Difference between revisions of "Carthage"

Latest revision as of 04:22, January 20, 2012

Carthage was an ancient city on the coast of North Africa close to the modern city of Tunis, capital of Tunisia.

Founding

Carthage was founded by Phoenicians from Tyre traditionally in 814 B.C. (although archaeological evidence suggests about a century later).^[1] Over the next few centuries it outdid other Phoenician colonies in its area and by the third century B.C. controlled trade in all the islands and much of the coasts of the western Mediterranean; having displaced the colonial Greeks (after much bloodshed) and other Phoenician settlements. Its fleets traded as far afield as the British Isles and down the West African coast. Herodotus recounts the Egyptian king Necho II commissioning a Carthaginian circumnavigation of Africa in about 600 B.C.

Empire

Carthaginian navies controlled the Mediterranean sea. During the third century it became inevitable that Carthage would clash with the increasingly powerful Roman Republic over issues of trade and the control of Sicily. While the Carthaginian navy was generally superior to their Roman counterpart, they generally lacked Rome's strength on land or manpower reserves. Between 264 and 146 B.C. the three Punic Wars were fought resulting in the gradual chipping away of the Carthaginian empire and ultimately the complete annihilation of Carthage itself and a decree banning its rebuilding.

Characteristics

Carthage had been a trading and agricultural society, based in an excellent harbour in a strategic position where the Mediterranean narrows between Africa and Sicily. The surrounding countryside was developed into fine agricultural land worked by the original population of the area who were generally mistreated. The government consisted of two magistrates, elected each 2 years from the ruling elite, and a senate with life membership. Ordinary citizens had little power. Generals were elected and acted with the knowledge that the price of failure was often death. There was much infighting in the Carthaginian senate, a fact that hampered their wars with Rome. Religion was harsh and included human sacrifice.

Under Roman Rule

An attempt at resettlement by Rome in 122 B.C. failed, however in 29 B.C. the emperor Augustus inaugurated a colony in the area and a new Carthage grew, prospering from the cultivation of corn into a large city, a centre of training in law and rhetoric, and the capital of the Roman province of Africa. It became a focus for Christian activity, an area of intense monasticism and a bishopric by end of the 2nd century A.D., St. Cyprian and the scholar, Tertulian, worked there.

Decline from History

The area was overrun by the Vandals in 439 during the waning period of the Western Roman Empire and was retaken for Justinian by Belisarius in 533 during the highpoint of the Byzantine Empire where they were trying to retake the old Roman lands and reignite the Roman Empire. It remained under Constantinopleâs control until the Arab Muslim conquests of the late 7th century when it was once more destroyed. The city virtually disappeared over the ensuing centuries. Archaeological work began in the late 19th century and continues today.

â Oxford Companion to Classical Literature

[1] â Oxford Companion to Classical Literature

[1]

