Carthage - The Founding Carthage By N.S. Gill What Is Carthage? Carthage was a prosperous ancient city on the north coast of Africa (in modern Tunisia) that was founded by Phoenicians. A commercial empire, Carthage made its fortune through trade, and expanded its domain across northern Africa, the area that is now Spain, and into the Mediterranean where it came into contact and conflict with the Greeks and Romans. The Legend of Carthage: Dido and the other Pygmalion The romantic legend of the founding of Carthage is that a merchant-prince or king of Tyre gave his daughter Elissa (usually called Dido in Vergil's Aeneid) in marriage to his brother, her uncle, a priest of Melqart named Sichaeus, along with the kingdom. Elissa's brother, Pygmalion [note: there is another ancient Pygmalion ], had thought the kingdom would be his, and when he discovered that he had been thwarted, secretly killed his brother-in-law/uncle.

Sichaeus, as a ghost, came to his widow to tell her that her brother was dangerous and that she needed to take her followers and the royal wealth that Pygmalion had appropriated, and flee. continue reading below our video 10 Best Universities in the United States Although certainly the supernatural element raises questions, clearly Tyre did send out colonists. The next part of the legend plays on the characterization of Phoenicians as tricky. After stopping at Cyprus, Elissa and her followers landed in north Africa where they asked the locals if they could stop to rest. When they were told that they could have the area that an ox hide would cover, Elissa had an ox hide cut into strips and lay them out end-to-end in a crescent circumscribing a sizeable area of land. Elissa had taken an area of the shoreline opposite Sicily that would allow the emigrants from the mercantile city of Tyre to continue to ply their expertise in trade. This ox-hide enclosed area was known as Carthage. Eventually, the Phoenicians of Carthage branched out into other areas and started to develop an empire.

They came into conflict first with the Greeks [see: Magna Graecia ] and then with the Romans. Although it took three (Punic) wars with the Romans, the Carthaginians were eventually annihilated. According to another story, the Romans sprinkled the fertile land on which they lived with salt in 146 B.C. A century later, Julius Caesar proposed the establishment of a Roman Carthage on the same spot. Points to Note About the Carthage Founding Legend: The Greeks and Romans considered the Phoenicians to be treacherous. In the Odyssey, Rhys Carpenter (1958: "Phoenicians in the West") says Homer calls them polypaipaloi "of many tricks". The term Punic fides "Punic faith" means bad faith or betrayal. Cicero said of the Carthaginians that "Carthage would not have held an empire for six hundred years had it not been governed with wisdom and statecraft." Cadmus (Kadmos) of Tyre was a Phoenician of legend who brought the alphabet to the Greeks when he went in search of his sister Europa whom Zeus had carried off on a white bull.

Cadmus founded Thebes. The salting of Carthage is a legend. R.T. Ridley in "To be Taken with a Pinch of Salt: The Destruction of Carthage," Classical Philology Vol 81, No. 2 1986 says the first reference he can find to the salting of Carthage comes from the twentieth century. Evidence for Carthage: The Romans actively set out to obliterate Carthage in 146 B.C., following the Third Punic War , and then they built a new Carthage on top of the ruins, a century later, which was itself destroyed. So there are few remains of Carthage in the original location. There are tombs and burial urns from a sanctuary to the fertility mother goddess Tanit , a stretch of the wall fortifying the city that is visible from the air, and the remains of two harbors.(1) Date of the Founding of Carthage: According to Polybius (born c. 204 B.C.), the Greek historian Timaeus of Tauromenion (c.

357-260 B.C.), dated the founding of Carthage to 814 or 813 B.C. Other ancient authors who wrote about Punic Carthage were: Appian, Carthage | Article about Carthage by The Free Dictionary Carthage | Article about Carthage by The Free Dictionary Related to Carthage: Punic Wars Carthage, city (1990 pop. 10,747), seat of Jasper co., SW Mo., on the Spring River; inc. 1873. Its gray marble quarries are the largest of their kind, and Carthage marble is a major product. Machinery and electronic products are also made. Carthage was the scene of a Confederate victory on July 5, 1861; the city was burned but rebuilt after the war. Of note are the log-cabin courthouse (1842) and the George Washington Carver National Monument, site of Carver's birthplace, at nearby Diamond. Carthage (kär`thĭj), ancient city, on the northern shore of Africa, on a peninsula in the Bay of Tunis and near modern Tunis.

The Latin name, Carthago or Cartago, was derived from the Phoenician name, which meant "new city." The Rise of Carthage Carthage was founded (traditionally by Dido Dido , in Roman mythology, queen of Carthage, also called Elissa. She was the daughter of a king of Tyre. After her brother Pygmalion murdered her husband, she fled to Libya, where she founded and ruled Carthage. ..... Click the link for more information. ) from Tyre in the 9th cent. B.C. The city-state built up trade and in the 6th and 5th cent. B.C. began to acquire dominance in the W Mediterranean. Merchants and explorers established a wide net of trade that brought great wealth to Carthage. The state was tightly controlled by an aristocracy of nobles and wealthy merchants. Although a council and a popular assembly existed, these soon lost power to oligarchical institutions, and actual power was in the hands of the judges and two elected magistrates (suffetes). There was also a small but powerful senate. The greatest weakness of Carthage was the rivalry between landholding and maritime families.

The maritime faction was generally in control, and about the end of the 6th cent. B.C. the Carthaginians established themselves on Sardinia, Malta, and the Balearic Islands. The navigator Hanno Hanno , fl. c.480? B.C., Carthaginian navigator. He founded seven towns on the Atlantic shore of Morocco and probably explored the Atlantic coast of Africa to Sierra Leone. ..... Click the link for more information. is supposed to have sailed down the African coast as far as Sierra Leone in the early 5th cent. The statesman Mago arrived at treaties with the Etruscans, the Romans, and some of the Greeks. Sicily, which lay almost at the front door of Carthage, was never brought completely under Carthaginian control. The move against the island, begun by settlements in W Sicily, was brought to a halt when the Carthaginian general Hamilcar Hamilcar , fl. 480 B.C., Carthaginian general. Little is known of him, although he was a member of the powerful Barca family.

