Origins & Early Life

Himilco (fl. early 5th century BC) was a Carthaginian navigator and explorer, cited by later Greek and Roman authors as one of the earliest explorers from the Mediterranean Sea to reach the northwestern shores of Europe. Himilco's now-lost account, sometimes referred to as the Periplus of the Northern Sea, survives only in brief notices preserved by Pliny the Elder and Avienus. According to these sources, Himilco sailed beyond the Pillars of Heracles (modern Strait of Gibraltar) along the Atlantic seaboard, probably reaching Brittany and possibly the British Isles.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Little to nothing is known of Himilco's life. He was contemporary with the Carthaginian explorer Hanno, who traveled south along the coast of West Africa. According to Duane W. Roller, they probably belonged to the Magonid family, and were perhaps brothers. Stéphane Gsell, followed by B.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

H. Warmington, suggested that Hanno and Himilco were the sons of Hamilcar I, who died in 480 BC at the battle of Himera. The date of Himilco's travel depends on that of Hanno, which is itself uncertain, but was perhaps shortly after 500 BC. The lost account of his adventures, known as Periplus of the Northern Sea...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Darius the Great — Contemporary (Born in -550) (-550): Third King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, ruling at its territorial peak.
• Kapila — Contemporary (Born in -550) (-550): Founding Vedic Sage of the Samkhya School of Hindu Philosophy
• Khema — Contemporary (Born in -550) (-550): A foremost female disciple of Gautama Buddha, a revered Buddhist nun.
• Ajatashatru — Contemporary (Born in -500) (-500): Powerful King of Magadha, founder of a dominant empire in ancient India.
• Amyrtaeus — Contemporary (Born in -500) (-500): Pharaoh of the Twenty-eighth Dynasty, ending the first Persian occupation of Egypt.
• Anaxagoras — Contemporary (Born in -500) (-500): Pre-Socratic philosopher known for the concept of Nous (Cosmic Mind)
• Zoroaster — Contemporary figure (Died in -551) (-551): Iranian prophet and spiritual founder of Zoroastrianism, author of the Gathas.
• Miltiades — Contemporary figure (Born in -554) (-554): Prominent Athenian general and statesman, best known for his role at the Battle of Marathon.
• Anaximander — Contemporary figure (Died in -546) (-546): Pre-Socratic philosopher from Miletus, known for his cosmology and the concept of Apeiron.
• Thales of Miletus — Contemporary figure (Died in -545) (-545): Pre-Socratic philosopher from Miletus, credited with natural philosophy and scientific reasoning.
• -550 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from -550
• -500 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from -500