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-'''Carthage''' was an ancient city on the coast of northern [[Africa]] near modern day [[Tunis]], in [[Tunisia]]. It began as a colony of the [[Phoenicians]] and eventually became a great naval power that exerted influence across the [[Mediterranean Sea]].
+'''Carthage''' was an ancient city on the coast of [[North Africa]] close to the modern city of [[Tunis]], capital of [[Tunisia]].
-==Roman Domination==
+==Founding==
-The emerging power of [[Rome]] brought the two into conflict starting in [[Sicily]] in the middle of the 3rd century B.C.  Carthage was eventually destroyed by Rome after the course of three wars, the [[Punic Wars]] which were monumental for their time period.  Carthage was an independent power, until its lands were taken by Rome following the Third [[Punic War]].  During its time as a Roman principality, it developed a thriving Christian community.  [[St. Augustine]] of [[Hippo]] hailed from what was once Carthaginian land, as did the [[Donatist|Donatists]], a Christian sect which Augustine succeeded in branding as heretical.
+Carthage was founded by [[Phoenicia]]ns from [[Tyre]] traditionally in 814 B.C. (although archaeological evidence suggests about a century later).<ref>Oxford Companion to Classical Literature</ref> Over the next few centuries it outdid other Phoenician colonies in its area and by the third century B.C. controlled trade in all the islands and much of the coasts of the western [[Mediterranean]]; having displaced the colonial [[Greeks]] (after much bloodshed) and other Phoenician settlements. Its fleets traded as far afield as the [[British Isles]] and down the West African coast. [[Herodotus]] recounts the [[Egypt]]ian king [[Necho II]] commissioning a Carthaginian circumnavigation of Africa in about 600 B.C.
-==After Rome==
+==Empire==
-Carthage stayed in Roman hands until the fall of the Empire.  By 500 CE, with the fall of the western Empire, Carthaginian lands passed to the [[Visigoths]]. The [[Byzantium|Byzantine]] arm could not reach far enough to take Carthage until the reign of [[Justinian]].  In his monumental - and, ultimately, failed - attempt to reconquer Rome, Justinian's general [[Belisarius]] liberated the lands that been Carthage in the ancient equivalent of a [[blitzkrieg]]<ref>Belisarius is said to have exclaimed that the Visigoth's meals were still on the table by the time Roman arms controlled the city again, so quickly had the barbarians fled.</ref>, and integrated the territory into Byzantium.
+Carthaginian navies controlled the Mediterranean sea.  During the third century it became inevitable that Carthage would clash with the increasingly powerful [[Roman Republic]] over issues of trade and the control of [[Sicily]].  While the Carthaginian navy was generally superior to their Roman counterpart, they generally lacked Rome's strength on land or manpower reserves.  Between 264 and 146 B.C. the three [[Punic Wars]] were fought resulting in the gradual chipping away of the Carthaginian empire and ultimately the complete [[annihilation]] of Carthage itself and a decree banning its rebuilding.
-This tenure proved brief indeed.  While Belisarius' armies went on to fight - and eventually win - a [[Pyrrhic victory]] in Italy, the resulting loss of life, decimation of the Italian peninsula, and loss of Byzantine treasury, left the empire an easy target for the [[Islam|Islamic]] armies which would emerge in just 100 years.  After the initial onslaught of Mohammed's armies, Carthaginian lands fell from Roman hands for the rest of history.
+===Characteristics===
+Carthage had been a trading and agricultural society, based in an excellent harbour in a strategic position where the Mediterranean narrows between Africa and Sicily. The surrounding countryside was developed into fine agricultural land worked by the original population of the area who were generally mistreated. The government consisted of two magistrates, elected each 2 years from the ruling elite, and a senate with life membership. Ordinary citizens had little power. Generals were elected and acted with the knowledge that the price of failure was often death. There was much infighting in the Carthaginian senate, a fact that hampered their wars with Rome. Religion was harsh and included human sacrifice.
+==Under Roman Rule==
+An attempt at resettlement by Rome in 122 B.C. failed, however in 29 B.C. the emperor [[Augustus]] inaugurated a colony in the area and a new Carthage grew, prospering from the cultivation of corn into a large city, a centre of training in law and rhetoric, and the capital of the Roman province of Africa. It became a focus for [[Christian]] activity, an area of intense [[monasticism]] and a [[bishop]]ric by end of the 2nd century A.D., [[St. Cyprian]] and the scholar, [[Tertulian]], worked there.
+==Decline from History==
+The area was overrun by the [[Vandals]] in 439 during the waning period of the Western Roman Empire and was retaken for [[Justinian]] by [[Belisarius]] in 533 during the highpoint of the [[Byzantine Empire]] where they were trying to retake the old Roman lands and reignite the Roman Empire. It remained under Constantinople’s control until the Arab Muslim conquests of the late 7th century when it was once more destroyed. The city virtually disappeared over the ensuing centuries. Archaeological work began in the late 19th century and continues today.
+<references/>
 [[Category:Ancient History]]
 [[Category:African Cities and Towns]]
+[[Category:World Heritage Sites]]