A Short History of Carthage
Carthage was founded by the
Phoenician city Tyre. The Phoenicians were forced into their then
current position by the Jews and Egyptians. This area
was abundant with supplies that could build and outfit ships.
Naturally, the Phoenicians became the foremost traders in the whole of
the Mediterranean. There are even some who claim they circumnavigated Africa!
Tyre, through size and trading, became the dominant city of Phoenicia.
The Phoenicians were known for their mineral resources and their
distribution of the world's goods. Sometimes, however, overpopulation in
the city or discontent would cause colonies to be formed. Gades, founded around 1200 BC in Spain, was of Phoenician origin. Utica
was founded from 1200-1000 BC, both cities much older than Carthage.
Tyre itself founded many colonies between 1000-600 BC. Tyre was captured
and sacked by Alexander in 332 BC.
Carthage is said to have been
settled in the eighth century BC. Contrary to prior thinking, Carthage
was not founded as a trading post but as a full-fledged colony.
Carthage's astounding growth was probably due to its being on several
important trade routes.
Carthage from its very beginning was a
prime trading center engaging in the Iberian, Italian, and Levantine
trading routes. With the decline of Tyre and the Iberian trade Carthage
took over due to its heavier reliance on the Tyrrhenian trade. After its
founding and several centuries after, Carthage had to import most of
its food due to a lack of land.
During the sixth century Carthage began its expansion into Africa. During the fourth century even more of Africa
came into the Punic sphere and Carthage became an agricultural
powerhouse. Punic trade with Sardinia had been going on almost since
Carthage was founded. Punic settlements in Africa and Spain were brought into the Punic fold, usually by alliance.
The Carthaginian signed a military and economic treaty with the
Etruscans in the sixth century BC. A combined Punic-Etruscan fleet drove
the Greek refugees from Corsica. A commercial treaty was also signed
with Rome in 509 BC.
Phoenician cities in Sicily
were also absorbed by Carthage in the fifth and fourth centuries BC. A
private intervention not state backed was crushed at Himera in 480 BC.
In 410 BC military intervention was once again used in Sicily.
Segesta, a Carthaginian ally, and Selinus, a Syracusan ally, Selinus
was captured and its walls were razed. Himera, however, after being
captured was sacked and fully destroyed. The Carthaginian army was then
paid off and disbanded.
Carthage continued to expand absorbing most Phoenician cities in the western Mediterranean.
Several more wars were fought between Syracuse and Carthage, but the one with the largest impact was Agathocles' invasion of Africa. In 311-310 BC Carthaginian Africa was invaded by 13,500 men and 60 ships under his command.
Agathocles, a tyrant of Syracuse, came to power through trickery and lost almost all the Sicilian cities besides Syracuse, his expeditionary force managed to slip out to Africa past the Punic blockading force.
Agathocles defeated Punic armies numerous times, and the Punic army in Sicily
was in shambles. Libyans and the Greek city Cyrene rallied to
Agathocles' aid and his army grew even larger. Bomilcar, a Punic
general, tried to seize Carthage in a violent coup, but he was defeated
by the Carthaginian citizens.
Agathocles, hearing that his remaining cities in Sicily had claimed independence, left for Sicily
and left the army under his son Archagathus. The Carthaginians split
their army into thirds each having one sphere of land, Archagathus did
the same and several of his detachments were destroyed by Punic forces.
When Agathocles returned there was nothing he could do. He fled to Sicily leaving two sons and his army in Africa. His sons were killed and the army surrendered to Carthage.
Agathocles' men were either recruited into the Carthaginian army, settled in Sicily, put on work detail, or crucified. A peace was made soon after, Agathocles recognized all Punic possessions in Sicily and they paid him an amount of gold and grain. In this way, the first invasion of Africa was defeated. The Numidian and Libyan revolts were also put down afterwards.
The years went by and Carthage now had all most of Sardinia and Corsica, the western half of Sicily and some of Southeastern Spain. Carthage had also expanded its African holdings greatly acquiring much of northern Africa.
In the early third century, Rome tried to conquer the Greek cities of Italy also known as Magna Graecia.
Pyrrhus took control of the coalition army and defeated Rome twice.
Carthage offered Punic intervention but Rome rejected this.
At
this time, another treaty was made between Carthage and Rome promising
mutual cooperation militarily against Pyrrhus and agreeing to the same
economic terms as previously agreed upon in the last treaty. Pyrrhus
landed in Sicily in 278 BC. All Carthaginian cities in Sicily
besides Lilybaeum fell quickly to the invader. Pyrrhus' heavy handed
actions alienated his Sicilian allies and he decided to sail back to
Italy. The Carthaginians provided the Romans naval support and
eventually Pyrrhus was defeated at Beneventum in 275 BC.
Punic
control was eventually reestablished after Pyrrhus left. So after two
massively costly wars, Carthage once again had peace. This was not to
last, however, as a group called the Mamertines
murdered the original male citizens of Messana and took over. This
would be a cataclysmic event that would set the stage for three wars
that would change the world forever.
References:
Hannibal by Dodge
Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles
Hannibal by Serge Lancel
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