Carthage: The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Superpower

The history of Carthage is a rich and complex narrative spanning over seven centuries. It encompasses the city's rise as a dominant maritime power, its extensive trade networks, its conflicts with Rome, and its ultimate destruction. Phoenician settlers from Tyre, a city in modern-day Lebanon, founded Carthage around 814 BCE. According to legend, the city was established by Queen Dido (or Elissa) after fleeing from her brother, the king of Tyre. The city's location on the northeastern coast of modern-day Tunisia provided a strategic position for trade and defense. Carthage quickly grew into a major commercial hub due to its strategic position in the Mediterranean. The city-controlled trade routes and established colonies and trading posts across the western Mediterranean, including in Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and parts of Spain and North Africa. Carthage was a republic with a complex political system. It was ruled by a council of elders (the Senate) and two chief magistrates known as "suffetes." The city also had a powerful aristocracy that controlled much of the economy and politics.

 

Carthage was established in the 9th century BCE, traditionally dated to around 814 BCE, by Phoenician settlers from the city of Tyre, located in modern-day Lebanon. The founding of Carthage is shrouded in both legend and historical fact, with the most famous account being the story of Queen Dido, as recorded by ancient writers such as Virgil and others. According to legend, Carthage was founded by Queen Dido (also known as Elissa), a princess of Tyre. Dido was the daughter of the king of Tyre and married to her uncle, Acerbas (also known as Sychaeus). When her brother, Pygmalion, became king of Tyre, he murdered Acerbas to seize his wealth. Fearing for her life, Dido fled Tyre with a group of loyal followers, taking her late husband's wealth with her. Dido and her followers sailed westward across the Mediterranean, eventually arriving on the coast of North Africa, in the region of modern-day Tunisia. They sought permission from the local Berber king, Iarbas, to settle in the area. In a famous story, Dido negotiated with King Iarbas for as much land as could be covered by an oxhide. Cleverly, she cut the oxhide into thin strips and laid them out in a circle, enclosing a large area of land. This area became the site of Carthage. Dido and her people began constructing the city, which they named "Qart Hadasht," meaning "New City" in the Phoenician language. This name later evolved into "Carthage" in Latin. The city quickly grew into a thriving settlement due to its strategic location and the skills of its Phoenician founders in trade and navigation. According to the myth, Dido’s story ends in tragedy. Some versions say that she committed suicide after being pursued by King Iarbas, who wanted to marry her. In another version, popularized by Virgil's Aeneid, she falls in love with the Trojan hero Aeneas but kills herself when he leaves her to fulfill his destiny in Italy. This version of the story is a later Roman addition and not part of the original Phoenician legend.

Ruins of Antonine Baths complex in Carthage – Getty Images

Carthage's conflicts with Rome, known as the Punic Wars, were some of the most significant military confrontations of the ancient world. There were three Punic Wars: The First Punic War (264-241) was fought between Carthage and Rome over control of Sicily. It was primarily a naval war, and although Carthage initially had the advantage, Rome’s determination and adaptation led to its victory. Carthage lost Sicily, which became Rome’s first province. The Second Punic War (218-201) is the most famous of the three, largely due to the Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca. Hannibal launched a daring invasion of Italy by crossing the Alps with an army that included war elephants. He won several major battles, including the Battle of Cannae, but was unable to secure a decisive victory against Rome. The war eventually shifted back to North Africa, where the Roman general Scipio Africanus at the Battle of Zama in 202 BCE defeated Hannibal. Carthage was forced to surrender its fleet, pay a large indemnity, and relinquish its empire outside North Africa. The Third Punic War (149-146) was the final and shortest of the three. By this time, Carthage had recovered economically but remained politically and militarily weakened. Rome, fearing a resurgence of Carthaginian power, launched a preemptive strike. After a brutal siege, Carthage was captured and completely destroyed by the Romans in 146 BCE. The city was burned, its population enslaved, and its lands were cursed and turned into a Roman province, later known as Africa Proconsularis. 


 

Following its destruction, the Romans a century later under Julius Caesar and Augustus rebuilt Carthage. Roman Carthage became a significant city within the Roman Empire and served as the capital of the province of Africa. It was a major center of commerce, culture, and early Christianity, producing important figures like Tertullian and Saint Cyprian. In the 5th century CE, the Vandals, a Germanic tribe, captured the city. Carthage became the capital of the Vandal Kingdom, which ruled much of North Africa. The city was reconquered by the Byzantine Empire in 533 CE under General Belisarius, and it remained under Byzantine control until the Arab conquest in the 7th century. Arab forces in 698 CE eventually captured Carthage, during the early Muslim conquests. The city was abandoned in favor of Tunis, which became the new regional capital. Over time, the ruins of Carthage were scavenged for building materials, leading to the city’s gradual disappearance.

 

While the legend of Dido provides a dramatic narrative, the establishment of Carthage also reflects the broader pattern of Phoenician colonization in the Mediterranean. The Phoenicians, known for their maritime prowess and trade networks, established colonies across the Mediterranean. These colonies served as trading posts and supply stations, extending from the Levant to North Africa, Spain, Sicily, and Sardinia. Carthage’s location on the northeastern coast of modern-day Tunisia was ideal for trade. It provided access to key maritime routes, allowing the Phoenicians to control trade between the eastern and western Mediterranean. The fertile hinterland also supported agriculture, contributing to the city's economic growth. Carthage rapidly became a powerful city-state, leveraging its strategic position and Phoenician connections. It grew into a major commercial hub, with extensive trade networks reaching across the Mediterranean and into Africa and Europe.

 

The early development of Carthage was characterized by various ways. The city was well planned, with a grid-like layout, advanced harbors, and impressive fortifications. Carthage’s harbors, particularly the military harbor (Cothon), were engineering marvels of the ancient world. Carthage maintained strong cultural and religious ties with its Phoenician roots, worshipping deities such as Baal and Tanit. However, as it grew, Carthage also developed its own unique identity and traditions. Carthage’s establishment marked the beginning of its rise as a dominant power in the Mediterranean, eventually leading to its clashes with Rome and its legendary place in history.