning a sea battle into a land battle. The First Punic War (264-241 BCE) had begun. After an initial struggle with military tactics, Rome won a series of victories and finally defeated Carthage in 241 BCE. Carthage was forced to cede Sicily to Rome and pay a heavy war indemnity. Carthage again went to war with Rome when the general Hannibal attacked the city of Saguntum . Following this war, Carthage became embroiled in what is known as The Mercenary War (241-237 BCE) which started when the Carthaginian army of mercenaries demanded the payment Carthage owed them. This war was finally won by Carthage through the efforts of the general Hamilcar Barca . Carthage suffered greatly from both these conflicts and, when Rome occupied the Carthaginian colonies of Sardinia and Corsica, there was nothing the Carthaginians could do about it.

They tried to make the best of their situation by conquering and expanding holdings in Spain but again went to war with Rome when the Carthaginian general Hannibal attacked the city of Saguntum, an ally of Rome. The Second Punic War (218-202 BCE) was fought largely in northern Italy as Hannibal invaded Italy from Spain by marching his forces over the Alps. Hannibal won every engagement against the Romans in Italy. In 216 BCE he won his greatest victory at the Battle of Cannae but, lacking sufficient troops and supplies, could not build on his successes. He was defeated by the Roman general Scipio Africanus at the Battle of Zama, in North Africa, in 202 BCE and Carthage again sued for peace. Remove Ads Advertisement Placed, again, under a heavy war indemnity by Rome, Carthage struggled to pay their debt while also trying to fend off incursions from neighbouring Numidia. Carthage went to war against Numidia and lost. Having only recently paid off their debt to Rome, they now owed a new war debt to Numidia.

Rome was not concerned with what Carthage and Numidia were involved with but did not care for the sudden revitalization of the Carthaginian army. Carthage believed that their treaty with Rome was ended when their war debt was paid; Rome disagreed. The Romans felt that Carthage was still obliged to bend to Roman will; so much so that the Roman Senator Cato the Elder ended all of his speeches, no matter what the subject, with the phrase, “Further, I think that Carthage should be destroyed.” In 149 BCE, Rome suggested just that course of action. The Destruction of Carthage A Roman embassy to Carthage made demands to the senate which included the stipulation that Carthage be dismantled and then re-built further inland. The Carthaginians, understandably, refused to do so and the Third Punic War (149-146 BCE) began. The Roman general Scipio Aemilianus besieged Carthage for three years until it fell. After sacking the city, the Romans burned it to the ground, leaving not one stone on top of another.

A modern myth has grown up that the Romans forces then sowed the ruins with salt but this story has no basis in fact. It is said that Scipio Aemilianus wept when he ordered the destruction of the city and behaved virtuously toward the survivors. Utica now became the capital of Rome’s African provinces and Carthage lay in ruin until 122 BCE when Gaius Sepronius Gracchus, the Roman tribune , founded a small colony there. Memory of the Punic wars still being too fresh, however, the colony failed. Julius Caesar proposed and planned the re-building of Carthage and, five years after his death, Carthage rose again. Power now shifted from Utica back to Carthage and it remained an important Roman colony until the fall of the empire .

Question: What ancient city was located near present-day Tunis?
Answer: Carthage