He commanded an army against Gelon and the Greeks in Sicily, who severely defeated him (480 B.C.) at Himera. Hamilcar was killed in the battle. ..... Click the link for more information. (a name that recurred in the powerful Carthaginian family usually called the Barcas) was defeated (480 B.C.) by Gelon Gelon , d. 478 B.C., Greek Sicilian ruler. As tyrant of Gela, his native city, he interfered in the struggle for power in Syracuse (485 B.C.) and made himself the leader of the popular party there. From that time he ruled Syracuse and dominated Greek Sicily. In 480 B.C. ..... Click the link for more information. , tyrant of Syracuse, in the battle of Himera. The Greek city-states of Sicily were thus preserved, but the Carthaginian threat continued and grew with the steadily increasing power of Carthage. Hamilcar's grandson, Hannibal (another name much used in the family), destroyed Himera (409 B.C.), and his colleague Himilco sacked Acragas (modern Agrigento) in 406 B.C.

Syracuse Syracuse , Ital. Siracusa, city (1991 pop. 125,941), capital of Syracuse prov., SE Sicily, Italy, on the Ionian Sea. It has a port and is a market and tourist center. Its manufactures include machinery and processed food. ..... Click the link for more information. resisted the conquerors, and a century later Carthage was threatened by the campaign (310–307?) of the tyrant Agathocles on the shores of Africa. After his death, however, Carthage had practically complete control over all the W Mediterranean. The Punic Wars and the Decline of Carthage In the 3d cent. B.C. Rome challenged Carthage's control of the W Mediterranean in the Punic Wars Punic Wars, three distinct conflicts between Carthage and Rome. When they began, Rome had nearly completed the conquest of Italy, while Carthage controlled NW Africa and the islands and the commerce of the W Mediterranean. ..... Click the link for more information. (so called after the Roman name for the Carthaginians, Poeni, i.e., Phoenicians).

The first of these wars (264–241) cost Carthage all remaining hold on Sicily. Immediately after the First Punic War a great uprising of the mercenaries occurred (240–238). Hamilcar Barca Hamilcar Barca, d. 229 or 228 B.C., Carthaginian general. He was assigned the command in Sicily in 247 in the First Punic War (see Punic Wars). From mountain bases near Palermo he made repeated raids on the Romans and relieved the Punic garrison in Lilybaeum. ..... Click the link for more information. put down the revolt and compensated for the loss of Sicilian possessions by undertaking conquest in Spain, a conquest continued by Hasdrubal Hasdrubal , d. 221 B.C., Carthaginian general. He fought under his father-in-law, Hamilcar Barca, in Africa and in Spain, where he succeeded (229 or 228 B.C.) Hamilcar as general. He increased the empire in Spain, where he founded Carthago Nova (modern Cartagena). ..... Click the link for more information. .

The growth of Carthaginian power again activated trouble with Rome, and precipitated the Second Punic War (218–201). Although the Carthaginian general was the formidable Hannibal Hannibal , b. 247 B.C., d. 183 or 182 B.C. Carthaginian general, an implacable and formidable enemy of Rome. Although knowledge of him is based primarily on the reports of his enemies, Hannibal appears to have been both just and merciful. He is renowned for his tactical genius. ..... Click the link for more information. , Carthage was finally defeated, partly by the Roman generals Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus (see under Fabius Fabius , ancient Roman gens. The family was most distinguished from the 5th cent. B.C. onward. However, little is known of the early members. Quintus Fabius Vibulanus, fl. 450 B.C., was consul three times (467, 465, 459) and a member of the decemvirate. ..... Click the link for more information.

) and Scipio Africanus Major Scipio Africanus Major (Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus) , 236–183 B.C., Roman general, the conqueror of Hannibal in the Punic Wars. He was the son of Publius Cornelius Scipio, and from a very early age he considered himself to have divine inspiration. ..... Click the link for more information. , and partly by the fatal division of the leading families in Carthage itself, which prevented Hannibal from receiving proper supplies. After Scipio had won (202) the battle of Zama Zama , ancient town near the northern coast of Africa, in present Tunisia. Although there was more than one town named Zama, tradition says that in 202 B.C. Scipio Africanus Major defeated Hannibal there in the decisive and final battle of the Second Punic War (see Punic Wars). ..... Click the link for more information. , Carthage sued for peace. All its warships and its possessions outside Africa were lost, but Carthage recovered commercially and remained prosperous.

Deep divisions among the Carthaginian political parties, however, gave Rome (and particularly Cato the Elder Cato the Elder or Cato the Censor, Lat. Cato Major or Cato Censorius, 234–149 B.C., Roman statesman and moralist, whose full name was Marcus Porcius Cato. ..... Click the link for more information. ) the pretext to fight the Third Punic War (149–146 B.C.), which ended with the total destruction of Carthaginian power and the razing of the city by Scipio Africanus Minor Scipio Africanus Minor (Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus Numantinus), c.185–129 B.C., Roman general, destroyer of Carthage. He was the son of Aemilius Paullus, under whom he fought at Pydna. ..... Click the link for more information. . Romans later undertook to build a new city (Colonia Junonia) on the spot in 122 B.C., but the project failed. A new city was founded in 44 B.C.

and under Augustus became an important center of Roman administration. Carthage was later (A.D. 439–533) the capital of the Vandals and was briefly recovered (533) for the Byzantine Empire by Belisarius. Although practically destroyed by Arabs in 698, the site was populated for many centuries afterward. Today's Carthage There are hardly any remains of the ancient Carthage, although a few Punic cemeteries, shrines, and fortifications have been discovered. Most of the ruins that remain are from the Roman period, including baths, an amphitheater, aqueducts, and other buildings. Louis IX of France (St. Louis) died there while on crusade. A chapel in his honor stands on the hill that is traditionally identified as Byrsa Hill, site of the ancient citadel. The Lavigérie Museum is also there. Bibliography See B. H. Warmington, Carthage (2d ed. 1969); T. A. Dorey and D. R. Dudley, Rome against Carthage (1971); N.

