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 . Ancient Carthage About Watch and Favorite Watch Watching this resources will notify you when proposed changes or new versions are created so you can keep track of improvements that have been made. Favorite Favoriting this resource allows you to save it in the “My Resources” tab of your account.

There, you can easily access this resource later when you’re ready to customize it or assign it to your students. Ancient Carthage Ancient Carthage was a North African civilization that lasted from c. 650 BCE to 146 BCE. Learning Objective Explain Carthage's culture and the Punic Wars Key Points Ancient Carthage was the empire born of the Phoenician city-state Carthage. Carthage practiced highly advanced and productive agriculture and manufacturing. Carthage traded in almost every commodity wanted by the ancient world, including spices from Arabia, Africa, and India. It also participated in the slave trade. The military of Carthage was one of the largest military forces in the ancient world; its navy was its strongest force. The Punic Wars were fought with Rome from 265 BCE to 146 BCE. The main cause was the conflict of interest between the existing Carthaginian Empire and the expanding Roman Republic. The Third Punic War began in 149 BCE, and culminated in the defeat of Carthage. The Roman domination during the Punic Wars was the beginning of a rise in status that would last until the 5th century CE.

Terms Register for FREE to remove ads and unlock more features! Learn more Full Text Ancient Carthage was a North African, Phoenician civilization that lasted from c. 650 BCE to 146 BCE. They were defeated by the Romans in 146 BCE. Carthage eventually extended across northern Africa and into the south of modern-day Spain. The map shows Carthage, located on the northern coast of modern-day Tunisia. IT also shows the Carthaginian Empire, which extended over much of the coast of North Africa as well as encompassing substantial parts of coastal Iberia and the islands of the western Mediterranean Sea. Culture Carthaginian religion was based on Phoenician religion (derived from the faiths of the Levant), a form of polytheism . Many of the gods the Carthaginians worshiped were localized, and are now known only under their local names. Carthage produced finely embroidered silks, dyed textiles of cotton, linen,and wool, artistic and functional pottery, and perfumes. Its artisans worked expertly with ivory, glassware, and wood, as well as with metals and precious stones.

It traded in salted Atlantic fish and fish sauce (garum), and brokered the products of almost every Mediterranean people. In addition to manufacturing, Carthage practiced highly advanced and productive agriculture, using iron ploughs, irrigation , and crop rotation. Carthaginian commerce extended by sea throughout the Mediterranean, and perhaps into the Atlantic as far as the Canary Islands, and by land across the Sahara desert. According to Aristotle , the Carthaginians and others had treaties of commerce to regulate their exports and imports.The empire of Carthage depended heavily on its trade with cities of the Iberian peninsula, from which it obtained vast quantities of silver, lead, copper and— most importantly —tin ore, which was essential for the manufacture of bronze objects by the civilizations of antiquity. Carthaginian trade-relations with the Iberians (and the naval strength that enforced Carthage's monopoly on Iberian trade and that with tin-rich Britain), made it the sole significant broker of tin and maker of bronze in its day. Maintaining this monopoly was one of the major sources of power and prosperity for Carthage; Carthaginian merchants strove to keep the location of the tin mines secret.

In addition to its role as the sole significant distributor of tin, Carthage's central location in the Mediterranean and control of the waters between Sicily and Tunisia allowed it to control the eastern peoples' supply of tin. Carthage was also the Mediterranean's largest producer of silver mined in Iberia and on the North African coast; after the tin monopoly, silver was one of its most profitable trades. Carthage also sent caravans into the interior of Africa and Persia. It traded its manufactured and agricultural goods to the coastal and interior peoples of Africa for salt, gold, timber, ivory, ebony, apes, peacocks, skins, and hides. Its merchants invented the practice of sale by auction and used it to trade with the African tribes. In other ports, they tried to establish permanent warehouses, or sell their goods in open-air markets. Carthage obtained amber from Scandinavia , and from the Celtiberians, Gauls, and Celts they got amber, tin, silver, and furs.

