This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. Carthage earned a bloody reputation for its treatment of the vanquished, but this should be tempered with the fact that most of the sources are pro-Roman. A committee of 10 senators was responsible for state religious matters. World History Encyclopedia. In 254 they captured the important fortress of Panormus (Palermo), but when Carthage threw reinforcements into the island the war again came to a standstill. He sought to compensate for the loss of Sicily by acquiring a dominion in Spain where Carthage might gain new wealth and form a fresh base of operations against Rome. Although the Carthaginians consented to make reparation by giving 300 hostages and surrendering their arms, they were goaded into revolt by the further stipulation that they must emigrate to some inland site at least 10 miles (16 km) from the sea, making impossible the commerce by sea that drove the citys economy. This was primarily achieved by a cult of personality. how did Hannibal and his troops get to Italy? This would suggest that a handful of families who could trace their lineage back to the founding of the city and the original colonisers from Tyre had a distinct advantage in running for public office. One particular inscription, which notes a slave paying for his own dedication at a temple, implies that some slaves, at least, were able to accumulate their own money from their activities. Thank you! Just how this might have been achieved is not known. Omissions? The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. His victories at the Ticinus (Ticino) River near Pavia and the Trebia River in December 218 BCE, Lake Trasimene in June 217 BCE, and at Cannae in Apulia in August 216 BCE rocked the Roman world. The most important positions in the Carthaginian government such as the Senate and its committees were not salaried, and so, by necessity, only those with a private income could afford to hold public office. World History Encyclopedia. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. World History Encyclopedia, 13 Jul 2016. The Battle of Zama left Carthage helpless, and the city accepted Scipios peace terms whereby it ceded Spain to Rome, surrendered most of its warships, and began paying a 50-year indemnity to Rome. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The general may often have had complete autonomy of action or, on other occasions, had to rely on the Carthaginian government for such important decisions as when to hold a truce, sue for peace, or withdraw. No other symbols are known of the other Carthaginian gods. Troops were coordinated during battle using standards. In the years after the First Punic War, Rome wrested Corsica and Sardinia from Carthage and forced Carthaginians to pay an even greater indemnity than the payment exacted . Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Positioning a fleet with one flank protected by a shoreline could also help counter a periplous manoeuvre, especially from a more numerous enemy. They had a general, unlike the Romans This is similar to the percentage at other tophets such as on Tharros. He had trained his men to move to the side when the elephants charged, locking their shields and facing the alleys as the elephants passed by. The cavalry slammed into Hannibal's rear, forcing a decisive end to a brutal battle. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. "Carthaginian Society." The defending ships would try not to create any gaps in their formation and perhaps stagger their lines to counter the diekplous. After a lengthy siege and staunch resistance, the city finally fell to the siege engines of Scipio Africanus the Younger. Carthage was, then, an accomplished practitioner of warfare for centuries but eventually, and despite a heroic effort which several times almost brought victory, more than met its match in Rome with its professional and well-trained army backed by a seemingly endless pool of replacements and financial support. The absence of a large citizen army which had raised the collective political consciousness of citizens in other states such as those in Greece was, perhaps, another reason for the Carthaginians' seeming lack of interest in political power. Their numbers advantage was lost because the Carthaginians limited their frontage as they enveloped them, and their advantage as heavily armed and armoured infantry was also negated by being compressed into such a small area. Accordingly they equipped a new army in which, by the advice of a Greek captain of mercenaries named Xanthippus, cavalry and elephants formed the strongest arm. Operations began with a joint attack upon Messana, which the Romans easily repelled. Carthage was founded by the Phoenician city of Tyre in the 9th century BCE, and along with many other cultural practices, the city adopted aspects of the religion of its founding fathers. Corrections? It took the Carthaginians the entire afternoon to destroy the encircled Romans. southern coastal portion, as well as 6 other masses of land to the north. According to Livy, Hannibal told Scipio, What I was years ago at Trasimene and Cannae, you are today. Scipio is said to have replied with a message for Carthage: Prepare to fight because evidently you have found peace intolerable. The next day was set for battle. -they dont want rome to fall apart or house enemies, they need to be convicted in a court of law first. The most notorious example of this, recounted by the ancient historian Diodorus, was when Agathocles, the tyrant of Syracuse, invaded North Africa in 