Where was Carthage on the modern map? Tunisia

"Carthage must be destroyed" (Latin Carthago delenda est, Carthaginem delendam esse) - a Latin catchphrase meaning an insistent call to fight an enemy or obstacle. In a broader sense, it is a constant return to the same issue, regardless of the general topic of discussion.

Carthage (Phoenix. Qart Hadasht, Latin. Carthago, Arabic. قرطاج, Carthage, French. Carthage, other Greek. Καρχηδών) - ancient city on the territory of Tunisia, near the capital of the country - the city of Tunis, as part of the capital vilayet of Tunis.

The name Qart Hadasht (in Punic notation without the vowels Qrthdst) is translated from Phoenician as “new city”.

Throughout its history, Carthage was the capital of the Phoenician-founded state of Carthage, one of the largest powers in the Mediterranean. After the Punic Wars, Carthage was taken and destroyed by the Romans, but then rebuilt and became the most important city of the Roman Empire in the province of Africa, a major cultural and then early Christian church center. Then captured by the Vandals and was the capital of the Vandal Kingdom. But after the Arab conquest it fell into decline again.

Currently, Carthage is a suburb of the Tunisian capital, in which the presidential residence and the University of Carthage are located.

In 1831, a society for the study of Carthage was opened in Paris. Since 1874, excavations at Carthage have been carried out under the direction of the French Academy of Inscriptions. Since 1973, research on Carthage has been carried out under the auspices of UNESCO.

Carthaginian state

Carthage founded in 814 BC e. colonists from the Phoenician city of Tyre. After the fall of Phoenician influence, Carthage re-subordinated the former Phoenician colonies and turned into the capital of the largest state in the Western Mediterranean. By the 3rd century BC. e. the Carthaginian state subjugates Southern Spain, North Africa, western Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica. After a series of wars against Rome (Punic Wars), it lost its conquests and was destroyed in 146 BC. e., its territory was turned into a province of Africa.

Location

Carthage was founded on a promontory with entrances to the sea in the north and south. The city's location made it a leader in Mediterranean maritime trade. All ships crossing the sea inevitably passed between Sicily and the coast of Tunisia.

Two large artificial harbors were dug within the city: one for the navy, capable of accommodating 220 warships, the other for commercial trade. On the isthmus that separated the harbors, a huge tower was built, surrounded by a wall.

Roman era

Julius Caesar proposed to found a Roman colony on the site of the destruction of Carthage (it was founded after his death). Thanks to its convenient location on trade routes, the city soon grew again and became the capital of the Roman province of Africa, which included the lands of what is now northern Tunisia.

After Rome

During the Great Migration and the collapse of the Western Roman Empire North Africa was captured by Vandals and Alans who made Carthage the capital of their state. This state lasted until 534, when the commanders of the Eastern Roman emperor Justinian I returned the African lands to the empire. Carthage became the capital of the Carthaginian Exarchate.

A fall

After the conquest North Africa Arabs The city of Kairouan, founded by them in 670, became the new center of the Ifriqiya region, and Carthage quickly faded away.

And so, the second part of the review: EXCURSION PROGRAM.
As I already wrote in a previous review, we vacationed in Tunisia from September 11 to September 27 this year. Back at home, we planned six excursions, five of which we managed to implement. I prepared in advance a list of places I would like to visit, but no tourist guides can replace a personal impression of what I saw. And don’t believe those who claim that there is nothing to see in Tunisia. This is what people say when they spend their entire vacation on the beach. I'll try to convince you of this. I will write about my favorite places.