Sardinia and Corsica produced gold and silver for Carthage, and Phoenician settlements on islands, such as Malta and the Balearic Islands, produced commodities that would be sent back to Carthage for large-scale distribution. The city supplied poorer civilizations with simple products (such as pottery, metallic objects, and ornamentations), often displacing the local manufacturing, and meanwhile brought its best works to wealthier civilizations (such as the Greeks and Etruscans). Carthage traded in almost every commodity wanted by the ancient world, including spices from Arabia, Africa and India. It also participated in the slave trade. Military and Warfare The military of Carthage was one of the largest military forces in the ancient world. Although Carthage's navy was always its main military force, the army acquired a key role in the spread of Carthaginian power over the native peoples of northern Africa and southern Iberian Peninsula, from the 6th century BC to the 3rd century BC. Carthage's military also allowed it to expand into Sardinia and the Balearic Islands. This expansion transformed the military from a body of citizen-soldiers into a multinational force composed primarily of foreign mercenary units.

Ancient Carthage was almost constantly at war with the Greeks or the Romans. One set of wars was called the Punic Wars. They were fought with Rome from 265 BCE to 146 BCE. The main cause of the Punic Wars was the conflict of interest between the existing Carthaginian Empire and the expanding Roman Republic. The Romans were initially interested in expansion via Sicily (at that time a cultural melting pot), part of which lay under Carthaginian control. At the start of the first Punic War, Carthage was the dominant power of the Western Mediterranean, with an extensive maritime empire. Rome, meanwhile, was the rapidly ascending power in Italy, which still lacked the naval power of Carthage. It was during the Second Punic War that the Carthaginian leader Hannibal launched his famous overland attack on Rome. By the end of the third war, which began in 149 BCE, many hundreds of thousands of soldiers from both sides had been lost, and Rome succeeded in conquering Carthage's empire. The Romans completely destroyed Carthage, and became the most powerful state in the Western Mediterranean.

During this period, Rome emerged as the dominant Mediterranean power and one of the most powerful cities in classical antiquity. The Roman victories over Carthage in these wars gave Rome a preeminent status, a status it would retain until the 5th century CE. Carthaginian (Civ5) | Civilization Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit One of the most versatile civilizations, the Carthaginians are undoubtedly one of the best seafaring civilizations. If you are playing in Gods & Kings , the free Harbor for each coastal city is a great advantage in the early game, allowing additional Production from sea resources immediately, and disposing of the need to build roads to connect your cities for the formation of city connections (of course, it's advisable you do this eventually)! Their mastery of the early seas is also assured with the Quinquereme , arguably the strongest early game sea vessel. In Brave New World , however, having a free Harbor in every city is much less useful for military purposes, since Harbors no longer provide Production. Instead, they now work with the new Trade Route gameplay feature, allowing the Carthaginians to establish much more profitable sea trade routes early on.

Use this to your advantage by filling all trading slots with sea trade routes. The Carthaginians are also specialists at earning Great Generals, thanks to the other unique unit, the African Forest Elephant , which is not only a strong early game mounted unit, but also helps earn Great Generals faster. And of course, they're the only civilization able to cross mountains in the early game, which is possible after their first Great General appears. Others have to build airplanes to be able to cross the mountains, which is possible only in the late game. Therefore, the Carthaginians can use this early game advantage to conquer their enemies behind the mountains. Be wary, though, because the units will take quite a large amount of damage (50 HP) if they end a turn on a mountain. Civilopedia Entry Edit The ancient kingdom of Carthage, founded by fabled queen Dido , grew from a small settlement of exiles to a powerful civilization that rivaled the great and formidable Roman Empire. Ideally situated along the northern coast of Africa, Carthage became an increasingly crucial center of trade along the Mediterranean throughout the 1st millennium BC.

