The Kingdom of Carthage

Carthage was a Phoenician state that included, during the 7th–3rd centuries BC, its wider sphere of influence known as the Carthaginian Empire. The empire extended over much of the coast of Northwest Africa as well as encompassing substantial parts of coastal Iberia and the islands of the western Mediterranean Sea.
The Kingdom of Carthage was the major power in the western Mediterranean from its establishment by the semi-legendary Queen Dido in 814 B.C. until its fall following its struggles against the rising Roman Republic. Carthage was one of the great trading powers of the Mediterranean and had relatively few rivals until its fall from grace, namely the Etruscans and the Greek city-states of Sicily and Cyrenaica. Much of Carthage's foreign policy depended on maintaining its mercantile dominance and expanding its control over island territories with which it could base its powerful navies and trade fleet.

1. The Kingdom of Carthage
BoutkhilGuemide
University Mohammed Boudiaf, M’sila
Algeria

2. INTRODUCTION
TheKingdomofCarthage:Relateddirectlytothe
Phoeniciancivilization;
ItwasfoundedbythePhoenicians,centeredaroundthe
cityofCarthage,locatedinNorthAfricaontheGulfof
Tunis,ontheoutskirtsofTunistoday.
Establishedin814BC.AsanextensionofPhoenician
settlements,andbecameanindependentkingdomin650
BC.
Itbecameamajorimperialcenterthatruledtheshores
oftheMaghreb,SicilyandSpainuntilitfellintothe
Romans.

3. Geographicallocation
Carthagewasbuiltonapromontorywithseainletstothenorthand
thesouth.
Thecity'slocationmadeitmasteroftheMediterranean'smaritime
trade.
AllshipscrossingtheseahadtopassbetweenSicilyandthecoastof
Tunisia,whereCarthagewasbuilt,affordingitgreatpowerand
influence.
Twolarge,artificialharborswerebuiltwithinthecity,onefor
harboringthecity'smassivenavyof220warshipsandtheotherfor
mercantiletrade.Awalledtoweroverlookedbothharbors.
Thecityhadmassivewalls,37km(23mi)inlength,longerthanthe
wallsofcomparablecities.
Mostofthewallswerelocatedontheshore,thuscouldbeless
impressive,asCarthaginiancontroloftheseamadeattackfromthat
directiondifficult.The4.0to4.8km(2.5to3mi)ofwallon
theisthmustothewestweretrulymassiveandwerenever
penetrated.

7. Historyof foundation
ThePhoeniciansestablishedmanycolonialcities
alongtheshoresoftheMediterraneantoprovidesafe
havensfortheirmerchantfleets,topreservethe
Phoenicianmonopolyonnaturalresourcesinthe
region,andtoconductfreetradeandexternal
interference.
Theywerealsomotivatedbythefoundingofthese
citiesfromthedesiretomeetthedemandfor
commercialgoodsortoescapethenecessityof
payingtributetothesuccessionofempiresthatruled
Tyre,Sidon,andByblos,fearingthecompleteGreek
colonizationofthatpartoftheMediterranean
suitablefortrade

8. ‘QartHadast’:Thenewcity
Carthage(accordingtolegend)wasfoundedbyaPhoenicianprincess,
Alissar,in814BC,butitisverylikelythatthePhoeniciannavigatorshad
firstpreparedastoppingstationinthisspotbecausetheywereimpressed.
Classicallegend:Alissar,orAlissa,cametothecoastofAfricafleeingfrom
herbrotherPygmalion,whoassassinatedherhusbandAgrippa.So,she
begantoprepareforherdeparturewithutmostsecrecyandwithmany
peopleofTyre.
WhenshereachedthecoastofNorthAfrica,thefirststepwastoestablish
relationswiththelocalpopulationandtheprincessofferedthemtobuya
pieceoflandinreturnofbull'sskin.
ThePhoeniciansbegandiggingtoestablishthepromisedcity.Later,the
city'spopulationgrewasaresultofitspopularity.
Carthagehasbecomeabigandthrivingcity,butHyrpas,thekingofthe
Maxtans,calledaclanfromthecityunderthreatofwarandaskedthemto
marryAlissar.
Shesetupagreatholocaustatthegateofthecity.Beforestabbingherself,
sheturnedtoherpeopleandsaid,"Iamwillingtogotomyhusband."

10. TheCarthaginiansfullypreservedthePhoeniciantradition.
Theirflourishingintradebroughtthemonlytheenvyofother
peoples.
CarthagehasbeenabletocontrolthewesternMediterraneanfor
centuries.
263-753BC:anewentityemergedintheItalianpeninsulaunder
thenameofRome.
TheriseofconcurrencebetweenCarthageandRome,whichledto
theoutbreakofaseriesofwars(264BC),knownasthePunic
Wars(218BC-202BC).
ThesewarsledtothedefeatoftheCarthaginiansandgreatly
weakenedthem,especiallyafterthewarZumawhichpavedthe
wayforathirdanddecisivewarwhichendedCarthageandthe
destructionofthecityandtheestablishmentof"Africa“,thefirst
RomanprovinceinNorthAfricain146BC.