310 BCE. Thank you! Up to the 3rd century BCE war chariots were used, but their limitation of requiring good terrain saw their eventual abandonment in favour of more mobile cavalry. going roof to roof, collecting their power as they take over house by house until they are left with all power in that specific location. Battle of Zama (202 BC) | The Success of the Roman Republic and Empire Animal entrails were read too prior to battles, where omens were established which reassured the troops with their promise of victory. During a siege, they also employed battering rams, mobile siege towers, mounds, and mining to overcome enemy fortifications. The inhabitants of Carthage were known to the Romans as Poeni, a derivation from the word Phoenikes (Phoenicians), from which the adjective Punic is derived. The Carthaginians were quick to copy the Hellenistic inventions of catapult (for stones and incendiaries) and crossbows. The survivors were sold into slavery, the city was razed, and the territory was made a Roman province under the name of Africa. The more successful commanders not only possessed the military skills to exploit the unique situations of individual battles and the weaknesses of their enemies but also the ability to mould their own mercenary fighting force into a homogenous unit. Third Punic War | Carthage and Rome [149 bce- 146 bce] The Punic Wars: Causes, Summary & Hannibal Not large enough to carry a superstructure (howdah), the type of elephant used by Carthage may have permitted a second rider armed with a bow or javelins. Baal had many other incarnations, or perhaps even separate deities under that name: Baal Iddir, Baal Marqod, Baal Oz, Baal Qarnem, Baal Sapon, and Baal Shamin. Special interests include art, architecture, and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share. Perhaps Carthage's most shocking naval loss was their very first sea engagement with Rome at the battle of Mylae (Milazzo) in 260 BCE. The situation is made more complex by the sometimes indiscriminate use of Greek and Latin names by ancient writers of those cultures when describing Carthage's religious practices, not to mention their bias against foreign practices. License. However, by that time the legionnaires had become nearly exhaustedand they had yet to close with the third line, which consisted of Hannibals veterans from his Italian campaign (i.e., his best troops). "Carthaginian Society." There are cases of slaves being allowed to run businesses for their master with relative autonomy and slaves returning to work for their former master after they had gained their freedom (although this may have been a legal obligation). if you were a roman citizen reading this description, how would you feel? Once his allies had arrived, Scipio had about the same number of troops as Hannibal (around 40,000 men), but his 6,100 cavalrymen, led by the Numidian ruler Masinissa and the Roman general Gaius Laelius, were superior to the Carthaginian cavalry in both training and quantity. what was the perspective of the author in the twelve tables? Best Answer. His work was continued by his son-in-law Hasdrubal and his son Hannibal, who was placed at the head of the army in 221. Bibliography In some theatres the Carthaginian army enjoyed great successes, notably in North Africa, Sicily, and Spain. In addition, a land army was sometimes required in order to defend Carthage's trading interests from local tribes and rival powers, especially the tyrants of Sicily and later Rome. While Pyrrhus was still fighting battles in Sicily and facing heavy losses, he received information from Tarentum that it was difficult to defend the city on their own and that they needed assistance. Slaves were either conquered peoples or brought from slave markets and were used for all manner of tasks, professional or menial, in the city and in the countryside, as well as in the Carthaginian navy during the Punic Wars. -showed how they were unequal, but tried to be equal. The Greeks identified Melqart with their own hero Hercules, and a cult of Melqart-Hercules spread around the Mediterranean. Web. Polytheistic in nature, such important Phoenician gods as Melqart and Baal were worshipped in the colony alongside new ones such as Tanit. (like the persian emipire) its how the earth balances itself out, writing and publicly displaying laws (twelve tables), republican government, but the plebeians demanded it. Submitted by Mark Cartwright, published on 13 July 2016. A serious consequence of the fear of failure inherent in the army command structure may have been that generals tended to be overcautious and conservative in battle. That caused the elephants to run unimpeded through the lines with little, if any, engagement. Web. License. crossing the alps with 40,000men and 37 elephants, almost all died. The proximate cause of the first outbreak was a crisis in the city of Messana (Messina), commanding the straits between Italy and Sicily. There were cases of slaves becoming free, even if their new status is unlikely to have ever given them equal rights to ordinary citizens. Third Punic War, also called Third Carthaginian War, (149146 bce), third of three wars between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian (Punic) Empire that resulted in the final destruction of Carthage, the enslavement of its population, and Roman hegemony over the western Mediterranean. Because Hannibal could not transport the majority of his horses from Italy, he was forced to slaughter them to keep them from falling into Roman hands. 12,000 Romans were killed against 800 Carthaginians. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. Tanit was also associated with the palm tree, dove, the moon, fish, and pomegranate, all of which appear with her on Carthaginian coins and stelae dedicated to her. Yes, you're reading this right. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Most Carthaginian gods were inherited from the Phoenicians, but these were adapted, and their names and functions evolved over time. We care about our planet! The Carthaginians hastily collected a relief force, but in a battle fought off the Aegates Insulae (Egadi Islands), west of Drepana, their fleet was caught at a disadvantage and mostly sunk or captured (March 10, 241). The attendant new obligation to safeguard the peninsula against foreign interference made it necessary not to allow the neighbouring island of Sicily to fall into the hands of a strong and expansive power. The Roman Republic Flashcards | Chegg.com Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Aside from naval battles, the Carthaginian fleet was also vital for transporting armies, resupplying them by providing an escort for transport ships, coastal raids, attacking enemy supply ships, blockading enemy ports, and relieving Carthaginian forces when they were themselves besieged. At Mylae (Milazzo), off the north Sicilian coast, their admiral Gaius Duilius defeated a Carthaginian squadron of superior maneuvering capacity by grappling and boarding. Having staged a successful invasion of Africa and having vanquished its canniest and most-implacable foe, Rome began its vision of a Mediterranean empire. Undoubtedly, there were large estate owners in Carthaginian lands beyond the city proper, but property was not the exclusive ticket to power that it was in other ancient cultures. -bad navy and lack of knowledge in sea battle. what other sources would help you to better understand the roman republic? Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Each ethnic group would have had their own, such as the Celtic wild boar image, and shield blazons were also used to identify who was who. In response to this threat hundreds of noble children were sacrificed. Such were the requirements of Carthage's large navy that ships were constructed using mass-produced pieces marked with numbers for ease of assembly. The battle took place at a site identified by the Roman historian Livy as Naraggara . Many stelae have an inscription which describes a human blood sacrifice, but others describe the substitution of a sheep or lamb for a child. These had two large columns, one either side of the entrance which led to three chambers within which was not a representation of the god but a large bronze bowl with an eternal flame. As with most other ancient cultures warfare for the Carthaginians was, like any other state activity, inseparable from religious beliefs. Although the Carthaginians had to publicly burn at least 100 ships, Scipio did not impose harsh terms on Hannibal himself, and Hannibal was soon elected as suffete (civil magistrate) by popular vote to help administer a defeated Carthage. The head of the priests (rb khnm) was also a member of the Senate and the influential Council of 104. The Phoenician Religion, as in many other ancient cultures, was Utica (also Utique), 33km north of Tunis, was the first Phoenician Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. That was a reversal of the situation in Italy, where Hannibal had held the advantage in cavalry and had typically chosen the ground. This was possible largely because for much of its history Carthage only ever fought battles in foreign territory and the city itself was never threatened until Agathocles landed an army in 310 BCE and the Roman invasions of the Second and Third Punic Wars. Although both countries were comparable in military power and economic strength the two nations had different military advantages: Carthage had a strong naval power while Rome had almost no naval power, but had a stronger ground force. Not just trading middle-men, the Carthaginians produced their own manufactured goods and so the city had a large number of pottery, glass, and metal workshops (producing weapons, jewellery, and everyday items), dyers, carpenters, and construction workers. Polybius and Livy claim 20,000 Carthaginian killed and an equal number of prisoners; of the Romans, 1500 died at Zama. what disadvantage did Rome have when fighting the carthiginians? At its largest extent, it covered 6,000 square meters and has nine descending levels. The aristocracy of Carthage was not, as in many other ancient societies, based on land ownership but wealth, pure and simple. In practice just how many ordinary citizens could afford not to work and participate in politics is debatable, and there may even have been a minimum wealth qualification. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. In addition to utilizing 80 war elephants that were not fully trained, Hannibal was also compelled to rely mostly upon an army of Carthaginian recruits that lacked much battle experience. World History Encyclopedia, 06 Jul 2016. -suffering capital punishment Religious ceremonies could also take place at natural features like rivers and springs as these were often held as sacred by the Carthaginians. The western Mediterranean during the Punic Wars, Learn about the rise and fall of the Carthaginian empire. Although human sacrifice may have been practised, the high proportion of newborn babies in the tophets shows that these enclosures served as burial places for children who died at birth or had not reached the age of two. which regions of the Mediterranean did Carthage control? In the founding legend of Carthage, Dido (Elissa), the queen who fled from Tyre, picked up the High priest of Astarte in Cyprus on her way to North Africa, promising him that he and his descendants would hold the position of High Priest in the new city. When the Carthaginians in 150 resisted Masinissas aggressions by force of arms, thus formally breaking the treaty with Rome, a Roman army was dispatched to Africa. We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. (252). ), and even human sacrifice (molk). Wiki User. She represented a mother goddess, life, and fertility. "Carthaginian Warfare." House by house he captured the streets that led up to the citadel. Our information on many of the details of the Punic religion is, then, incomplete due to a lack of contemporary sources from the Carthaginians themselves. Simply by investing heavily in warships, the Romans took the latter advantage away. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. Priests may have controlled education, of which we know very little, and also the libraries we know existed at the time of Carthage's destruction in 146 BCE. Carthaginian MercenariesThe Creative Assembly (Copyright). The name Zama was given to the site (which modern historians have never precisely identified) by the Roman historian Cornelius Nepos about 150 years after the battle. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. Special interests include art, architecture, and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share. Cartwright, Mark. The temper of the Roman people was soon made manifest during a conflict which broke out between the Carthaginians and their discontented mercenaries. His defiant policy was too popular to be disavowed, however. Ancient Siege Warfare: Persians, Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans 546146 Rome Seizes the Trident: The Defeat of Carthaginian Seapower and the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. As the armies of Carthage were usually composite groups of foreign mercenary forces; their weapons and armour differed depending on the unit's origin or preferences. Punic Stele with Goddess TanitCarole Raddato (CC BY-NC-SA). The Carthaginians accordingly opened negotiations and consented to a peace by which they ceded Sicily and the Lipari (Eolie) Islands to Rome and paid an indemnity of 3,200 talents. Carthage was founded by the Phoenician city of Tyre in 813 BCE as a handy location along western Mediterranean trade routes, and the colony would go on to prosper and found its own colonies, eventually taking over the old Phoenician network too. Phoenician-Punic Grinning MaskCarole Raddato (CC BY-NC-SA). Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! but Rome did not. We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. Web. The inherent weaknesses in the Carthaginian army - disparate groups of sometimes disloyal mercenaries, confused command structures, and an over-reliance on heavy infantry and war elephants - meant that Carthage was, ultimately, unable to maintain its position as a Mediterranean superpower and keep pace with mighty Rome. This victory was followed by an investment of the chief Punic base at Lilybaeum (Marsala), together with Drepanum (Trapani), by land and sea. What disadvantages did Rome have when fighting the Carthaginians? Some revisions are not of actual mistakes, but will improve the clarity of the writing. This strategy could be countered by spreading one's ships as wide as possible but not too much so as to allow a diekplous attack. In addition, the Carthaginians were not averse to equipping themselves with the arms and armour of their fallen enemies. Second Punic War | Carthage and Rome [218 bce-201 bce] Carthage was a sea power so therefore it had a naval advantage over Rome, until the Romans caught up, that is. Carthaginian Religion - World History Encyclopedia The presence of professional interpreters, as mentioned in stelae, is evidence of the cosmopolitan nature of Carthage. Tanit, Carthaginian Electrum CoinThe British Museum (Copyright). Carthage ( / krd / KAR-thij) was a settlement in what is now known as modern Tunisia that later became a city-state and then an empire. Carthage Who was Hannibal and what did he do? Second Punic War, also called Second Carthaginian War, second (218-201 bce) in a series of wars between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian (Punic) empire that resulted in Roman hegemony over the western Mediterranean. They lived in the large residential areas of the city in tightly-packed modest homes built of adobe brick, some even multi-storied (up to six floors) to house several families. To avoid the threat that successful mercenary armies rebelled against the ruling elite of Carthage, the Carthaginians made sure that all senior and middle command positions were held by citizens of Carthage. He holds an MA in Political Philosophy and is the WHE Publishing Director. Omissions? We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. Nevertheless, its commercial enterprises expanded rapidly in the 2nd century bce, exciting the envy of Romes growing mercantile community. In 219 Hannibal laid siege to Saguntum and carried the town in spite of a stubborn defense. It was first used in the 8th century BCE and continuously thereafter until the fall of Carthage in the Punic Wars. In the ancient world, the Phoenicians and Carthaginians earned a bloody reputation for frequent child sacrifice, but some historians have questioned the scale of this practice. Why did Carthage want Sicily? - Heimduo The rewards of military victory for Carthage were control of new territories with their natural resources, acquisition of slaves, sometimes the incorporation of parts of the defeated army into their own, and the state treasuries and granaries of conquered cities. In 251 or 250 the Roman general Lucius Caecilius Metellus at last brought about a pitched battle near Panormus in which the enemys force was effectively crippled. what is inferred about the roman society? 