However, this success was not without consequences, as Carthage eventually drew the ire of both Greece and Rome, and the ensuing conflicts with these intimidating rivals became the stuff of legend. Geography and Climate Edit Founded on the Gulf of Tunis in North Africa, Carthage was ideally positioned to take advantage of the existing trade routes established throughout the Mediterranean. The city of Carthage itself was one of the largest of the era, with massive walls and multiple harbors to facilitate shipping and receiving. Located in a region of diverse geography and climate, Carthage most likely experienced much of the same weather found in the area today - that is hot, dry summer seasons followed by mild winters. Foundation Edit The first settlers of Carthage came from the Kingdom of Tyre, part of the ancient Phoenician civilization. Retold over the centuries in both historical record and folklore, the story of Carthage's founding is intertwined with the legend of Dido, first queen of Carthage. Dido's cunning escape from Tyre and eventual settlement in North Africa serves as the liveliest account of the city's creation, although traditional historians accredit Phoenician colonists with the task.

There is little debate, however, that the city was first settled sometime around 814 BC, taking its name from the Phoenician "Qart-hadast," meaning "The New Town." In Dido's tale, she is said to have acquired the land from a local king, after he agreed to sell her as much land as she could cover with an ox hide. Dido quickly cut the ox hide into strips, which she then laid out to encircle a large hill and the surrounding area - the birthplace of Carthage. Expansion of Power Edit Founded among the prospering trade routes of Egypt , Greece, and Rome, it wasn't long before Carthage established itself as a formidable new empire in the region. As their forbearers in Phoenicia were conquered and dispersed during the 4th and 5th centuries BC, Carthage stood as the strongest of the remaining colonies, and soon held sway over all those once loyal to Tyre. Carthage's attempts to establish control over the surviving Phoenician colonies quickly brought them into conflict with Greece and Rome, who sought to claim the resource-rich lands of Sicily and southern Italy as their own.

Wars with Greece Edit The increasing tension with Greece over control of Sicily led to a series of conflicts that came to be known as the Sicilian Wars. During the 7th century BC, Greece continued to expand its colonies in southern Italy and to the west in Sicily, as trade prospered, despite the growing rivalry with Carthage. Eventually, Carthage was forced to deal with the Greeks' continued encroachment into the territory that was once firmly Phoenician, not only to ensure a steady flow of income, but also to forcefully assert that Carthage would protect the remaining Phoenician colonies. Although records of their skirmishes are limited, the Carthaginians primarily fought the Greeks on the island of Sicily itself. Initially Carthage simply aided the colonies in their individual efforts to resist Greek incursions, until open warfare erupted in 480 BC, when the Battle of Himera was fought on Sicily between the forces of Carthage under Hamilcar Mago and the armies of Greece led by Gelo, ruler of Syracuse. Although the details are unclear, Carthage was unceremoniously crushed by the Greek forces, allegedly suffering casualties in the hundreds of thousands.

Hamilcar himself was killed, and, after just one great battle, Carthage was forced to withdraw, paying reparations to the Greeks in order to maintain control of their colonies in Sicily. In 410 BC, Carthage once again set out to defeat Greece and wrestle control of Sicily, this time under the leadership of Hannibal Mago, grandson of the previously defeated Hamilcar Mago. Hannibal Mago met with greater success than his grandfather, conquering several Greek controlled cities before eventually returning to Carthage. In 405 BC, Mago finally attempted to sweep across all of Sicily, but he and his army were sickened by the plague, and Mago himself died shortly thereafter. War with Greece continued throughout the 4th century BC, eventually culminating with the complete control of Sicily by Carthage. However, Greece and Carthage remained in conflict over the territory, a dispute that would eventually carryover into the Pyrrhic War. Rome: Ally to Adversary Edit During the ongoing conflicts between the Greeks and Carthaginians, Rome moved to assert its dominance over the whole of Italy.