Davis, Carthage and Her Remains (1985); R. Miles, Carthage Must Be Destroyed (2011). Carthage (Phoenician Qart hadasht literally “new town”), a slave-owning city-state in North Africa, which subjugated a significant part of coastal North Africa, the southern part of Spain, and a number of islands in the Mediterranean Sea from the seventh to the fourth century b.c. Phoenician colonists from the city of Tyre founded Carthage in 825 b.c. Owing to its convenient geographic location, Carthage soon became a major trade center. The city also maintained close contacts with the countries of the eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea, Italy, and Tartessus. Carthage was an oligarchical state, with power in the hands of groups of the commercial-agricultural aristocracy, who continually fought with each other for superiority and influence. Legislative power belonged to the council of ten (which was changed to the council of 30 in the middle of the fifth century b.c.) and the council of elders (which was expanded in the middle of the fifth century b.c.

from 100 to 300 members). Supreme executive power was held by two elected suffetes (magistrates). The council of 104 was created to control the magistrates and particularly the military leaders. The magistrates were elected on the principle of “nobility and wealth.” The popular assembly did not play a significant role; it assumed power only in the case of disagreement between the magistrates, having the right in such a case not only to discuss the proposals introduced by the magistrates but also to introduce its own measures. Sources mention bribery and corruption as characteristic features of political life in Carthage. Large-scale agriculture based on the use of slaves was widely developed. In handicraft production, half-slave producers were exploited along with the slaves. Besides the private workshops, there were state facilities where the labor of state slaves was exploited. The agricultural population of the territories subject to Carthage were obligated to pay a tax of one-tenth of the grain harvest. The exploitation of the subject peoples provoked frequent uprisings.

The Phoenician colonies (Utica, Hippo, Leptis Magna, Leptis Minor) that were part of Carthage’s empire had a social and political structure resembling that of Carthage and, apparently, enjoyed internal autonomy. They were obliged to pay a duty tax on their trade. In 534 b.c., Carthage, in alliance with the Etruscans, defeated the Phocaean Greeks at the battle of Alalia. Later, Carthage destroyed Tartessus. As a result of these victories, Carthage consolidated its supremacy in the western Mediterranean and its monopolistic position in the area’s trade. However, after suffering a defeat at the hands of the Greeks in the battle of Himera (c. 480 b.c.), Carthage was forced to halt its offensive against the Greeks for a long time. In the middle of the fifth century b.c., Carthage subjugated the Libyan agricultural population of North Africa. By this time, the empire that Carthage had created included North Africa, western Sicily, southern Spain, and Sardinia.

At the end of the fifth century b.c., Carthage renewed the struggle for Sicily, which it conducted with varying success against Syracuse for about 100 years. By the third century B.C. almost all of Sicily except Syracuse was under its power. Sicily was the main objective of the struggle between Carthage and Rome during the First Punic War (264–241 b.c.). After suffering defeat both in Sicily itself and on the sea, Carthage was forced to relinquish Sicily to Rome as well as pay Rome a considerable indemnity. Riots among the mercenaries, from whom the Carthaginian government had withheld payment after the conclusion of the war, triggered a major uprising of the Libyan peasantry (241–238 b.c.), in which runaway slaves also took part. Carthage suppressed this revolt with great difficulty. In the 230’s and 220’s b.c., power in Carthage passed into the hands of a democratic group led by Hamilcar Barca, who advocated renewing the war with Rome.

Between 237 and 219 b.c., the Carthaginians not only reestablished their economic and military power but also significantly extended their domains in Spain (up to the Iberus River) under the command of Hamilcar Barca (until 229 b.c.), Hasdrubal (until 221 b.c.), and Hannibal. The siege and capture of the city of Saguntum, a Roman ally, led to the Second Punic War (218–201 b.c.). In the war, the Romans and the Carthaginians waged a struggle for supremacy in the western Mediterranean and for dominance in trade and navigation. By invading Italy and inflicting a series of crushing defeats on the Romans (the most important of which was the battle at Cannae in 216 b.c.), Hannibal created an immediate threat to Rome’s existence. However, he was unable to retain the initiative. The Romans massed their forces for a retaliatory strike and carried the war to Africa.

After the defeat at Zama (202 b.c.), the Carthaginians were compelled to conclude a peace treaty with Rome, which deprived Carthage of its possessions in Spain and also prohibited Carthage from waging war without Rome’s consent. In 149 b.c. the Romans, fearful of the growth of Carthage’s economic power, began the Third Punic War (149–146 b.c.), as a result of which Carthage, after a three-year siege, was completely destroyed and its inhabitants sold into slavery. Part of the Carthaginian territory was transferred to the Numidians, and the rest became the Roman province of Africa. Excavations have been conducted in North Africa since the 1850’s. The art of Carthage, Phoenician in origin, was influenced by the art of ancient Egypt and Greece. Majestic buildings were constructed in the city (multistoried houses, temples, mausoleums), mostly of stone and sun-dried brick.

One of the few surviving buildings is the mausoleum of Ateban in Dougga (Thugga—200 b.c.; architect, Abarish), a towerlike structure topped by a pyramid. The art of Punic Carthage can be judged from items found in burials near the city; jewelry, clay lamps, vessels, statuettes, grimacing masks, and sarcophagi with relief depictions of human figures. REFERENCES Tyre - Ancient History Encyclopedia Tyre by Joshua J. Mark published on 02 September 2009 Tyre is an ancient Phoenician port city which, in myth, is known as the birthplace of Europa (who gave Europe its name) and Dido of Carthage (who gave aid to, and fell in love with, Aeneas of Troy ). The name means 'rock' and the city consisted of two parts, the main trade centre on an island, and 'old Tyre', about a half mile opposite on the mainland. The old city, known as Ushu, was founded c. 2750 BCE and the trade centre grew up shortly after.

In time, the island complex became more prosperous and populated than Ushu and was heavily fortified. The prosperity of Tyre attracted the attention of King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon who lay siege to the city for thirteen years in the 6th century BCE without breaking their defenses. During this siege most of the inhabitants of the mainland city abandoned it for the relative safety of the island city. Ushu became a suburb of Tyre on the mainland and remained so until the coming of Alexander the Great . The Tyrians were known as workers in dye from the shells of the Murex shellfish. This purple dye was highly valued and held royal connotations in the ancient world. It also gave the Phoenicians their name from the Greeks - Phoinikes - which means "purple people". The city-state was the most powerful in all of Phoenicia after surpassing its sister state Sidon . Tyre is referenced in the Bible in the New Testament where it is claimed that both Jesus and St. Paul visited the city and remains famous in military history for Alexander the Great's seige.