01 May 2023. what advantages did the carthaginians have - Brainly.com Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. stable before this time, with Carthage being most powerfull, the romans wanted more power and recognition, so they used war to get this. License. The failure of the elephant charge can likely be explained by a trio of factors, with the first two being well documented and most important. What advantages did the carthaginians have See answer Advertisement Mathunga - Carthage had a much better naval force at the beginning of the Punic wars. Punic Stele with Goddess TanitCarole Raddato (CC BY-NC-SA). One of the rituals of the Phoenician and Punic religions was to sacrifice humans, especially children (but not only), according to ancient sources. All of these ploys helped to reassure the common soldier that they were fighting on the right side with the best general. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/article/908/carthaginian-society/. Ercte (247244) and Mt. The great general Hamilcar Barca was particularly successful in Spain in the 230s BCE. based on appians description of the destruction of carthage, decribe one way the romans increased and consolidated their power? Roman-Carthaginian Relations Before the Punic Wars - UKEssays.com Thus, he could field only about 4,000 cavalry, the bulk of them from a minor Numidian ally named Tychaeus. Last modified July 06, 2016. Help us and translate this article into another language! World History Encyclopedia. Eryx (modern Erice) (244242) in western Sicily, by which he effectually screened Lilybaeum from any attempt on it by the Roman land army. Demeter and Persephone (Kore) were especially popular and were incorporated into the Punic pantheon following a series of military disasters which the Carthaginians ascribed to their unwise destruction of the goddesses' temple at Syracuse in 396 BCE. Carthage, on the other hand, had long been anxious to conquer Sicily and so to complete the chain of island posts by which it controlled the western Mediterranean. Then there were the artists who produced goldwork, sculptures, and fine glassware. Despite the importance of such goddesses as Tanit/Astarte in the Carthaginian religion and the myth of the city's founding by Queen Dido (Elissa), women were not granted citizenship and so could not participate in the political life of the city. Battle of Zama | Biography & Facts | Britannica When the Carthaginian flagship was captured, the commander was forced to ignominiously flee in a rowing boat. which regions of the Mediterranean did Rome and its allies control? Copy. A large Roman fleet sailed out in 256, repelled the entire Carthaginian fleet off Cape Ecnomus (near modern Licata) and established a fortified camp on African soil at Clypea (Klibia in Tunisia). World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. What advantages did the Carthaginians have? The traditional date of the foundation of Carthage as 814 bce was probably exaggerated by the Carthaginians themselves, for it does not necessarily agree with the archaeological data. There is no evidence that a citizen of Carthage ever became a slave but, as in Rome, this may have happened if a person could not pay their debts or if poor parents sold their child, as was sometimes the case. Child sacrifice did occur at Carthage, as it did in many other ancient cultures, but the physical evidence of the scale of such a practice does not seem to match the long-held infamous reputation the Phoenicians and Carthaginians have suffered from since antiquity. -news articles written by lower class plebeians, The Twelve Tables and Roman War Mechanics, Ways of the World AP World History: Chapter 11, Dahia Ibo Shabaka, Larry S. Krieger, Linda Black, Phillip C. Naylor, Roger B. Beck, L37-38: lipoprotein metabolism & disorders. Its name means "new city" or "new town." Before the rise of ancient Rome, Carthage was the most powerful city in the region because of its proximity to trade routes and its impressive harbor on the Mediterranean. First, the elephants were not well trained. First Punic War | Definition, Summary, & Facts | Britannica Another foreign import was Isis, who had a temple in the city. Polytheistic in nature, such important Phoenician gods as Melqart and Baal were worshipped in the colony alongside new ones such as Tanit. They didn't revolt. The Roman commander, nevertheless, persisted in throwing troops into the city, and, by seizing the Carthaginian admiral during a parley, induced him to withdraw. We also know that temples were off-limits to women and pigs, although there were some priestesses who served certain deities and their temples. Updates? The quinquereme, so called for its arrangement of five rowers per vertical line of three oars (a total of 300 rowers), became the most widely used in the Punic fleet. Patrick Hunt (Ph.D., Institute of Archaeology, UCL, University of London, 1991) is an archaeologist and historian who has taught at Stanford University since 1993.
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