By the 3rd century BC, Rome became embroiled in a conflict with the Greek state of Epirus, who came to the defense of Tarentum, an Italian colony involved in an increasingly tense diplomatic dispute with Rome. After several Roman ships were sunk in the harbor of Tarentum, Rome declared war on the colony, which drew Epirus into the fight. The Greek ruler, Pyrrhus of Epirus, won several early battles against the Romans, including the Battle of Heraclea in 280 BC. Rome sought reinforcements from Carthage, who agreed to create an alliance against the Greeks. Later at the Battle of Asculum in 279 BC, Pyrrhus was again successful in defeating the Roman army, but at a steep cost. Losing several thousand men in the conflict, this battle is the origin of the phrase a "Pyrrhic Victory," which came to mean a victory that comes at too great of an expense. Within five years time, Pyrrhus was forced to fully withdraw, and Rome's control of Italy was unquestioned. Carthage now stood alone as the biggest threat to Roman dominance of the Mediterranean.

Advent of the Punic Wars Edit Not long after the conclusion of the Pyrrhic War, the continued expansion of Rome drew the ire of Carthage, as the two competitors fought not only for control of territory and trade, but also the prestige of being the dominant power of the region. A series of escalating clashes that came to be known as the Punic Wars erupted in 264 BC, when both powers became entangled in a local squabble over control of the Sicilian city of Messina. While the Romans excelled in land-based warfare, Carthage controlled the most intimidating navy of the time, and the Romans were forced to adapt to succeed against the Carthaginian fleet. By utilizing boarding platforms mounted on their ships, the Romans found a way to reassert their infantry skills while at sea. The First Punic War was concluded by 241 BC, with Carthage having suffered a number of serious defeats, allowing Rome's authority to climb unabated. Carthage was forced to pay Rome a hefty price for peace, leaving the country on unstable footing both economically and militarily.

Mercenary Uprising Edit During the period following the First Punic War, the Carthaginians were this time faced with a conflict of their own making. Throughout their history, Carthage relied on mercenaries for its infantry needs, as the nation focused on maintaining its naval superiority. In 240 BC, the unpaid mercenaries of Carthage who fought in the First Punic War took to arms and incited an uprising that quickly spread throughout the Carthaginian territories. During the ensuing conflict, Hamilcar Barca, father of legendary general Hannibal , valiantly led a limited Carthaginian force to victory over the rebels thanks in no small part to Barca's tactical genius. His success in quashing the rebellion bolstered his family name, and contributed directly to his son's future legacy as the greatest general of Carthage. Punic Wars Renewed Edit The Second Punic War began in 218 BC, again over a regional dispute, this time in the Greek city of Saguntum on the Iberian Peninsula ( Spain ). By this time, legendary general Hannibal had risen to the position of Commander of the Carthaginian military.

After continuing quarrels over control of the city, Hannibal led his army to Iberia and besieged Saguntum. Hannibal succeeded in capturing Saguntum and established a base of operations there, which immediately led to a declaration of war by Rome. In a surprising tactical maneuver, Hannibal made the decision to lead his army on an overland march to Italy, a monumental undertaking that stands as the hallmark of his campaign against Rome. In leading his army through the treacherous route, Hannibal hoped to invade Italy and catch the unsuspecting Romans off guard. As his force of more than 100,000 infantry and cavalry endured the grueling trek through the Pyrenees and then the Alps, many men were lost, and a number of prized war elephants fell to the bitter cold of the mountains. The forces of Rome and Carthage eventually met at the Battle of the Trebia in northern Italy late in 218 BC. Despite the loss of troops during his march to Italy, Hannibal successfully bolstered his force by recruiting tribes from Gaul, who were keen to fight their Roman antagonists.

Although accounts differ as to the details of the battle, it can be said with certainty that Rome was thoroughly defeated, losing thousands of men despite having fielded a greater army than Carthage. As the war raged on, Hannibal was met with continued success, winning a number of early skirmishes before the Battle of Cannae, perhaps his greatest victory of the war. Fought near the village of Cannae on the southeastern coast of Italy, the battle was one of the largest of the war, as Rome attempted to counter Hannibal's push by fielding a massive number of legions. Unfortunately for Rome, throwing men into battle without proper direction provided no advantage, and Hannibal's tactics quickly overwhelmed the Romans. In a decisive blow, the Carthaginians ravaged the Roman columns, leading to casualties in the tens of thousands. Following their demoralizing defeat at Cannae, the Romans began a campaign of attrition against Hannibal's forces, creating an eventual stalemate in Italy with neither side gaining additional ground. Although Hannibal was successful in capturing a number of colonies throughout Italy, the Romans had also made inroads in Iberia, conquering several crucial Carthaginian settlements there.