Tyre was in its golden age around the 10th century BCE and, in the 8th, colonized other sites & enjoyed great prosperity. Tyre's Golden Age Tyre was in its golden age around the 10th century BCE and, in the 8th, was colonizing other sites in the area and enjoying great wealth and prosperity owing primarily to an alliance with Israel . The Tyrian alliance and trade agreement with David, King of Israel, was initiated by the King of Tyre, Abibaal who sent the new king timber from the fabled cedars of Lebanon (as Abibaal's son, Hiram, is said to have done for David's son Solomon). This alliance resulted in a very lucrative partnership which benefited both parties. According to the historian Richard Miles, "Commercially, this deal not only gave Tyre privileged access to the valuable markets of Israel, Judaea, and northern Syria , it also provided further opportunities for joint overseas ventures. Indeed, a Tyrian-Israelite expedition travelled to the Sudan and Somalia, and perhaps even as far as the Indian Ocean" (32).

Remove Ads Advertisement Another development which encouraged the wealth of Tyre seems to have been a religious revolution in the city under the reigns of Abibaal and Hiram which elevated the god known as Melqart (a deified version of Hercules ) over the traditional divine couple of the Phoenicians, Baal (also known as El) and Astarte (Asherah). The primacy of Melqart (whose name means `King of the City') drew power away from the priests of the traditional pantheon of the gods and placed it at the disposal of the palace. Richard Miles notes, "It seems that a desire to bring the temples to heel lay behind the royal decision to replace the traditional chief deities of Tyre with a new god, Melqart"(32). The result was not only an increase in the wealth of the palace but, through a more efficient distribution of that wealth, increased prosperity for the whole of the city. Alexander the Great & the Siege The king now, not the priests, was the "bridge between the temporal and celestial worlds, and the needs of the heavenly gods could closely correspond with the political exigencies of the palace" (Miles, 33).

This new religious policy encouraged a more closely-knit bond among the people of the city by designating them as set apart from the other city-states of Phoenicia and, so, special in the eyes of their god. Miles writes: The king even introduced an elaborate new ceremonial to celebrate the annual festival of Melqart. Each spring, in a carefully choreographed festival called the egersis, an effigy of the god was placed on a giant raft before being ritually burnt as it drifted out to sea while hymns were sung by the assembled crowds. For the Tyrians, as for many other ancient Near eastern peoples, the emphasis fell upon the restorative properties of fire, for the god himself was not destroyed but revived by the smoke, and the burning of the effigy thus represented rebirth. To emphasize the importance of the egersis in maintaining the internal cohesion of the Tyrian people, all foreigners had to leave the city for the duration of the ceremony (33-34). Remove Ads Advertisement It was this ceremony, and the importance it held for the people, which would bring about Tyre's destruction and the slaughter or enslavement of the populace.

In 332 BCE, Alexander the Great arrived at the city, fresh from the subjugation of Sidon, and demanded Tyre's surrender. Following Sidon's lead, the Tyrians acknowledged Alexander's greatness and presented him with gifts. All seemed to be going well and, pleased with their submission, Alexander said he would present a sacrifice in honor of their god in the Temple of Melqart. The Tyrians could not allow this as it would be sacrilegious for a foreigner to present a sacrifice in the holy home of their god and even more so as the ceremony of the egersis was close at hand. The historian Worthington presents what followed: "Azemilk, King of Tyre, proposed a compromise. Tyre would become Alexander's ally, but he should sacrifice on the mainland at Old Tyre, opposite the island. An angry Alexander sent envoys to say this was unacceptable and that the Tyrians had to surrender. They murdered the envoys and threw them off their walls" (105). Alexander then ordered the siege of Tyre.

He dismantled much of the old mainland city of Ushu as well as using fallen debris, rock, and felled trees, filling in the sea between the mainland and the island to create a land bridge for his war machines. Over the centuries since, this caused heavy sedimentation to occur and permanently linked the island to the mainland; which is why Tyre is not an island today. After a siege of seven months, Alexander used his man-made causeway to batter down the walls of Tyre and take the city. Tyre’s 30,000 inhabitants were either massacred or sold into slavery, and the city was destroyed by Alexander in his rage at their having defied him for so long. The fall of Tyre led to the rise of Carthage as the survivors of the siege, who were able to escape Alexander's wrath by bribery or stealth, founded the new city in the north of Africa. Following Alexander's death in 323 BCE, his general Seleucus I took control of the region of Phoenicia, including Tyre, and rebuilt it but the city was again destroyed in 315 BCE by Alexander's rival general Antigonus.

The Coming of Rome & Tyre's Decline The Romans took the ruined city as a colony in 64 BCE, when Pompey annexed the whole of Phoenicia to the Roman Empire . Tyre was re-built under the Romans who, ironically, destroyed the city of Carthage the surviving Tyrians had founded. Rome built the roads, monuments, and aqueducts which can still be seen in the modern day and the city flourished under Roman rule but declined after the fall of the empire . It continued on as a port city under the eastern half of Rome, the Byzantine Empire , until the 7th century CE when it was taken in the Muslim conquest of the region. Tyre Speciality Written references to Tyre Tyre (Greek/Roman); Dr (Egyptian); Sor (Hebrew); Surry (Babylnian); Sur (Arabic); or Sr (Sematic) During ancient times, Tyre was the most important metropolis in the area of the world known by the ancients as "Phoenicia" from Greek for the color purple-red. Dye Production .

Due to the production of the very expensive royal purple dye from the Murex (a sea snail) that was produced in the area (1 gram of the dye was worth 20 grams of gold). Although they accepted the name, the various cities of the area never formed an alliance and probably called themselves Canaanites. For convenience historians usually define Canaanites as the people of the "Bronze Age" before 1200 BC and Phoenicians as the people of the "Iron age" after 1200 BC. The Romans called the lands Punic from the Roman word for purple (Puniceus). Tyre is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. Located in what is now southern Lebanon the city was at the crossroads where the various great civilizations of Greece, Mesopotamia, and Egypt collided. As such, Tyre was under the dominion of various great civilizations, but unlike its southern neighbor "Israel" it seldom rebelled and prospered regardless of the dominate power. Genetic/DNA studies indicate that through all the conquests the people are still the same i.e., Canaanites > Phoenician > Lebanese.

