Carthaginians

The Carthaginians were an ancient Phoenician-descended people centered in Carthage, a Phoenician colony founded in the 9th or 8th century BCE near present-day Tunis in Tunisia. They built a maritime and mercantile power in the Western Mediterranean, establishing extensive trading networks and urban centers across the region.

Politically, Carthage developed an oligarchic system with magistrates known as suffetes, supported by a powerful aristocratic elite and a governing senate. The cities traded with other Phoenician settlements and local communities, and wealth flowed from commerce, shipping, and agriculture. Carthage maintained extensive trading outposts and colonies in places such as Sardinia, Sicily, and Iberia, integrating them into its commercial network.

Militarily, Carthage relied on a professional mercenary army and a strong navy to defend its interests and protect trade routes. Its power grew through naval strength and overseas settlements, leading to recurring conflicts with the expanding Roman Republic. These tensions culminated in the Punic Wars: the First Punic War (264–241 BCE) ended with Carthage losing control of Sicily; the Second Punic War (218–201 BCE) featured Hannibal’s campaigns in Italy; and the Third Punic War (149–146 BCE) resulted in the destruction of Carthage and its incorporation into Rome as the province of Africa.

Culture and religion in Carthage reflected Phoenician heritage, with deities such as Baal Hammon and Tanit prominent in rituals and daily life. The Punic language, a direct descendant of Phoenician, was used in inscriptions and commerce. Claims of child sacrifice are debated among scholars, with evidence interpreted variously in modern scholarship.

Legacy of Carthage persisted in North Africa and the broader Mediterranean through trade networks and cultural exchanges, lasting beyond its political demise and influencing later regional developments under Roman rule.