Carthage was a Phoenician state that included, during the 7th–3rd centuries BC, its wider sphere of influence known as the Carthaginian Empire. The empire extended over much of the coast of Northwest Africa as well as encompassing substantial parts of coastal Iberia and the islands of the western Mediterranean Sea. The Kingdom of Carthage was the major power in the western Mediterranean from its establishment by the semi-legendary Queen Dido in 814 B.C. until its fall following its struggles against the rising Roman Republic. Carthage was one of the great trading powers of the Mediterranean and had relatively few rivals until its fall from grace, namely the Etruscans and the Greek city-states of Sicily and Cyrenaica. Much of Carthage's foreign policy depended on maintaining its mercantile dominance and expanding its control over island territories with which it could base its powerful navies and trade fleet.

1. The Kingdom of Carthage
Boutkhil Guemide
University Mohammed Boudiaf, M’sila

2. INTRODUCTION
 The Kingdom of Carthage: Related directly to the
Phoenician civilization;
 It was founded by the Phoenicians, centered around the
city of Carthage, located in North Africa on the Gulf of
Tunis, on the outskirts of Tunis today.
 Established in 814 BC. As an extension of Phoenician
settlements, and became an independent kingdom in 650
BC.
 It became a major imperial center that ruled the shores
of the Maghreb, Sicily and Spain until it fell into the

3. Geographical location
 Carthage was built on a promontory with sea inlets to the north and
the south.
 The city's location made it master of the Mediterranean's maritime
trade.
 All ships crossing the sea had to pass between Sicily and the coast of
Tunisia, where Carthage was built, affording it great power and
influence.
 Two large, artificial harbors were built within the city, one for
harboring the city's massive navy of 220 warships and the other for
mercantile trade. A walled tower overlooked both harbors.
 The city had massive walls, 37 km (23 mi) in length, longer than the
walls of comparable cities.
 Most of the walls were located on the shore, thus could be less
impressive, as Carthaginian control of the sea made attack from that
direction difficult. The 4.0 to 4.8 km (2.5 to 3 mi) of wall on
the isthmus to the west were truly massive and were never

7. History of foundation
 The Phoenicians established many colonial cities
along the shores of the Mediterranean to provide safe
havens for their merchant fleets, to preserve the
Phoenician monopoly on natural resources in the
region, and to conduct free trade and external
interference.
 They were also motivated by the founding of these
cities from the desire to meet the demand for
commercial goods or to escape the necessity of
paying tribute to the succession of empires that ruled
Tyre, Sidon, and Byblos, fearing the complete Greek
colonization of that part of the Mediterranean

8.  ‘Qart Hadast’: The new city
 Carthage (according to legend) was founded by a Phoenician princess,
Alissar, in 814 BC, but it is very likely that the Phoenician navigators had
first prepared a stopping station in this spot because they were impressed.
 Classical legend: Alissar , or Alissa, came to the coast of Africa fleeing from
her brother Pygmalion, who assassinated her husband Agrippa. So, she
began to prepare for her departure with utmost secrecy and with many
people of Tyre.
 When she reached the coast of North Africa, the first step was to establish
relations with the local population and the princess offered them to buy a
piece of land in return of bull's skin.
 The Phoenicians began digging to establish the promised city. Later, the
city's population grew as a result of its popularity.
 Carthage has become a big and thriving city, but Hyrpas, the king of the
Maxtans, called a clan from the city under threat of war and asked them to
marry Alissar.
 She set up a great holocaust at the gate of the city. Before stabbing herself,
she turned to her people and said, "I am willing to go to my husband."

10.  The Carthaginians fully preserved the Phoenician tradition.
 Their flourishing in trade brought them only the envy of other
peoples.
 Carthage has been able to control the western Mediterranean for
centuries.
 263- 753 BC: a new entity emerged in the Italian peninsula under
the name of Rome.
 The rise of concurrence between Carthage and Rome, which led to
the outbreak of a series of wars (264 BC), known as the Punic
Wars (218 BC- 202 BC).
 These wars led to the defeat of the Carthaginians and greatly
weakened them, especially after the war Zuma which paved the
way for a third and decisive war which ended Carthage and the
destruction of the city and the establishment of "Africa“, the first
Roman province in North Africa in 146 BC.