There are various speculations as to where the people originated and controversy as to which of the coastal cities (Byblos, Sidon or Tyre) is older. Egyptian text would indicate Byblos History of Byblos (the biblical city of Gebal and modern day Jebal (famous for the Cedars of Lebanon and rich from it's trade with ancient Egypt) and there are claims by Sidon of establishing Tyre and of Tyre establishing Sidon; regardless, archeology indicates all three cities date back to the third millennium as fishing villages and what we define as Phoenician culture developed in place. Through thousands of years of history each of the Phoenicia cities rose and fell and may have been re-established by the other. "Tyre" means the rock based on the foundation myth that an "oracle" instructed the first men on earth to build a ship and land on floating rocks, designated as "ambrosial rocks", on which grew an olive tree harboring an eagle and a serpent and enveloped by a fire that did not consume its branches. They were to then capture and sacrifice the eagle. The first men carried out the instruction, then the floating rocks became fixed and "Tyre" was founded.

As such, the citizens of "Tyre" considered themselves amongst the original people of earth. Reverse of coin of Gordian III showing Ambrosial rocks and olive tree from the foundation myth. Tyre is called the city whose "Antiquity is of Ancient days" by the prophet Isaiah ref 4 - Isaiah 23:7 ). Herodotus (writing in the 5th century BC) reports that the priests of Melquart told him that the city of Tyre was founded in 2750 BC, which agrees with the archeological evidence. By 2350 BC, the Phoenicians had sailed out of the Mediterranean through the "Pillars of Hercules" and found sources of Tin. This was so important that they named the area "Barra Tannica" (land of tin) = Brittany = Britain. The introduction of Tin advanced the Mediterranean world to the "Bronze Age". This was so important that the Phoenicians made every effort (including sinking their on ships, if followed) to keep other sea-faring people from the source and thus maintained power for over 1000 years.

By the 12th Dynasty of Egypt (1991 BC) there was already trade between Tyre and Egypt. The first written reference to the city is an Egyptian text dating from 1780 - 1750 BC. (ref 2) Tyre was part of Canaan, which between about 2000 BC until 1200 BC was made up of independent city-states that paid tribute of goods and workers for royal projects to Egypt. Tyre became rich through its extensive trade in timber with Egypt and in turn relied on the Pharaoh's protection. Around 1600 B.C. the Phoenicians invented 22 ‘magic signs’ called the alphabet, and passed them onto the world. The Phoenicians gave the alphabet to the Greeks who adopted it; the Phoenician Alphabet eventually evolved to the Latin letters of present-day. Description of the Phoenician Alphabet. According to Greek Legend during the time of Hero's about 1400 BC (200 years before the Trojan war). The Phoenicians founded Europe. "Europa" was a princess from "Tyre", daughter of king "Agenor", who was abducted to Crete by Zeus.

Her father sent her brothers to the continent that now bears her name with orders not to return without Europa. The brothers were unsuccessful in their search so they could not return to Tyre and instead they settled and founded cities throughout Europe. The most famous of the brothers is Cadmus who founded Thebes and who the Greeks believed brought the first alphabet to Greece. Europa remained in Crete and was the mother of King Minos of Crete, King Rhadamanthus of Cyclades and Prince Sarpedon of Lycia. Tyre mythology . Reverse of coin of Gallienus showing Cadmus fighting the serpent (dragon) In the Tell el-Amarna tablets Amarna Tablets to Pharaoh Akhenaton (1378 - 1365), it is recorded that the King of Tyre (Abi-Miliki) is struggling against a Hittite inspired insurrection and as such makes multiple request for assistance The final outcome is not clear, but there are indications that "Tyre" and other Syrian cities renounced their loyalty to Egypt. Under Seti I (1302 - 1290 BC);.

Seti battled the Hittites and regained Canaan, Palestine and South Syria, Tyre (Dr) is inclued on a list of the cities conquered by Seti I. Ramsis II tried to extend this conquest, but after the battle of Kadesh the boundaries between Egypt and the Hittites were firmly established. Mythological King of Tyre +/- 1400 BC ((200 years before the fall of Troy) King Agenor First recorded King of Tyre Abi-Miliki (+/- 1365 - 1358 BC) About 1230 BC, there is an Egyptian reference to sending a dispatch to the Prince of Tyre "Baal-Termeg". (ref 5) In the 13th century BC, Lycians (sea people) were driven out of their homeland by Phrygians and Armenians and settled in Cyprus. From Cyprus they unsuccessfully attacked Egypt twice once in 1232 BC and again in 1183 BC. After their defeats, they moved into Canaan - one group being the Philistines.

Other refuges from Lycia moved overland into Syria and Canaan destroying many Canaanite cities but not Tyre, (ref 3 & 4) During this period Tyre seems to have collapsed because according to Justin (writing in the 3rd century AD) Tyre was founded by Sidon, which after being defeated by the King of Ascalon, the Sidonians set sail and settled in Tyre - one year before the fall of Troy.(+/- 1200 BC) and according to Josephus (writing 1st century AD) Tyre was founded 240 years before the building of the the temple of Jerusalem (974 - 934 BC) which agrees with the date of +/- 1200 BC for a refounding of the city of Tyre and coincides with the time of the attacks of the sea people. The sea people were barbarian pillagers not settlers or conquerors, they had iron (steel) weapons and so were able to wreak havoc with the bronze age people.

This heralded the beginner of the first dark ages (Greek)(12th century - 8th century BC) and the end of the bronze age and the beginning of the iron age. After the Exodus (+/- 1200 BC), the Israelites conquered the cities of Canaan, which had been significantly weakened by the sea people. Tyre along with the other allied kingdoms of northern Canaan fell to Joshua at the battle by the waters of Merom. ref 5 - Joshua 11:5-8) Joshua called Tyre "the Strong city" (ref 6 -Joshua 19:29) . This is a good description since the city was located on two islands about 600 meters from the mainland and had steep walls ascending from the very edge of the sea. On the mainland was an independent city called Ushu, which later became a suburb of the island city. Tyre is frequently mentioned in the Bible.

