Carthage

Quick Facts: Who was Carthage?

Subject:

Carthage

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Ancient Phoenician trading hub that dominated the Mediterranean before its destruction by Rome.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Carthage (Arabic: قرطاج, ) was an ancient city in northern Africa founded by the legendary Phoenician queen Dido on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classical world. It became the capital city of the civilization of Ancient Carthage and later Roman Carthage. The city developed from a Phoenician colony into the capital of a Punic empire which dominated large parts of the Southwest Mediterranean during the first millennium BC. The legendary Queen Elissa/Alyssa or Dido, originally from Tyre, is regarded as the founder of the city, though her historicity has been questioned.

Career & Major Achievements

In the myth, Dido asked for land from a local tribe, which told her that she could get as much land as an oxhide could cover. She cut the oxhide into strips and laid out the perimeter of the new city. As Carthage prospered at home, the polity sent colonists abroad as well as magistrates to rule the colonies. The ancient city was destroyed in a nearly three year siege by the Roman Republic during the Third Punic War in 146 BC. It was re-developed a century later becoming the major city of the Romans' Africa province.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The question of Carthaginian decline and demise has remained a subject of literary, political, artistic, and philosophical debates in both ancient and modern histories. Late antique and medieval Carthage continued to play an important cultural and economic role in the Byzantine period. The city was sacked and destroyed by Umayyad forces in 698 to prevent a Byzantine reconquest. It remained occupied during the Muslim period as a fort until the 1200s when it was taken from the Hafsids by the Crusaders with its inhabitants massacred during the Eighth Crusade. The Hafsids decided to destroy its defenses so it could not be used as a base by a hostile power again.

Notable Quotes by Carthage

“Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classical world.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Carthage

True or False: “The city's initial founding by Dido occurred after a period of peaceful, established trade relations with local tribes.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The myth suggests that Dido had to negotiate for land from a local tribe, using the oxhide analogy to establish boundaries.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Carthage