11.  The 5th century BC: Carthage became the most important
commercial center of the West of the Mediterranean Sea,
 The city has occupied most of the ancient Phoenician
colonies (Hadrumetum, Tika, Hippo Diarrhytus and
Karkawan), subjugating the Libyan tribes, Numidia, and
Mauretania.
 They controlled the entire North African coast of modern
Morocco to the borders of Egypt.
 Its influence also extended to the Mediterranean, with
control of Sardinia, Malta, the Balearic Islands, and the
western territory of Sicily, where coastal forts secured their
property.
 Important colonies were also established on the Iberian

12. Carthagian Economy
 For the Carthaginians, they relied on maritime trade which extended throughout the
Mediterranean, possibly in the Atlantic as far as the Canary Islands, and across the Sahara desert.
According to Aristotle, the Carthaginians made treaties to regulate exports and imports.
 Carthage relied heavily on trade with Tartessos and with other Iberian Peninsula cities, which
obtained large amounts of silver, lead, copper and - most importantly - tin ore, which was
necessary for the manufacture of bronze objects.
 The Carthaginians had trade relations with the Iberians, and the naval force was imposed by the
Carthaginian monopoly on this trade, so with Britain's rich tin, it made the only great broker of tin
and bronze maker in its day. Maintaining this monopoly was one of the main sources of energy
and prosperity for Carthage.
 Carthage was also the largest oil producer and silver in the Mediterranean region iron in Iberia
and on the coast of North Africa.
 Carthage produced neatly embroidered silk, dyed fabric of cotton, linen, artistic wool, pottery, and
perfume.
 Artisans worked with ivory, glassware and wood, as well as with marble, bronze, copper, lead, gold,
silver and precious stones to create a wide range of goods, including mirrors, furniture, cupboards,
beds, bedding, pillows, jewelry, weapons, tools and household appliances.
 Traded in fish, mediated manufactured, agricultural and natural products of almost all

13. RELIGION
The Carthaginian religion was based on the
Phoenician religion: polytheism.
The Carthaginians worshiped many gods.
Carthage also witnessed some of Jewish
communities.
Tanit, Baal, Hamun, and Ashtaroth.
A class of priests and assistants
It appears that they were throwing their children
into the fire as an offering to their gods in the
event of a great danger to the city, but in normal
cases only slaughter animals.

14. Government and politics
 In Carthage, hereditary monarchy was removed and replaced by electoral
monarchy.
 The most important period of the Carthaginian state was the age of the Senate,
the Council of Elders and the People's Assembly (480- 290 BC)
 The Senate: Consists of 300 members selected for life from among the wealthy.
 It is the most prominent and the highest authority.
 It takes care of all the affairs of the senior administration, decides the affairs of
peace and war, takes over the commanders of the army and isolates them, to
which the kings return and from which they derive their strength and had the
right, if necessary, to hold private meetings.
 Council of Elders: More important than the Senate.
 Consisting of 104 members elected as they had demonstrated efficiency.
 The functions and powers of the Court should controlled the kings and all
rulers and bring them to justice if they violated their duties.
 The People's Assembly: An elected body of citizens presented with all the
matters on which the agreement between the monarchs and the Senate had
not been reached.

15. Carthagian explorations
 The Carthaginians had great skills in building ships they had used for
maritime control for centuries, and they were known for their skill and
experience in the sea.
 They sought to discover new markets and set sail for unknown places.
 The journey of Hamlkon: It started along the Atlantic coast north of the Strait
of Hercules during the middle of the 5th century BC, during which he
discovered the coast of the Iberian Peninsula, and the shores of France,
Portugal and Britain.
 The journey of Magon in Africa: It started from the Libyan coast to the Niger
basin, during which the Carthaginians brought gold, ivory and slaves.
 The journey of Hanoun: A trip led by Hanoun along the Atlantic coast south of
the Strait of Hercules during the middle of the 5th century BC, which enabled
the discovery of the African coast to the Gulf of Guinea and the establishment
of commercial centers over several points.
 The Journey of Watan (Rutan): He arrived in 504 BC. M, on merchant ships to
the northeastern Brazilian coast, somewhere on the beach extending from
Nathal to the "south" to the "south" in the state of «Braiba», where the traces
were discovered in several places of that state