The Romans' victories in Iberia revived their war effort, and under the leadership of Scipio Africanus, plans were laid for an invasion of Africa. Hannibal returned to Carthage in 203 BC to face the impending threat from Scipio. Meeting at the Battle of Zama, Hannibal's depleted forces were outmatched by the freshly reinforced Roman army. Although Hannibal managed to escape from the battlefield with his life, much of his army was destroyed, and this defeat so close to home brought a quick end to the Second Punic War after more than a decade of near-constant strife. Decline and Destruction Edit Rome agreed to a peaceful settlement of the conflict with Carthage, in exchange for monumental reparations and continuing tribute from their bested rival. Carthage had lost control of Iberia, and its standing on the world stage was greatly reduced. However, this was not the end of the longstanding rivalry, as the Third Punic War rose some 50 years later to settle the matter conclusively. Rome resumed the conflict in 149 BC, using petty regional frays as the justification for the final conquest of Carthage and its people.

After making a number of unreasonable demands, perhaps knowing that Carthage would refuse, the Romans besieged the city for three years. Enduring until 146 BC, the beleaguered people of Carthage were eventually forced to surrender, Carthage itself was burned to the ground and much of the remaining population was slaughtered, the survivors sold into slavery. This marked the end of once great and powerful Carthage, one of the most formidable kingdoms of the ancient world, and perhaps the greatest rival the Romans ever faced. Legacy Edit From humble beginnings as a settlement of exiles and wanderers, Carthage rose to become a center of trade and the greatest naval power of the ancient world. Ancient Carthage and its people are best remembered today for their legacy as the empire that challenged the unquestioned might of Rome. Carthaginian Trivia Edit The name " Punic " derived from the Latin name given to the Carthaginians by the Romans, "Punici," which itself came from "Poenici" designating the Phoenicians. The people of Carthage worshipped the god Ba'al Hammon above all others, and he was represented by the ram.

Ba'al Hammon was the god of fertility and the sky. During his march to Italy, Hannibal is said to have lost vision in one of his eyes after it became infected while trudging through a marsh, but it apparently did little to slow his ambition. List of Cities 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.

Punic Wars - Ancient History - HISTORY.com Google Background and First Punic War (264-241 B.C.) Tradition holds that Phoenician settlers from the Mediterranean port of Tyre (in what is now Lebanon) founded the city-state of Carthage on the northern coast of Africa, just north of modern-day Tunis, around 814 B.C. (The word “Punic,” later the name for the series of wars between Carthage and Rome, was derived from the Latin word for Phoenician.) By 265 B.C., Carthage was the wealthiest and most advanced city in the region, as well as its leading naval power. Though Carthage had clashed violently with several other powers in the region, notably Greece, its relations with Rome were historically friendly, and the cities had signed several treaties defining trading rights over the years. Did You Know? The Greek historian Polybius, one of the main sources of information about the Punic Wars, was born around 200 B.C. A friend of and mentor to Scipio Aemilianus, he was an eyewitness to the siege and destruction of Carthage in 146 B.C.

In 264 B.C., Rome decided to intervene in a dispute on the western coast of the island of Sicily (then a Carthaginian province) involving an attack by soldiers from the city of Syracuse against the city of Messina. While Carthage supported Syracuse, Rome supported Messina, and the struggle soon exploded into a direct conflict between the two powers, with control of Sicily at stake. Over the course of nearly 20 years, Rome rebuilt its entire fleet in order to confront Carthage’s powerful navy, scoring its first sea victory at Mylae in 260 B.C. and a major victory in the Battle of Ecnomus in 256 B.C. Though its invasion of North Africa that same year ended in defeat, Rome refused to give up, and in 241 B.C. the Roman fleet was able to win a decisive victory against the Carthaginians at sea, breaking their legendary naval superiority. At the end of the First Punic War, Sicily became Rome’s first overseas province.