Between +/-1200 BC and 1020 BC, Canaan was divided between the 12 tribes of Israel - Tyre was included in the northern most territory and was part of the territories of the tribe of "Asher" (ref 6 - Joshua 19:29-31) . Israel was under Philistine oppression starting about 1095 BC. Between 1030 BC and 1010 BC, Saul and David battled the Philistines. During this time, northern Canaan including Tyre broke away from Israel and henceforth the area was known as Phoenicia to differentiate it from southern Canaan "Philistine" and central Canaan "Israel" or "Judea". During the time of David and Solomon (1010 BC - 925 BC), Hiram I was the king of Tyre. Solomon asked Hiram to build Solomon's temple and to use special woods such as Cedar and Juniper and the best craftsmen saying to set his own wages.

(ref 7 - Samual II 5:-11-12 & Kings I:1-11) Hiram I was a good choice since he was responsible for the construction of temples dedicated to "Ba' al Melkart" (the patron God of Tyre). The temple of Jerusalem was built to the Phoenician pattern with two large columns named Jachin and Boaz - the same names as the temple of Melkart in Tyre. Good relations between Tyre and Israel benefited both parties. Tyre being an island nation lacked agricultural land, fresh water and fuel. Israel supplied food to Tyre (ref 14 - Acts 12:20) while Israel made use of Tyre's sea trade routes and timber. At a royal wedding of the son of David, the Phoenicians "daughters of Tyre" are described as the men of wealth who bring gifts to the bride. Later as Solomon's empire grew, he needed Tyrian ship building technology and men for his fleet (ref 11 - Kings I 9:26-28). Solomon became deeply indebted to Hiram I and gave him 20 towns in Galilee.

Hiram I was not happy with the towns and complained to Solomon that they were worthless (ref 10 - Kings I 9:10-15) . Later it is recorded that Solomon rebuilt the cities of Galilee (ref 9 - Chronicles II 8:2) , so either Hiram I refused to accept the cities or he returned them after Solomon paid his debt. Hiram's greatest achievement was to join the two islands and reclaim a large area of land from the sea. Exerts from the bible gives us a fairly complete list of the early kings of Tyre, as follows: Early 10th century (+/- 1000 - 970 BC) Abi-Baal ruled Tyre (Father of Hiram according to Josephus) 969 BC Hiram I becomes king of Tyre and rules for 34 years 935 BC Hiram I dies and is succeeded by his son Beleazarus, who rules for 7 years 928 BC Beleazarus dies and is succeeded by his son Abdastartus, who rules for 9 years.

919 BC Abdastartus is slain in a coup led by his 4 sons and their nurse, eldest son Deleastartus becomes king. 907 BC Deleastartus dies and his son Astartus becomes king, who rules for 12 years. 895 BC Asermymus the brother of Astartus becomes king, who rules for 9 years. 887 BC +/- Asermymus is killed by his brother Pheles, who rules for only 8 months. 887 BC +/- Ethbaal, priest of Melkart, overthrows Pheles and becomes King of Tyre, who rules for 32 years. In 877 BC, Ashurnasirpal II of Assyria moved on Phoenicia destroying cities that resisted. Tyre became a vassal state and paid tribute (ref 6) , but was only nominally subjected to Assyrian control.

Between 887 BC to 856 BC, Israel's King Ahab married Jezebel the daughter of the Tyrian king Ethbaal who introduced the cult of the Phoenician gods Baal and Ashtoreth (Astarte) to Israel (ref 12 - Kings II 16:29-31 ). During this period the prophet Elijah practically fought a one man battle to keep all of Israel from accepting Baal as their god. Religious persecutions shook Israel, Jezebel was responsible for killing many priests and Elijah retaliated by putting to death priests of Baal . King Ahab and most of his people still showed a preference for the gods of Jezebel. During this time Tyre must have controlled Sidon because the bible refers to "Ethbaal of the Sidonians". According to Josephus Tyre colonized Botrys in Phoenicia and Auza in Libya and some speculate that much of Phoenicia may have come under Tyrian control. The rule of Ethbaal marked a new golden age for Tyre. Tyre's growing international power and trade demanded an expansion in her harbors. Jezebel was killed in 841 BC.

After this time the relationship between Tyre and Israel turns negative and Tyre is counted as one of Israel's enemies, with much biblical envy of its wealth and prophesy of its destruction (ref 2 & 3 - Ezekiel 26,28 & 29) . The Biblical king list of Tyre is no longer complete after this time. 856 - 850 BC Ethbaal dies and is succeeded by his son Badezorus (Baalazzor I), who rules for 6 years. 850 BC - 821 BC King Mutto (Matten I) of Tyre (according to Josephus) 821 BC - 774 BC Pygmalion was king of Tyre (according to the legend of the founding of Carthage) Between 854 BC and 824 BC, Ashurnasirpa II's son (King of Assyria) fearing uprisings reversed his father's policy of benign neglect and undertook nearly continuous campaigns against Damascus, Hamath and the 12 kings from the seacoast (Tyre is one of the 12 kings).

In 837 BC, Shalmaneser III marched against Damascus and received tribute from Tyre. (ref 7) An inscription on a bronze gate shows Tyre as a fortified island city and says "I received the tribute brought in ships from the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon..." There is no indication that Tyre resented (ref 8) Assyrian dominance and probably liked strong control as trade flourished. Tyre became the leading naval power of the world. Tyrians traveled the known world, setting up trading posts and industries to utilize local resources. They probably controlled Cyrpus. Tyrians founded the city of Cadiz and many other smaller towns. (ref 10 & 15) Elissa (Dido) the elder sister of King Pygmalion of Tyre establish Carthage in 814 BC. History of Carthage . According to legend Dido was the daughter of King Mutto of Tyre, sister of Pygmalion, and married to the very wealthy Sichaeus. When Pygmalion became king, he coveted Sichaeus's wealth and had him put to death.

Dido along with a large group of friends (both male and female) with all the treasure of Sichaeus escaped from Tyre in several vessels. Upon arriving at their selected new home (Carthage), they asked the natives for only the amount of land that could be enclosed by a bull's hide. This was readily granted by the natives. Dido had a bull's hide cut into extremely fine strips, with which she was able to enclose a sizeable piece of property. She had the citadel "Byrsa" (hide) built; around which arose the city of Carthage. Reverse of Coin of Gallienus showing Dido supervising the building of Carthage In 738 BC, Ethbaal II (king of Tyre) is recorded to have paid tribute to Tiglath-Pilesser III (774 - 727 BC) of Syria. (ref 9) During this time it appears that Tyre controlled Cyprus.

