Carthaginian

Carthaginian refers to the people of Carthage, an ancient Phoenician-founded city-state located in present-day Tunisia. Carthage grew from a Phoenician trading post established in the 9th–8th century BCE and developed into a major maritime and commercial power in the western Mediterranean, controlling parts of North Africa, Spain’s southern coast, Sardinia, Corsica, and Sicily at various times.

Politically, Carthage operated as an oligarchic republic with two suffetes serving as chief magistrates and a powerful aristocratic council; a broader citizen body had limited political influence. The state relied on mercantile wealth, extensive trade networks, and a strong navy. Its economy combined farming, mining, and trade in olive oil, wine, textiles, and metals. Carthaginian society depended on mercenaries for land campaigns and defense.

Carthage waged a series of wars against Rome known as the Punic Wars (264–146 BCE). Hannibal Barca is the best-known Carthaginian general, famed for crossing the Alps with war elephants during the Second Punic War. After a long decline, Carthage was defeated in 146 BCE, its city destroyed by Rome and its territory annexed as the province of Africa.

Carthaginian culture was largely Phoenician–influenced, with a Punic language and religious practices centered on deities such as Baal Hammon and the goddess Tanit. The archaeological record includes harbor installations, urban dwellings, and ritual sites like the tophet. The legacy of Carthage persists in Mediterranean history through trade, military strategy, and the enduring memory of its conflict with Rome.