16. Punic Wars
Rome vs. Carthage

17. Rome and Carthage prior to Punic Wars

19. Wars and
Dates ResultsActionsCauses
1st Punic
War
264 - 241 B.C.
3rd Punic
War
149 – 146
B.C.
2nd Punic
War
218 – 201
B.C.
-Carthage expansion/
control of Sicily
-Growing power of
Rome
-Carthage = strong navy, Rome = strong army
-Carthage able to blockade Roman troops in
Sicily, until Rome strengthens navy.
-Rome adds a corvus (bridge) to its ships
-This turns sea battles into land battles –
Rome’s advantage
-The Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca
invades Spain with 50,000 infantry, 9,000
cavalry, & 60 elephants.
-He crosses the Alps & invades italy from
the north.
-Hannibal defeats Roman armies on the
Italian Peninsula for 15 years.
-Hannibal’s greatest victory was at Cannae
– he destroyed the Roman legions.
-He could not take city of Rome.
-Roman general Scipio attacks Carthage –
forces Hannibal to return home.
-Scipio defeats Hannibal at Zama.
-Carthage is destroyed and burned
-People are killed or sold into slavery
-Salt is sowed into the soil
-Revenge for 1st Punic
War
-Hannibal
(Carthaginian general)
invades Spain and
conquers Roman ally of
Saguntum.
-Increasing prosperity of
Carthage
-Roman hatred and
mistrust of Carthage
-Rome wins & gains
control of Sicily
-Carthage must pay
huge indemnity
(payment for damages)
-Rome wins
-Carthage gives up all
territories including
Spain
-Pays another
indemnity
-Signs treaty not to
expand, rebuild
military, or declare
war
-Rome controls all of
the western Med.
The Punic Wars – Rome vs. Carthage

20. * Hannibal was just a young boy
when he was with his father in
Sicily during the First Punic War.
* At an early age, Hannibal was
made to swear eternal hostility
toward Rome.
“I swear that so soon as age will permit… I will
use fire and steel to arrest the destiny of Rome”

21.  Until his death in 183 B.C., Hannibal’s spent his life in war
against the Romans.
 In 221 B.C., at the age of 26, he became commander-in-chief
Carthage’s army.
 Hannibal wanted revenge for his father’s defeat and attacked
cities that were allies of the Romans.
Round 2: ROME DECLARES WAR!

22.  Hannibal’s objective
was clear- the utter
destruction of Roman
power.
 The problem was how
to get to Italy from
Spain- the Romans had
complete naval
supremacy.
 He did what the
Romans never expected
he would do-

23. * Hannibal invaded Rome through the Pyrenees
Mountains, across southern Gaul (France), and
over the Alps Mountains.
One of the
most ambitious
invasion plans
in history.

24. Hannibal Crossing the Alps
Notes Page

25. * Hannibal left Iberia in 218 B.C. with about
35,000 soldiers, including ~40 elephants.
* By the time they reached northern Italy, almost
all of the elephants had died and his army had
been reduced to 20,000 men and 6,000 cavalry.
* In the Alps, he and his men suffered greatly from
from the winter conditions and hostile tribes.
* This number was quickly raised to ~40,000 with
the addition of Gauls (who were enemies of
Rome).

28. * Hannibal marched his men around the Italian
peninsula for 16 years- and never lost a battle.
* During this time he annihilated much larger
Roman armies using superior tactics:
• Trebia River, 218 B.C. – Of 40,000 Roman
soldiers, only 10,000 returned to Rome.
• Lake Tresimene, 217 B.C.- 25,000 Romans
killed.
• Battle of Cannae, 216 B.C.- His greatest victory.

29. Cannae cont’d

30. Notes Page

31. Notes Page

32. Third Punic War
Carthage destroyed
Notes Page

33. Roman territory following 3rd Punic War

35. The Destruction of Carthage

37. Thank You