11. The5thcenturyBC:Carthagebecamethemostimportant
commercialcenteroftheWestoftheMediterraneanSea,
ThecityhasoccupiedmostoftheancientPhoenician
colonies(Hadrumetum,Tika,HippoDiarrhytusand
Karkawan),subjugatingtheLibyantribes,Numidia,and
Mauretania.
TheycontrolledtheentireNorthAfricancoastofmodern
MoroccotothebordersofEgypt.
ItsinfluencealsoextendedtotheMediterranean,with
controlofSardinia,Malta,theBalearicIslands,andthe
westernterritoryofSicily,wherecoastalfortssecuredtheir
property.
ImportantcolonieswerealsoestablishedontheIberian
peninsula.

12. CarthagianEconomy
FortheCarthaginians,theyreliedonmaritimetradewhichextendedthroughoutthe
Mediterranean,possiblyintheAtlanticasfarastheCanaryIslands,andacrosstheSaharadesert.
AccordingtoAristotle,theCarthaginiansmadetreatiestoregulateexportsandimports.
CarthagereliedheavilyontradewithTartessosandwithotherIberianPeninsulacities,which
obtainedlargeamountsofsilver,lead,copperand-mostimportantly-tinore,whichwas
necessaryforthemanufactureofbronzeobjects.
TheCarthaginianshadtraderelationswiththeIberians,andthenavalforcewasimposedbythe
Carthaginianmonopolyonthistrade,sowithBritain'srichtin,itmadetheonlygreatbrokeroftin
andbronzemakerinitsday.Maintainingthismonopolywasoneofthemainsourcesofenergy
andprosperityforCarthage.
CarthagewasalsothelargestoilproducerandsilverintheMediterraneanregionironinIberia
andonthecoastofNorthAfrica.
Carthageproducedneatlyembroideredsilk,dyedfabricofcotton,linen,artisticwool,pottery,and
perfume.
Artisansworkedwithivory,glasswareandwood,aswellaswithmarble,bronze,copper,lead,gold,
silverandpreciousstonestocreateawiderangeofgoods,includingmirrors,furniture,cupboards,
beds,bedding,pillows,jewelry,weapons,toolsandhouseholdappliances.
Tradedinfish,mediatedmanufactured,agriculturalandnaturalproductsofalmostall
Mediterraneanpeoples.

13. RELIGION
TheCarthaginianreligionwasbasedonthe
Phoenicianreligion:polytheism.
TheCarthaginiansworshipedmanygods.
CarthagealsowitnessedsomeofJewish
communities.
Tanit,Baal,Hamun,andAshtaroth.
Aclassofpriestsandassistants
Itappearsthattheywerethrowingtheirchildren
intothefireasanofferingtotheirgodsinthe
eventofagreatdangertothecity,butinnormal
casesonlyslaughteranimals.

14. Governmentand politics
InCarthage,hereditarymonarchywasremovedandreplacedbyelectoral
monarchy.
ThemostimportantperiodoftheCarthaginianstatewastheageoftheSenate,
theCouncilofEldersandthePeople'sAssembly(480-290BC)
TheSenate:Consistsof300membersselectedforlifefromamongthewealthy.
Itisthemostprominentandthehighestauthority.
Ittakescareofalltheaffairsofthesenioradministration,decidestheaffairsof
peaceandwar,takesoverthecommandersofthearmyandisolatesthem,to
whichthekingsreturnandfromwhichtheyderivetheirstrengthandhadthe
right,ifnecessary,toholdprivatemeetings.
CouncilofElders:MoreimportantthantheSenate.
Consistingof104memberselectedastheyhaddemonstratedefficiency.
ThefunctionsandpowersoftheCourtshouldcontrolledthekingsandall
rulersandbringthemtojusticeiftheyviolatedtheirduties.
ThePeople'sAssembly:Anelectedbodyofcitizenspresentedwithallthe
mattersonwhichtheagreementbetweenthemonarchsandtheSenatehad
notbeenreached.