TUNISIA-CARTHAGE – SIDI BOU SAID
During this excursion we visited three cities in Tunisia. The first city on our way was the capital of Tunisia, which bears the same name as the country. For about an hour, a wonderful guide told us the glorious history of his country. According to the GUIDE, “Olives and Tourism” are the two gods that local residents pray to.
TUNISIA is a very modern, noisy and energetic city. It is also called the country of “victorious feminism.” In other countries of the Arab world, women wear veils and take care of the kitchen, home, and raising children. In Tunisia, thanks to the reforms of President Bourguiba, women have all the conditions for a full life. They, along with men, study, work and have fun. Those. live a full life, which, for example, our beloved Egypt cannot boast of. Polygamy has been legally abolished in Tunisia; you must agree, this is a phenomenal phenomenon for the Muslim world. In general, the legislation makes a lot of concessions for women.
The capital of Tunisia has modern highways, overground metro, hotels, cafes, restaurants, stadiums and museums. The city itself has many French-style buildings, reminiscent of colonial times. As in other cities of the country, the Central Street of Tunis is named after the first president - Avenue Habib Bourguiba. This street starts from the gates of the old city - Medina. On the main street of the capital there is national theater Tunisia. Its steps are a meeting place for young people and students. By the way, the University of Tunisia itself is not much younger than Oxford. On the same street is the International Hotel, where our first stop was. The group was given time to walk to the Old City of the Medina, which is famous for its large bazaar, with a labyrinth shopping arcades. Here you could buy all kinds of memorable souvenirs and gifts. The guide immediately warned that the bazaar is so big that you can get lost, so you shouldn’t get carried away and go deep into the shopping arcades. When you find yourself in the Old Medina, you get the impression that you are immersed in oriental life with all its flavor and spicy aromas of spices. We were really afraid of getting lost and returned to Avenue Bourguiba to take memorable photos. In general, the central street of the capital looks very European. I got the impression that Tunisia is a city where “yesterday and today” naturally mixed and intertwined.
BARDO MUSEUM
The National Bardo Mosaic Museum is also located in the capital. The museum building is an ancient palace, where the largest collection of ancient Roman mosaics, as well as statues of gods and heroes, is presented. All museum exhibits were found during excavations in various cities of Tunisia.
The entrance to the museum is guarded by two marble lions. In order to take photographs, you need to pay 1 dinar (22 rubles). The museum has just a huge amount of wall and floor mosaics, of all kinds of sizes and subjects. There are wall mosaics several stories high that hang on the museum's staircases. In the festive hall there is the largest surviving fragment of the mosaic - as much as 56 square meters!
The ceilings of the palace building itself are very beautiful, many are decorated with Italian-style paintings or unusually fine lace carvings. In general, it is very difficult to talk and write about the museum; you have to see it. You can look at the mosaics for hours, and the guide will tell you in detail who created them and for what reason. Throughout the entire tour, our GUIDE never tired of repeating the aphorism “Life is short, but art is eternal.”
CARTHAGE
The next place to visit was the famous city of Carthage or Carthage, familiar to everyone from school. This once powerful empire, founded by the Phoenician princess Elissa, was destroyed several times and was reborn again. To this day, the remains of the Roman buildings of the Capitol, the Carthaginian Amphitheater and the Baths of Antony have been preserved. The ruins of Carthage are located in several scattered places, where excavations are still ongoing. We only visited the park of the baths complex of Emperor Anthony Pius, which were built on the seashore and are best preserved to this day. After the Baths of Trajan in Rome, these baths were the largest in the Roman Empire. The aristocracy of Carthage met here to relax, bathe and conduct business conversations. Of course, only ruins remain of all the splendor, but they are also impressive.
Next to the park there is a fence of the summer residence of Tunisian President Ben Ali, which is strictly guarded (there are booths with machine gunners around the fence). There are signs throughout the area warning that photography is not allowed in this direction. By the way, portraits of the president and national flags hanging everywhere - in hotel lobbies, in shops, in shops, in cafes. A sort of patriotism for show.
Modern Carthage is one of the most prestigious suburbs of Tunisia. There are many snow-white villas and nobility live here, as well as the residences of foreign ambassadors. Carthage is carefully preserved from modernity. All telephone and electrical cables are hidden underground, so when walking around the city, it is easy to imagine that time has turned back and you have found yourself in a different era. According to the Guide: Local authorities are still fining homeowners if they don't update the paint on their homes.
In general, we caught ourselves thinking that it was somehow unusual to touch ancient stones that preserve memories of the past greatness of the entire Empire... Once in Soviet times, while studying the history of Carthage in the school curriculum, we could not even imagine that we will see all this with our own eyes...
From Carthage we went to the suburbs to have lunch at one of the Caribbean hotels. Next, our excursion followed to the romantic town of artists, performers and poets...
SIDI BOU SAID
And finally, the last point of our journey is the picturesque blue and white town of Sidi Bou Said, which is located on Mount El Manar, and is located not far from Carthage. In my opinion, this is one of the most beautiful places we have seen in Tunisia.
White and blue are the main colors of the houses in this town. Back in the early 20s, the town of Sidi Bou Said, on the initiative of the British Baron Erlanger, was taken under protection as a historical monument.
We follow the GUIDE past blooming cactus plantations, galleries and souvenir shops. Every now and then we meet students with tablets in their hands, making sketches of local architectural “masterpieces”... We literally turn our heads 180 degrees with our mouths open and take photographs, photographs and photographs...
The steeply rising main street finally leads us to the Nutt cafe. They say this is the most famous cafe in Tunisia, thanks to Auguste Macke's painting "View of the Mosque". Here the guide interrupted his narration and let us go free swimming for an hour and a half. It was the shortest hour and a half of my life. There was no trace of fatigue left. We have time to walk along a shopping street with many shopping shops, take a lot of pictures and look into the famous cafe. Every house in this town, every door covered with ivy or roses, are real works of art. And what an amazing view opens from the terrace of the cafe to the Gulf of Tunis and Mount Bou Cornin. I think that this wonderful, fairy-tale town will not leave any tourist indifferent. To feel the atmosphere of this amazing beautiful place, we need to stay here at least one day, but, alas, we have too little time. We are forced to rush back to the bus. It's a pity that there was very, very little time to explore.
This wonderful, educational excursion took the whole day. The cost for 1 person with lunch is 65 Dinars (1400-1450 rubles). For dinner we were brought back to the hotel for a well-deserved rest.
The whole next day we peacefully arrived at the beach and shared our impressions of what we saw with new acquaintances from our vacation. Having rested and gained strength, ready for new experiences, we went on an excursion to the city of El Jem.

