Punics

Punic denotes Phoenician communities of the western Mediterranean and their associated culture, especially Carthage in North Africa. Western Phoenician colonisation developed mainly in the early first millennium BCE; Carthage’s traditional foundation date is 814 BCE. Western cities did not all arise simultaneously or always obey Carthage.

Punic culture combined Phoenician heritage with local North African, Iberian and other traditions. The Punic language was closely related to Phoenician. Political relationships involved trade, alliances and domination of particular territories; Carthage gradually became the largest centre in this network.

Layout of Ancient Carthage before the 3rd Punic War

Phoenician trade networks and settlements spread through the western Mediterranean in the early first millennium BCE. Connections with Tyre and Sidon continued, while western communities developed distinctive cultural forms and relationships with neighbours.

By the fifth century BCE Carthage was the largest western Phoenician city. Its influence in Africa, Sicily, Sardinia and later Iberia changed over time. Political developments at Tyre did not automatically place every colony under unified Carthaginian rule.

The Punic Wars of 264–146 BCE ended with Roman destruction of Carthage. Punic language and cultural traditions survived Roman domination, in some regions into late antiquity.

Carthage

Carthage (date. 𐤒 𐤓 𐤕 𐤇 𐤃 𐤔 𐤕, Qart -adadašt, Latin. Carthago is an ancient city (museum) located on the eastern shore of Lake Bahira in the territory of the modern state of Tunis, near the city of Tunis. Carthage was the most important commercial center of the ancient Mediterranean and one of the richest cities of antiquity. The name Qart -adadašt (in Punic notation without vowels Qrt-ḥdšt) translates from the Phoenician language as "new city". Throughout its history, Carthage was the capital of the Phoenician-founded state of Carthage, which dominated much of the southwestern Mediterranean during the first millennium BC. The Tyrian princess Alyssa or Dido is considered the founder of the city, although her historicity has been questioned. According to the records of Timaeus of Taormina, Dido was forced to leave her homeland, arriving on the shore of the modern Gulf of Tunis, she decided to buy land from local tribes for the foundation of the city. She was only allowed to buy as much land as a single bullskin would cover. Then Dido took and cut the bull's hide into thin straps, surrounded them with a steep coastal hill, where she built a fortress that became known as Birsa. It is from this fortress that Carthage begins its history. As it developed, it established an empire and laid claim to power in the region, which was the only existential threat to Rome until the arrival of the vandals several centuries later.

Carthaginian coin depicting the goddess Tanith (c. 310-290 BC)

Carthage is located on the African coast of the Mediterranean Sea about ten kilometers east of the modern city of Tunis in northern Tunisia. The city is located on a peninsula bordered by the Gulf of Tunis to the east, Sebhet Ariana Lagoon to the north, and Lake Tunis to the south. Carthage was located on the most important Phoenician trade route between the Levant and Gibraltar. Its location on the Strait of Sicily allowed it to control maritime trade in the Mediterranean. This was the main reason for the city's economic and military dominance. At the same time, there was a link between Sicily and the Tyrrhenian Sea and the northern Mediterranean. Two large artificial harbors were built in the city, one to house a huge fleet of 220 warships, and the other for commercial trade. A walled tower overlooked both harbors. The city had massive walls 23 miles (37 km) long, which was larger than the walls of comparable cities. Most of the walls were located on the shore and therefore could be less impressive, since Carthaginian control of the sea made it difficult to attack from this direction. For about 3 miles (4.8 km), the walls on the isthmus to the west were really massive and were never breached. The location was strategically advantageous, as it made it easy to defend the city from land. To the north of the actual urban development, but still within the city walls, in ancient times was the agricultural area of Megara.

Ruins of Carthage

Remains of the Carthaginian shipyards

Ruins of the Carthaginian Amphitheater

Carthage’s foundation was traditionally associated with Elissa, or Dido, who fled Tyre. The story of an oxhide cut into strips to acquire land explains the citadel’s name Byrsa through the Greek word for “hide”. It is a legend, not a record of a land purchase. The traditional date 814 BCE concerns the city’s foundation, not a proved republican constitution introduced after Dido’s death.

Carthaginian institutions changed. In the classical period, suffetes, a council, a popular assembly and military commands are attested. Aristotle compared its constitution with other political systems. Wealthy families were influential, but the distribution of authority must be examined by date and source, not deduced from a legendary “council of Dido’s companions”.

A Carthaginian priestess depicted on a sarcophagus. 3rd century BC

By the beginning of the third century BC, Carthage had become the largest state in the western Mediterranean. Its location between Sicily and the coast of present-day Tunisia allowed it to control ships that passed by. In those days, ships usually sailed in sight of the coast. In the first quarter of the seventh century BC, a new wave of settlers from Phoenicia arrived in Carthage. The city is growing rapidly, establishing trade links not only with the mother country and other Phoenician colonies, but also with Etruria and Greece, in particular with Corinth. In 663 BC. The Carthaginians also founded their first colony, Ebes, on the Pitiu Islands off the Spanish coast. The penetration of the Carthaginians to the far west of the Mediterranean Sea caused a conflict with Massalia, which considered these territories its own "patrimony". The Carthaginians were defeated and had to focus primarily on the development of the African coast. Thus, in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BC, Kerkouan was founded on the Bon Peninsula, and control over Hadrumet, Sabratha, and Leptis Magna was established.

The Carthaginian shekel,dated 237-227 BC,depicting the Punic god Melkart (equivalent to Hercules)

The Carthaginians were a warlike and businesslike people, and they dug two harbors (Coton) on the coast — one for military vessels, which held about 220 ships, and the other for trade. In addition, they built a fortress wall around the entire city, the total length of which was 37 km, and the height in some places reached 12 m. Carthage became impregnable from land and sea, where it was guarded by warships. The city itself was divided into 4 residential areas. For burials, he had a cemetery, for the worship of the gods — special places of worship, where sacrifices were made. The Carthaginians sailed to various places and subjugated southern Spain, the lands of North Africa, the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica. The Romans called the Carthaginians Punians. At first, the two states helped each other in the fighting, but soon there was friction over the possession of the island of Sicily, as well as influence in other lands and seas.