Carthage
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Source: Ancient History Encyclopedia
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By Evan Andrews
Best known as ancient Rome’s rival in
the Punic Wars, Carthage was a North African commercial hub that flourished
for over 500 years. The city-state began its life in the 8th or 9th century
B.C. as a Phoenician settlement in what is now Tunisia, but it later grew into
a sprawling seafaring empire that dominated trade in textiles, gold, silver and
copper.
At its peak, its capital city
boasted nearly half a million inhabitants and included a protected harbour
outfitted with docking bays for 220 ships. Carthage’s influence eventually
extended from North Africa to Spain and parts of the Mediterranean, but its
thirst for expansion led to increased friction with the burgeoning Roman
Republic. Beginning in 264 B.C., the ancient superpowers clashed in the three
bloody Punic Wars, the last of which ended in 146 B.C. with the near-total
destruction of Carthage. Today, almost all that remains of the once-mighty
empire is a series of ruins in the city of Tunis.
Source: History
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