EL JEM
First of all, the city of El Jem is famous for its amphitheater, which was included in the list in 1979 World Heritage UNESCO. Like almost all other Roman settlements in Tunisia, the city of El Jem was built on the site of a former Phoenician settlement. The Romans called it Tisdrus (Fisdrus) and under them it was the place where many trade routes converged, along which food was delivered to Rome. The huge Colosseum is a reminder of those times.
And so, about the main attraction of the city - the amphitheater or Colosseum.
We noticed this structure from afar, but thought it was just a mountain. It was only when we got closer that we realized that this was the creation of human hands. This huge building, 38 m high, is visible from all points of the city. The diameter of the building is about 430 meters. The three floors of the structure can accommodate up to 40 thousand spectators. By the way, the Colosseum in Rome is not much larger in size and capacity, but is much worse preserved. I haven’t seen the Roman Colosseum, but I imagine that the Tunisian Amphitheater looks no less majestic. The building at El Jem is very well preserved, including the underground rooms where prisoners and animals were kept. In ancient times, gladiator fights took place here, and Christian martyrs were thrown to be torn to pieces by wild animals. Often the Colosseum became a defensive fortress. According to one legend, El-Jem is associated with the city of Mahdia underground tunnel, through which an elephant can pass, and another tunnel supposedly leads to the catacombs of the city of Sousse. Excavations are still underway on the territory of the amphitheater and underground rooms are being restored. The destruction of the Caliseum was also greatly facilitated by the local residents of the city, who used its walls as a quarry for new construction. But no matter how much destruction the Colosseum suffered, it still stands proudly and majestically above El Jem.
Currently, international classical music festivals are held on the territory of the Colosseum. A modern stage is being installed on the territory of the former arena, and the spectator stands are also being decorated. What else I remember was the excellent acoustics present in the amphitheater. By the way, it was in this Colosseum that the Oscar-winning film “Gladiator” was filmed. In general, there is something to see, something to be impressed by, and something to admire. Our group was given a little over an hour of free time to explore and buy souvenirs. We wandered around on our own underground labyrinths Colosseum, took interesting pictures, climbed the most high points buildings from where it opens good view to the modern city of El Jem.
From the Colosseum we are taken to an ancient residence - Villa Africa. This was once one of the most luxurious houses in Roman Africa with an area of ​​3 thousand m2. To date, the villa has been restored and restored by 70 percent. The ancient mosaic depicting the goddess of Africa, after whom the villa is named, has also been restored. Excavations are still underway on the territory of the villa.
This most interesting excursion takes only half a day. At 6 a.m. tourists are picked up from the hotel and brought back by mid-lunch. The cost for 1 person is 35 Dinars (770 rubles). After lunch we relaxed on the beach of our hotel.
I’m all about the educational, now about the entertaining excursion.