15. Carthagianexplorations
TheCarthaginianshadgreatskillsinbuildingshipstheyhadusedfor
maritimecontrolforcenturies,andtheywereknownfortheirskilland
experienceinthesea.
Theysoughttodiscovernewmarketsandsetsailforunknownplaces.
ThejourneyofHamlkon:ItstartedalongtheAtlanticcoastnorthoftheStrait
ofHerculesduringthemiddleofthe5thcenturyBC,duringwhichhe
discoveredthecoastoftheIberianPeninsula,andtheshoresofFrance,
PortugalandBritain.
ThejourneyofMagoninAfrica:ItstartedfromtheLibyancoasttotheNiger
basin,duringwhichtheCarthaginiansbroughtgold,ivoryandslaves.
ThejourneyofHanoun:AtripledbyHanounalongtheAtlanticcoastsouthof
theStraitofHerculesduringthemiddleofthe5thcenturyBC,whichenabled
thediscoveryoftheAfricancoasttotheGulfofGuineaandtheestablishment
ofcommercialcentersoverseveralpoints.
TheJourneyofWatan(Rutan):Hearrivedin504BC.M,onmerchantshipsto
thenortheasternBraziliancoast,somewhereonthebeachextendingfrom
Nathaltothe"south"tothe"south"inthestateof«Braiba»,wherethetraces
werediscoveredinseveralplacesofthatstate

16. Punic Wars
Rome vs. Carthage

17. Rome and Carthage prior to Punic Wars

19. Wars and
Dates ResultsActionsCauses
1
st
Punic
War
264 -241 B.C.
3rd Punic
War
149 –146
B.C.
2nd Punic
War
218 –201
B.C.
-Carthage expansion/
control of Sicily
-Growing power of
Rome
-Carthage = strong navy, Rome = strong army
-Carthage able to blockade Roman troops in
Sicily, until Rome strengthens navy.
-Rome adds a corvus(bridge) to its ships
-This turns sea battles into land battles –
Rome’s advantage
-The Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca
invades Spain with 50,000 infantry, 9,000
cavalry, & 60 elephants.
-He crosses the Alps & invades italyfrom
the north.
-Hannibal defeats Roman armies on the
Italian Peninsula for 15 years.
-Hannibal’s greatest victory was at Cannae
–he destroyed the Roman legions.
-He could not take city of Rome.
-Roman general Scipio attacks Carthage –
forces Hannibal to return home.
-Scipio defeats Hannibal at Zama.
-Carthage is destroyed and burned
-People are killed or sold into slavery
-Salt is sowed into the soil
-Revenge for 1
st
Punic
War
-Hannibal
(Carthaginian general)
invades Spain and
conquers Roman ally of
Saguntum.
-Increasing prosperity of
Carthage
-Roman hatred and
mistrust of Carthage
-Rome wins & gains
control of Sicily
-Carthage must pay
huge indemnity
(payment for damages)
-Rome wins
-Carthage gives up all
territories including
Spain
-Pays another
indemnity
-Signs treaty not to
expand, rebuild
military, or declare
war
-Rome controls all of
the western Med.
The Punic Wars –Rome vs. Carthage

20. * Hannibal was just a young boy
when he was with his father in
Sicily during the First Punic War.
* At an early age, Hannibal was
made to swear eternal hostility
toward Rome.
“I swear that so soon as age will permit… I will
use fire and steel to arrest the destiny of Rome”

21. Until his deathin 183 B.C., Hannibal’s spent his life in war
against the Romans.
In 221 B.C., at the age of 26, he became commander-in-chief
Carthage’s army.
Hannibal wanted revenge for his father’s defeat and attacked
cities that were allies of the Romans.
Round 2: ROME DECLARES WAR!

22. Hannibal’s objective
was clear-the utter
destruction of Roman
power.
The problem was how
to get to Italy from
Spain-the Romans had
complete naval
supremacy.
He did what the
Romans never expected
he would do-

23. * Hannibal invaded Rome through the Pyrenees
Mountains, across southern Gaul (France), and
over the Alps Mountains.
One of the
most ambitious
invasion plans
in history.

24. Hannibal Crossing the Alps
Notes Page

25. * Hannibal left Iberia in 218 B.C. with about
35,000 soldiers, including ~40 elephants.
* By the time they reached northern Italy, almost
all of the elephants had died and his army had
been reduced to 20,000 men and 6,000 cavalry.
* In the Alps, he and his men suffered greatly from
from the winter conditions and hostile tribes.
* This number was quickly raised to ~40,000 with
the addition of Gauls (who were enemies of
Rome).

28. * Hannibal marched his men around the Italian
peninsula for 16 years-and never lost a battle.
* During this time he annihilated much larger
Roman armies using superior tactics:
•Trebia River, 218 B.C. –Of 40,000 Roman
soldiers, only 10,000 returned to Rome.
•Lake Tresimene, 217 B.C.-25,000 Romans
killed.
•Battle of Cannae, 216 B.C.-His greatest victory.

29. Cannae cont’d

30. Notes Page

31. Notes Page

32. Third Punic War
Carthage destroyed
Notes Page

33. Roman territory following 3
rd
Punic War

35. The Destruction of Carthage

37. Thank You