Carthage's Phoenician Origins
Founded by Phoenician settlers in 814 BCE, Carthage was initially a small port city. It became a commercial hub due to strategic Mediterranean positioning and maritime prowess, eventually emerging as a powerful city-state and founding its empire.
Economic Foundations and Power
Carthage's wealth was largely due to maritime trade and a monopoly on precious Mediterranean resources. They excelled in shipbuilding, navigation, and commerce, creating extensive trade networks with Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Military Innovations and Elephants
The Carthaginian military was notable for its use of war elephants, which became a symbol of Carthaginian power. They were the first to develop sophisticated war strategies that integrated these beasts effectively in battle.
The Punic Wars with Rome
A series of three Punic Wars against Rome, spanning over a century (264-146 BCE), marked the struggle for Mediterranean dominance. Hannibal Barca's daring crossing of the Alps with elephants during the Second Punic War remains legendary.
Carthaginian Culture and Society
Carthage was a melting pot of cultures and languages, with an advanced society. Its people followed a polytheistic religion, had a senate-like political system, and made significant contributions to ancient engineering and architecture.
Destruction and Roman Carthage
Carthage was destroyed in 146 BCE after the Third Punic War, with its lands becoming the Roman province of Africa. Centuries later, the Romans rebuilt Carthage, turning it into one of the empire's most important cities.
Legacy and Archaeological Finds
Modern-day Tunisia houses the ruins of Carthage, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Excavations have unearthed the Carthaginian civilization's sophistication, revealing urban planning, artifacts, and inscriptions that challenge earlier Roman narratives.
Who founded Carthage?
Roman settlers
Greek colonists
Phoenician settlers
Company
