Carthage

Carthage is an important ancient city, it is well known for its historic struggles with the Greeks and Romans


 * Early Years**

According to two Greek historians, Timaeus and Tauromenion, Carthage, meaning "new city" was originally founded in 814 or 813. According to legend the first settlers were from people from Tyre, "their leader was a princess named Elissa, who was forced to flee from Tyre after her brother, king Pygmalion, had killed her husband. After founding Carthage, she committed suicide to prevent a war against the native population." This legend is believed to false, as many believe the first settlers were farmers and merchants. Carthage began as a Phoenician colony; then around 575 Carthage took the role as leader of the western Phoenician colonies. This was mainly due to the fall of its founding city Tyre. Carthage soon became an informal empire as the Phoenicians were in need of a capital. A vital component to the Carthaginian empire was trade; "Trade was more important to Carthage throughout its history than perhaps to any other ancient state. Initially most of it was conducted by barter with tribes in Africa and Spain, where metals were obtained in return for wine, cloth, and pottery; but early contact with the Greek world is shown by the presence of Athenian //amphorae// (transport jars) in the earliest levels at Carthage". For a while, the Carthaginian empire controlled the majority of trade around the western Mediterranean area. Though mainly being noted for the specific goods that they imported, the Carthaginians were also very well known for the various goods they exported. "Carthage exported agricultural produce and was integrated in to the wider Hellenistic economy of the Mediterranean world. Pottery from levels of the last Punic Phase shows significant quantities of imports from Greece, Italy, and the Iberian peninsula". Besides their pottery the Carthaginians are known for many rare items, such as "the much prized purple dye so coveted by royalty, from the crushed shells of a saltwater snail species called Murex." (Carthaginian Governing) The empire of Carthage was originally ruled by one specific governor. "It seems that the colony was first ruled by a governor sent from Tyre, but the settlement became a city, the citizens wanted some independence, and kings started to be rulers of Carthage. In the course of the six century, they were replaced by two annually elected supreme magistrates, the //suffetes// (judges). The Roman consulship, which is better known to us, was modeled on this office". This change in power was key to the independence of the Carthage, as it made Carthage an easy choice as the new main city for the Phoenicians.

The Port of Carthage was the center of commerce for the city. The port, known as the Cothon, was not fully destroyed by the Romans, and is the best preserved of the Carthaginian remains. Estimates say that as many as 220 boats could be stored at the shed in the inner port. The outer port was a trading center for merchant ships. The Carthaginian empire is greatly known for their conflicts with Rome throughout history. These epic battles took place during key times known as The Punic Wars. The punic wars took part through three battles over time. The first wasn't even at the fault of the Carthiginians.
 * The Port of Carthage**
 * Punic Wars**