Second Punic War (218-201 B.C.) Over the next decades, Rome took over control of both Corsica and Sardinia as well, but Carthage was able to establish a new base of influence in Spain beginning in 237 B.C., under the leadership of the powerful general Hamilcar Barca and, later, his son-in-law Hasdrubal. According to Polybius and Livy in their histories of Rome, Hamilcar Barca, who died in 229 B.C., made his younger son Hannibal swear a blood oath against Rome when he was just a young boy. Upon Hasdrubal’s death in 221 B.C., Hannibal took command of Carthaginian forces in Spain. Two years later, he marched his army across the Ebro River into Saguntum, an Iberian city under Roman protection, effectively declaring war on Rome.

The Second Punic War saw Hannibal and his troops–including as many as 90,000 infantry, 12,000 cavalry and a number of elephants–march from Spain across the Alps and into Italy, where they scored a string of victories over Roman troops at Ticinus, Trebia and Trasimene. Hannibal’s daring invasion of Rome reached its height at Cannae in 216 B.C., where he used his superior cavalry to surround a Roman army twice the size of his own and inflict massive casualties. After this disastrous defeat, however, the Romans managed to rebound, and the Carthaginians lost hold in Italy as Rome won victories in Spain and North Africa under the rising young general Publius Cornelius Scipio (later known as Scipio Africanus). In 203 B.C., Hannibal’s forces were forced to abandon the struggle in Italy in order to defend North Africa, and the following year Scipio’s army routed the Carthaginians at Zama.

Hannibal’s losses in the Second Punic War effectively put an end to Carthage’s empire in the western Mediterranean, leaving Rome in control of Spain and allowing Carthage to retain only its territory in North Africa. Carthage was also forced to give up its fleet and pay a large indemnity to Rome in silver. Third Punic War (149-146 B.C.) The Third Punic War, by far the most controversial of the three conflicts between Rome and Carthage, was the result of efforts by Cato the Elder and other hawkish members of the Roman Senate to convince their colleagues that Carthage (even in its weakened state) was a continuing threat to Rome’s supremacy in the region. In 149 B.C., after Carthage technically broke its treaty with Rome by declaring war against the neighboring state of Numidia, the Romans sent an army to North Africa, beginning the Third Punic War. Carthage withstood the Roman siege for two years before a change of Roman command put the young general Scipio Aemilianus (later known as Scipio the Younger) in charge of the North Africa campaign in 147 B.C.

After tightening the Roman positions around Carthage, Aemilianus launched a forceful attack on its harbor side in the spring of 146 B.C., pushing into the city and destroying house after house while pushing enemy troops towards their citadel. After seven days of horrific bloodshed, the Carthaginians surrendered, obliterating an ancient city that had survived for some 700 years. The surviving 50,000 citizens of Carthage were sold into slavery. Also in 146 B.C., Roman troops moved east to defeat King Philip V of Macedonia in the Macedonian Wars, and by year’s end Rome reigned supreme over an empire stretching from the Atlantic coast of Spain to the border between Greece and Asia Minor (now Turkey). Tags Carthaginian (Civ4) | Civilization Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit Carthage was an ancient city-state in North Africa located somewhere near the site of modern Tunis. It was settled by Phoenician colonists from the city of Tyre sometime around 814 BC. According to tradition, the first ruler was a queen named Dido, who is mentioned in a number of surviving Greek and Roman legends.

Carthage had an excellent harbor, and the city was well situated to form a maritime empire based on Mediterranean trade. As time passed and Carthage expanded, it gained control over the other Phoenician colonies on the northern coast of Africa. Carthaginian merchants dominated trade in the western Mediterranean, and navigators may have sailed as far as Britain and Nigeria. The rise of Carthage in power and influence would bring it into conflict with first the Greek city-states of Sicily, and later the Roman Republic. Carthage's government was an oligarchy not unlike that in republican Rome. One or two "Sofetim" (which best translates as "judges") were elected annually from among the wealthy and influential families of Carthage to hold positions of executive and judicial power. These aristocratic families were also represented in a deliberative body that appears to have been similar to the Roman Senate. Although Carthage was primarily controlled by these oligarchs, there were also a few limited elections for minor positions of authority within the government. Carthage's economic prosperity was based largely upon its lucrative trade with the silver and tin mines of Spain, and those trade routes were jealously guarded by Carthaginian merchants.