In 724 BC, the Assyrians under Shamaneser V arranged with the other Phoenician cites for three score ships and eight hundred men to take Tyre, but they were defeated by 12 Tyrian ships (the Tyrians captured 500 men). Shamaneser V then besieged the city putting guards at all the rivers and aqueducts to stop the Tyrians from getting water, however the Tyrians had water from their wells. The siege was lifted in 720 BC, after Tyre surrendered the mainland city to Sargon II (720 - 705 BC) of Assyria and agreed to pay tribute. (ref 11) The Assyrians took Israel in 721 BC and Egypt in 720 BC. In 705 BC upon the death of Sargon II, Tyre stopped paying tribute to the Assyrians and were again besieged by Sargon II successor Sennacherib (704 - 681 BC). By 701 BC, the Assyrians had taken all the cities of Phonecia except the island stronghold of Tyre, which held out for 5 years, but again they lost the mainland city.

(ref 12) The king of Tyre (Elulaeus) escaped to Cyprus and was replaced by a loyal vassal of Assyria. Upon accession to the throne of Assyria Esarshadden (680 BC - 669 BC), King Abdimilkutte of Sidon revolted and Esarhaddon destroyed Sidon, executed their king Abdimilkutte and transported the inhabitants of Sidon to Assyria to do forced labor. At this time Esarshadden, for services rendered by the Tyrians, signed a treaty that concedes much of the Phoenician coast to king Ba'lu of Tyre, but it appears that Ba'lu violates the treaty (ref 13) and forms an alliance with "Taharga" Pharaoh of Egypt. In 672 BC, Tyre is again besieged by Esarshaddon, but is not taken; however the mainland city is conquered and its inhabitants killed.

Tyre withstood yet another siege in 668/667BC by Ashurbanipal (668 - 633 BC), (ref 14) Tyre surrenders to Ashurbanipal in 663 BC and the King of Tyre Ba'lu surrenders princesses and his son "Iahimilki" as a hostage. The princesses of Tyre were admitted to the royal Assyrian household (probably hostages, but they did come with dowries), but the prince is returned. The king list of Tyre becomes very shaky, based on bits of Assyrian history we get some idea of the Kings of Tyre: 750 - 744 BC Ithobaal II +/- 744 - 739 BC BC Metenna (Matten II) of Tyre (King?) pays tribute of 150 talents of Gold to king Tiglath-Pileser III. +/- 739 - 730 BC Hiram (II?)King of Sidonians/Tyre makes donation to Ba'al in Cyprus and pays tribute to Tiglath-Pileser III.

729 - 694 BC Elulaeus (Pylas) King of Tyre flees to Cyprus he ruled for 36 years. 680 - 640 BC in 669 BC King Ba'lu of Tyre signs a treaty with Assyria and in 663 BC and 640 BC he is defeated. Despite all the battles for tribute, Tyre generally benefited from trade relations with the Assyrian Empire. After Ashurbanipal's reign Assyria fell into disarray and their capital city of Nineveh fell in 612 BC to the Scythians. With the fall of Assyria, the Phoenician city states were freed of paying tribute and they flourished. This is the period described by Ezekiel (ref 1 - Ezekiel 27 regarding the prosperity of Tyre before Nebuchadnezzar. In 605 BC, Assyrian rule was brought to an end by the Babylonian victory at Carchemish. and Tyre technically became a vassal state of Babylon.

Tyre, Sidon, Judah, Edom, Ammon and Moab are recorded as plotting against Nebuchadnezzar, but no coordinated strategy seems to have come from the meeting. In 586 BC, Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem and exiled the Jews to Babylon. Tyre withstood a siege by Nebuchadnezzar for 13 years between 586 and 573 BC and their courage, bravery, and tenacity were admired throughout the ancient world. In 573 BC, Nebuchadnezzar took the mainland city of Tyre, however everything of value had been removed to the island. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the mainland city and the Tyrians never returned to the mainland. Egypt fell to Babylon in 572 BC (ref 3 - Ezekiel 26-29) . Nebuchadnezzar restored Babylon and built the famous Hanging Gardens (one of the seven wonders of the world).

It is assumed that Nebuchadnezzar never actual took the island city of Tyre, but received a nominal submission to the rule of Babylon and the king and royal family of Tyre were deported to Babylon, however the city remained semi-independent. It appears that there may have been a revolution in the city of Tyre (before or after the departure of the royal family?) and a new government by a council of Judges (similar to Carthage) took control. After 13 years of siege Tyre's economy was ruined and the rise of Babylon effectively ended much of the cities trade links to the East and the city began to decline. Babylon made "Sidon" the main Phoenician city. Shortly thereafter Tyre's largest colonies (Carthage and Kitton) declared independence. After being ruled by several judges a delegation from Tyre goes to Babylon and requests the return of their hostage king "Merbaal" who returns as king of Tyre and rules for 4 years. At his death, another delegation is sent to Babylon and returns with "Merbaal's" son "Hiram who reigns for 20 years.

We continue to get hints of the Kings of Tyre via Babylonian history as follows: <605 BC - 577 BC in 605 BC the Phoenician kings including "Ithobaal" ("Ethbaal) of Tyre formed an alliance against Nebuchadnezzar and he was the ruler during the 13 year siege. 577 - 567 BC Ithobaal was followed by his son "Baal II" who ruled for 10 years 573 BC (voluntary or revolt?) the king of Tyre is sent to Babylon as a hostage and the city of Tyre is ruled by a series of Judges including: Eknibaal (567 BC), Chelbes (566 BC), Abbar (566 - 565 BC), Matten & Gerastratus (565 - 559 BC) and Baalator (559 - 558 BC).

