The Carthaginians

by Hoyos; Dexter

• ISBN13: 9780415436458
• ISBN10: 0415436451
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2010-07-09
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

The Carthaginians reveals the complex culture, society and achievements of a famous, yet misunderstood ancient people. Beginning as Phoenician settlers in North Africa, the Carthaginians then broadened their civilisation with influences from neighbouring North African peoples, Egypt, and the Greek world. Their own cultural influence in turn spread across the Western Mediterranean as they imposed dominance over Sardinia, western Sicily, and finally southern Spain.As a stable republic Carthage earned respectful praise from Greek observers, notably Aristotle, and from many Romans'”even Cato, otherwise notorious for insisting that 'Carthage must be destroyed'. Carthage matched the great city-state of Syracuse in power and ambition, then clashed with Rome for mastery of the Mediterranean West. For a time, led by her greatest general Hannibal, she did become the leading power between the Atlantic and the Adriatic.It was chiefly after her destruction in 146 BC that Carthage came to be depicted by Greeks and Romans as an alien civilisation, harsh, gloomy and bloodstained. Demonising the victim eased the embarrassment of Rome's aggression; Virgil in his Aeneid was one of the few to offer a more sensitive vision. Exploring both written and archaeological evidence, The Carthaginians reveals a complex, multicultural and innovative people whose achievements left an indelible impact on their Roman conquerors and on history.

Author Biography

Dexter Hoyos writes on Latin teaching and ancient history. His books include Unplanned Wars (1998), Hannibal's Dynasty (Routledge, 2003), Truceless War (2007), and Hannibal: Rome's Greatest Enemy (2008). He has retired after 36 years at Sydney University to continue research work on Romans and Carthaginians.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. xi
Keys to the Maps	p. xiii
Illustrations	p. xxi
Sources of Images	p. xxiii
Chronological Table	p. xxvi
Sources of knowledge	p. xxxiii
The Phoenicians in the West	p. 1
The Phoenicians	p. 1
Sidon and Tyre	p. 2
Settlements in the West	p. 3
Carthage: Foundation and Growth	p. 6
Tales of the foundation	p. 6
Legends and truths	p. 7
Carthage: site and potential	p. 12
State and Government	p. 20
Citizens and aristocrats	p. 20
Carthaginian names	p. 23
Praise from Greeks	p. 24
Chief magistrates: the sufetes	p. 25
Adirim: the senate of Carthage	p. 28
The mysterious 'pentarchies'	p. 31
The generals	p. 33
Nemesis of generals: the court of One Hundred and Four	p. 35
The assembly of citizens	p. 36
The Carthaginian 'sea empire'	p. 39
Carthage and North Africa	p. 39
Carthage and the Etruscans	p. 43
First treaty with Rome	p. 44
Projection of power: Sardinia	p. 45
Projection of power: Sicily	p. 47
Carthage, Spain and the Atlantic	p. 49
Hanno's Periplus	p. 51
Himilco's voyage	p. 54
An expansionist policy?	p. 55
Traders and landowners: Carthaginian society	p. 59
Trade and traders	p. 59
Land and landowning	p. 62
Workers and labourers	p. 67
Slaves	p. 69
The Cityscape of Carthage	p. 73
The growth of the city	p. 73
Temples and other sacred buildings	p. 76
Houses and shops	p. 82
Public buildings	p. 86
The land fortifications and the ports	p. 88
Religion and cultural life	p. 94
The gods and goddesses	p. 94
The 'tophet' and child sacrifice	p. 100
Literature at Carthage: did it exist?	p. 105
Visual art, including coinage	p. 108
Carthage in Africa	p. 124
Politics and rivalries: Mazeus-'Malchus'	p. 124
The Magonid ascendancy	p. 128
The end of the Magonids	p. 132
The ascendancy of Hanno 'the Great'	p. 134
Politics and war in the late 4th Century: Bomilcar's putsch	p. 138
The Libyans and Numidians	p. 142
Carthage at War: Sicily	p. 149
The Carthaginian war machine: the navy	p. 149
Carthage's armies	p. 153
Carthaginians and Greeks in the 5th Century	p. 163
Carthage vs Dionysius I	p. 166
Carthage and Timoleon	p. 170
The age of Agathocles: Carthage at bay	p. 172
Carthage and Pyrrhus	p. 176
The First War with Rome, and After	p. 178
The second and third treaties with Rome	p. 178
The outbreak of the war	p. 181
Phases of war: 264 to 257	p. 183
Africa invaded and saved: 256 to 255	p. 185
Victories, defeats, stalemate: 254 to 242	p. 186
Peace and revolt	p. 189
The New Empire and Hannibal	p. 193
The Sardinia crisis	p. 193
The new empire in Spain	p. 194
The coming of the Second Punic War	p. 197
Hannibal invades Italy	p. 199
Hannibal, master of southern Italy	p. 201
Limitations and setbacks	p. 202
Metaurus, Zama and peace	p. 203
Hannibal's war: an assessment	p. 205
Revival and Destruction	p. 207
Politics and reforms	p. 207
Peace and plenty	p. 208
Carthage and Numidia	p. 211
Politics at home and war with Masinissa	p. 213
The outbreak of the Third Punic War	p. 214
The Third Punic War	p. 216
Carthage in History	p. 220
Notes	p. 224
Select Bibliography	p. 234
Index	p. 241
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