Culturally, the Carthaginians practiced the polytheistic religion of the Phoenicians, based upon worship of the divine couple Tanit and Ba'al. The Carthaginians also appear to have participated in the unsavory practice of child sacrifice as part of their religion, although some historians have disputed this. Carthage first came into military conflict with the Greeks over control of the island of Sicily, whose strategic location would allow the Carthaginians to control access to the western Mediterranean. Carthage fought three separate wars against the Greek colonies on Sicily, all of which largely ended in inconclusive stalemates. Eventually Rome occupied the Greek colonies in the south of mainland Italy, allowing Carthage an opportunity to conquer most of Sicily. Tension between the two states soon boiled over into the First Punic War (264 - 241 BC) during which the Romans recovered from initial setbacks and built a navy for the first time, with which they defeated the Carthaginians at the Battle of the Aegates Islands. This victory won Sicily for Rome, and the two sides entered into an uneasy peace.

After losing Sicily to the Romans, the Carthaginians expanded their holdings in Spain to compensate. They also began to prepare for a second conflict with Rome. The war faction was led by the members of the Barca family, and in particular the soon-to-be-famous Hannibal. When a border dispute in Spain provoked an incident between the two states, the Carthaginian senate declared war, initiating the Second Punic War (218 - 202 BC). During this conflict Hannibal was authorized to lead a campaign into Italy. He led his large force - which included war elephants - across the Alps, taking the Romans completely by surprise (and creating one of the most enduring war stories of all time). Hannibal met and soundly defeated the main Roman army at Lake Trasimene (217). Despite this disaster the Romans mustered up an even larger army the following year. The two forces met at Cannae, and employing a series of brilliant tactical maneuvers, Hannibal once again utterly destroyed the Romans. Following this grisly slaughter, the Romans adopted a Fabian strategy of retreat, refusing to give battle against Hannibal.

Hannibal continued to devastate the Italian countryside for the next decade, but he was unable to knock Rome out of the war. Meanwhile, the Roman general Scipio attacked Carthage's holdings in Spain, gaining complete control of the region by 206. Scipio then led an expedition to Africa itself, and Hannibal was recalled from Italy to defend the city of Carthage. The two sides met at the Battle of Zama in 202 BC and Hannibal was defeated, Scipio taking the name "Africanus" to celebrate his victory. Carthage was forced to sue for peace, and Rome imposed very harsh terms on the city. Despite the destruction of the Second Punic War and the harsh peace terms, Carthage soon recovered her strength and began once more to exert control over trade in the Western Mediterranean. This caused great fear among the Romans, who had never forgotten the damage that Hannibal had done to Italy in the earlier war. In 149 BC Rome declared war on Carthage again on spurious pretexts, initiating the Third Punic War.

The Carthaginians attempted to negotiate a settlement, but the Romans would be satisfied with nothing less than the city's total destruction. After a long siege, the city fell and its people were killed or sold into slavery. Carthage itself was pulled apart brick by brick and completely destroyed. The city would be rebuilt by the Romans, but the former Phoenician state would never rise again. List of Cities CP november 2014 online by CityPages Kuwait (page 196) - issuu issuu HOMEWORK FOR GROWN UPS EVERYTHING YOU LEARNED AT SCHOOL... BUT CAN YOU REMEMBER? Brand 'mottos' Quiz To whom do these mottos belong? Match the answers with the brands listed below: Test Your Vocabulary The opposite of unadulterated is: 1. Albion is the oldest word for: France; America; England/Britain; or Scandinavia? 1. tainted 2. What Andalusian city gave its name to a bitter orange used especially in 2. admired 3. What famous headwear and safety harness brand was devised from the original 4. coolheaded 4.