558 - 554 BC the Tyrians request Babylon to return their king "Merbaal" who than rules for 4 years until his death 554 BC - +/- 534 BC Merbaal dies and a second delegation is sent to Babylon to bring back his son "Hiram III" who rules for 20 years until the time of Cyrus Babylon fell to Cyrus the Great of Persia in 539 BC and the Jews and other displaced persons were freed to return to their homelands. Tyre accepted the rule of Cyrus of Persia and becomes a Persian vassal state for the next two centuries. Phoenicia, including Tyre, was part of the 5th Persian Satrapy, which ran from Egypt in the south to Cilicia in the north. History of Persia. Cyrus the Great took little interest in his vassal cities as long as their tribute was paid (350 talents for the 5th Satrapy according to Herodotus). During the reign of Cambyses (529 - 521 BC), Egypt revolted and Tyre lost Cyprus to Egypt.

Persia needed Egypt to control the Eastern Mediterranean, but had no fleet, so they granted Phoenicia semi-independence under their own kings in return for use of the Phoenician fleet. The Phoenicians were treated as allies not vassals. However, when the the Persian king wanted to invade Carthage "Tyre" refused to war against their colony and the expedition was abandoned - as Herodotus wrote without "Tyre" the fleet was too weak. Herodotus applauds Phoenicia's autonomy during this period. "Justin" makes a reference to the kings of this period, he says that there was a slave rebellion. The slaves killed their masters and the citizens of the city seized the government, however one slave pitied his master (Straton and his son) and spared their lives. To select a new king the slaves decided to crown the man who first saw the sunlight. As the citizens stared to the East, Straton looked to the high buildings of the city to the West and thus saw the reflected sunlight, so he won the crown and was succeeded by his son and grandson.

Although the story of the slave rebellion does not seem to fit any other historical account the Kings of Tyre between 534 and 480 BC may have been King Straton, his son and grandson according to the story told by Justin. During the reign of Darius I (521 BC - 486 BC) the Persian empire was connected by a system of roads, which encouraged trade and must have benefited Tyre. During the later part of the reign of Darius coinage was introduced to the Persian empire starting a new standard in Trade. Carthage © 1998 Bernard SUZANNE Last updated November 15, 1998 Plato and his dialogues : Home - Biography - Works - History of interpretation - New hypotheses - Map of dialogues : table version or non tabular version . Tools : Index of persons and locations - Detailed and synoptic chronologies - Maps of Ancient Greek World . Site information : About the author . This page is part of the "tools" section of a site, Plato and his dialogues , dedicated to developing a new interpretation of Plato's dialogues.

The "tools" section provides historical and geographical context (chronology, maps, entries on characters and locations) for Socrates, Plato and their time. By clicking on the minimap at the beginning of the entry, you can go to a full size map in which the city or location appears. For more information on the structure of entries and links available from them, read the notice at the beginning of the index of persons and locations . City of northern Africa, west of Sicily. Carthage was located on what is now the Bay of Tunis, on the shores of North Africa, and was only about 100 miles away from the western tip of Sicily. It was founded by Phoenician settlers from the city of Tyre (a city along the shores of what is now Lebanon) in the IXth or VIIIth century B. C., under the leadership of Queen Dido, the daughter of the then king of Tyre. It is because of this Phoenician origin that Carthage avoided being subjected by Cambyses , the son of Cyrus the Great and king of Persia toward the end of the VIth century B.

C., whose fleet, mostly composed of Phoenicians from the motherland, refused to wage war against kinsmen ( Herodotus, III, 17-19 ). During the VIth century B. C., Carthage establishes settlements in western Sicily ( Thucydides, VI, 2 ). After the Carthaginians were beaten by Gelon, the tyrant of Syracuse , at the battle of Himera in 480 (the same day as the battle of Salamis according to tradition, see Herodotus, VII, 166-167 ), they left most of Sicily. But, toward the end of the Vth century B. C., a new war broke out between Carthage and the Sicilians. The Carthaginians took several cities of Sicily, including Acragas and Gela , but were defeated by Dionysius I, the Elder when trying to take Syracuse . Carthage had been allied to Rome since the end of the VIth century B. C., and continued to wage recurrent wars against the Greeks of Sicily until, in 264 B.

C., a war broke out between Carthage and Rome when the Romans set out to invade Sicily. But this part of history is no longer related to our period of interest. Hannibal of Carthage Was No More Black Than King David - NYTimes.com Hannibal of Carthage Was No More Black Than King David Published: July 20, 1991 To the Editor: Russell Baker, in "Scipio, to Hannibal" (column June 25), a satirical discourse on history, instructs a "dear relative" about Hannibal and the "nutty" Chinese Gordon. He gets most of his facts more or less correct until the final paragraph. For 30 years, American blacks have claimed Hannibal as their own. When this was done in an ancient-history classroom at the University of Pennsylvania, Prof. William C. McDermott responded: "Yes, Hannibal was as black as King David." The great Carthaginian was born in a city founded by Phoenicians from Tyre led by Dido-Elissa, sister of King Pygmalion and great-niece of Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, King of Israel.

In short, the Carthaginians were Phoenicians, that is, northwest Semites, probably Canaanites, and of the same stock and almost the same language as the Hebrews. Indeed, the first-century Roman author Silius Italicus places Hannibal in a temple at Gades (modern Cadiz), praying to a god who had no idols or physical representations, which Silius thought marvelous and unaccountable. Carthage, traditionally founded before Rome in 814 B.C., was every bit as Semitic demographically as Jerusalem, while Hannibal, son of Hamilcar Barca, probably born around 247 B.C., derived his ancestry from the Phoenician aristocracy. In the case of the struggle between Mohammed Ahmad and Charles Gordon, Mr.

Baker, in the vein of Lytton Strachey, excoriates the Scotsman as a European oppressor, ignoring that the Mahdi (Muslim "messiah") was primarily involved in perpetuating and profiting from an enormous trade in black slaves, which his fellow Arabs had conducted in East Africa for over 1,000 years before the fall of Khartoum in 1885; and that Gordon Pasha had led an Egyptian army into the Sudan to stamp out this vile practice (which nevertheless has continued to enrich Arabs illicitly). Perhaps it is time to recall that not all Africans are black and that the British Empire, as well as European dominion, was not universally execrable and was often less oppressive than the tyrannies it supplanted or many that have assumed power in its place. SIDNEY HALPERN Professor of History, Temple U. Philadelphia, July 1, 1991 Drawing

Question: Which daughter of the King of Tyre traditionally founded Carthage?
Answer: Dido