Ancient Carthage

Before the conflict with Rome known as the Punic Wars (264-146 BC), Carthage was a Phoenician city-state on the North African coast (where present-day Tunisia is) and was the largest, wealthiest, and most powerful in the Mediterranean. The city was originally known as Kart-hadasht (new city) to distinguish it from the nearby ancient Phoenician city of Utica. The Greeks named the city Karchedon and the Romans changed this name to Carthago.

Founded by the legendary Phoenician queen Dido in 814 BC, it increased in size after an influx of refugees from the city of Tire following Alexander the Great's conquests in 332 BC, and later expanded to the seat of the Carthaginian Empire with colonies (like Sabratha) off the coast of North Africa, Sicily. in , Spain and elsewhere; all of this would be lost in the wake of the Punic Wars, which elevated Rome to the position of Carthage's greatest Mediterranean power.

 Legend has it that Carthage was founded by the Phoenician Queen Elissa (better known as Dido). 814 BC; Although Dido's historicity has been questioned, the establishment dates back to this time. Dido allegedly escaped the persecution of his brother, Lebanese Pygmalion, set foot on the North African coast and founded the city on the high hill later known as Byrsa. He claims that the Berber chief told him he could have enough land to be covered by an oxhide; Dido cut a single ox skin into thin strips and laid them end to end around the hill, successfully laying claim to it for his people.

 Dido's reign is described as impressive by the Roman poet Virgil (70-19 BC) and others, noting how the city grew from a small hilltop community to a large metropolis. This account and others like it are legendary, but originally Phoenician merchants supplied or repaired their ships. Carthage, which looked like a small port on the coast where they stopped to trade, was clearly a major trading center in the 4th century BC.

 The city flourished significantly when Alexander destroyed the great industrial and commercial center of Tire (considered the main city of Carthage) in 332 BC and Phoenician refugees fled from there to Carthage. These Tyrants came with whatever wealth they had. and since many donated by Alexander were rich enough to buy their lives, they descended into the city in important vehicles and made Carthage the new center of Phoenician trade.

 The Carthaginians later formed a working relationship with tribes known as the Masaesyli and Massylii of the North African Berber (Imazighen) Kingdom of Numidia, who would fill the ranks of their armies primarily as formidable cavalry units. From a small town on the coast, the city was in size and splendor with huge estates covering miles of land. Carthage quickly became the richest and most powerful city in the Mediterranean.

 Formerly a monarchy, the government of Carthage was a republic founded on a meritocracy (rule of the elite) in the 4th century BC. The top position was two elected magistrates known as suffetes (“judges”), who ruled together with a 200-300-member senate for life. The laws were passed by the suffetes and a citizens' assembly, which would vote on measures proposed by the senate. The aristocrats lived in palaces, the less affluent lived in modest but attractive houses, and the lower classes in apartments or cottages outside the city.

 Control of Sicily was divided between Rome and Carthage, which supported opposing factions on the island, which quickly brought both sides into direct conflict with each other. These conflicts will be known as the Punic Wars, from the Phoenician word for the citizens of Carthage (given as Phoinix in Greek and Punicus in Latin). While weaker than Carthage, they posed no threat. The Carthaginian navy was long able to enforce the treaty that prevented the Roman Republic from trading in the western Mediterranean. He proved to be much more resourceful.

 Although they had no navy and knew nothing about fighting at sea, Rome quickly built 330 ships, which they equipped with smart ramps and passages (corvus) that could be lowered and secured on an enemy ship; Thus, they turned a naval warfare into a land war. After an initial engagement with military tactics, Rome won a series of victories and eventually defeated Carthage in 241 BC. Carthage was forced to cede Sicily to Rome and pay a heavy war indemnity.

 Carthage believed that their treaty with Rome ended when their war debts were paid; Rome disagreed. The Romans felt that Carthage still had to submit to Roman will; So much so that the Roman Senator Cato the Elder ended all his speeches with the words “Also, I think Carthage must be destroyed.” In 149 BC, Rome decided exactly this course of action.

 A Roman embassy in Carthage submitted a list of demands, which stipulated that Carthage be dispersed and then rebuilt inland, thereby removing its long-recognized advantage in trade from its position on the coast. Evidently the Carthaginians refused to do so, leading to the Third Punic War (149 BC). -146) started.

Roman general Scipio Aemilianus ( 185-129 BCE) besieged Carthage for three years until it fell. After sacking the city, the Romans burned the city and left no stone behind. A legend has grown, but this claim has no basis in fact. It is said that when Scipio Aemilianus ordered the city to be destroyed, he wept and acted virtuously towards those who survived the siege.