Which once war-torn Balkan capital city has a world-leading human DNA analysis laboratory? 5. Georges Bizet devised the word 'toreador' for what opera? 6. The continent having the highest average elevation is: Africa; Asia; Europe; or Antartica? 7. What is a remark, act, or chess move seeking advantage, from Italian for trip-up, ANSWER: 1.In this question, unadulterated is an adjective that means not mixed with impurities. Something that's pure, not mixed with other ingredients, is unadulterated. If you stand in your yard every time it rains singing "Singin' in the Rain" with unadulterated enthusiasm, your neighbors will eventually call the police. Food or drink that is pure is also said to be unadulterated. Some people like chocolate milk, but you might prefer the unadulterated variety. The adjective unadulterated also means "without qualifications," and it can be used in a negative way to mean "complete and utter." You'd probably feel like an unadulterated idiot if you shocked yourself by sticking a knife in the toaster after being advised not to.

raw materials silk, angora and wool? and leg? 8. The Dewey Decimal, Universal Decimal, and Bliss Bibliographic classifications are used by: Farmers; Librarians; Architects; or Travel agents? 9. Which big-selling artist 1999-2003 shares her name with the founding Queen of Carthage? 10. The Carthage civilization (814-200BC) was based around modern: Copenhagen; Tunis; Mexico City; or Moscow? 11. The volume of a pyramid or cone is: base area x height x (what fraction?): A Quarter; A Third; A Half; or Nine-Fourteenths? Tricky Mathematics Problem A game is being played where eight players can last for seventy minutes. Six substitutes alternate with each player in this game. Thus, all players are on the pitch for the same amount of time including the substitutes. For how long is each player on the pitch? 12. What edible weed is named from 'lion's tooth'? Now dividing that with 14, we can conclude that each player was there on the pitch for 40 minutes (560/14) 13.

Disney's Lion King movie/musical is generally said to be based on what Shakespeare play? 70 x 8 = 560 min in total. Now, the question has told us that only eight players are present on the field at one time. Total players = 8 + 6 = 14 14. What is the UK's most senior royal palace and official residence of the monarch? 15. What instrument is sized according to terms such as 0, 00, 000, Grand ANSWER:40 minutes Auditorium and Dreadnought? 16. The Occident (from Latin 'going down') refers generally to which part of the world: Europe/US; Asia; Australia; or Africa? 17. The traditional Windows/Mac keyboard shortcut to undo the last operation is Ctrl or Cmd and what key? JUMBLED WORDS H I R E K 18. The Gannex brand, popularised by British prime minister Harold Wilson in the 1960s, was a: Pipe; Cigar; Fountain pen; or Raincoat? D U M Y D 19.

What mountain's peak is the farthest point from Earth's centre/center: Everest; Kilimanjaro; Chimborazo; or McKinley? E E G U L D 20. What 1930s-originating genericized trademark came to refer to 'piped' ANSWERS: 1.England/Britain, 2.Seville, 3.Kangol, 4.Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina capital - the laboratory expertise and scale grew from the aftermath of the 1992-5 Bosnian War), 5.Carmen (based on the Spanish term torero, it refers to the main bullfighter, matador de toros, killer of bulls), 6.Antartica, 7.Gambit, 8.Libraries, 9.Dido, 10.Tunis (Tunisia), 11.

A Third, 12.Dandelion, 13.Hamlet, 14.St James's Palace, 15.Guitar (acoustic), 16.Europe/US (the reference is to the sunset), 17.Z, 18.Raincoat, 19.Chimborazo (Ecuador, farthest due to equatorial bulge of the Earth), 20.Muzak 196 citypageskuwait.com C A P T I M T I S I S N ANSWERS:HIKER, MUDDY, DELUGE, IMPACT, INSIST background recorded music played in elevators, reception areas, airports, etc?

Question: The Carthage civilization (814-200BC) was based around modern?
Answer: Tunis