LASER SHOW
An entertaining performance takes place in the evening on the territory of the Medinat El Zahra park, near the city of Sousse. The park and its stages are surrounded by mountains and occupy about 3 hectares of land. The laser show is preceded by a folklore performance, where scenes of matchmaking and weddings from the life of the Berbers are played out.
First we were taken to a makeshift Berber village where invited guests are entertained before the wedding. Here you could take pictures in improvised Berber huts, listen to musicians and watch Tunisian dances, which actively attract tourists. Then everyone moved to an improvised amphitheater, where the matchmaking and wedding itself actually took place. The whole performance was accompanied by a beautiful horse riding on Arabian horses.
Next, all guests were invited to the restaurant, where a classic Tunisian dinner took place. Guests were served traditional dishes, the main one, of course, being couscous. Unlimited table red wine, mineral water and other drinks are served with dinner. The entire dinner is accompanied by a folklore show on stage, where national costumes, dances, customs and the wedding ceremony itself are shown.
By the way, in reality, weddings in Tunisia last 7 days and are a grandiose show. Moreover, the bride and groom celebrate separately, each with their family and friends, and do not see each other, but meet only on the last day of the wedding)))
In our opinion, the first part of the evening, although it was quite eventful and interesting, was a little drawn out. People, having tried the treats, began to actively leave the restaurant.
Next, an even more amazing spectacle awaited us - the Laser Show “Sound and Light”. The entire show is accompanied by voice-over text in several languages, incl. and in Russian. The action takes place in an amphitheater, where on one side there are stone stands with wicker mats for spectators, and on the other side there is the decoration of an eastern fortress, with battlements and loopholes. In the center of the amphitheater there is an improvised pond about 80 meters in diameter, and in the middle there are illuminated fountains.
As soon as the first three-dimensional laser projection appeared on the wall, like on a screen, applause rang out in the amphitheater. Truly spectacular! In addition to the laser show, there is a parallel theatrical action taking place on stage, telling 3000 summer story Tunisia. The whole performance is so interesting that it keeps you in suspense until the last minute. And how all this was complemented by the dark night, the African starry sky and the thin face of the crescent moon...
If you are going to Tunisia, I highly recommend including the Medinat El Zahra park on your list of must-see places, of course - in addition to Carthage.
With this I will finish my long story about our excursions in Tunisia. Of course, it turned out to be chaotic and incomplete, and we simply didn’t see much. We didn’t see, for example, Bizerte, where the most large harbor throughout the Mediterranean Sea. We didn’t see many ancient cities, for example, the famous Utica... And we didn’t even see all of Carthage... I think that the next time I visit Tunisia, I will still decide on an exciting two-day excursion to the Sahara. Or maybe we’ll take it and head to the very south of Tunisia, to the island of Djerba. Then we will be very close to the Sahara)))
And I still want to finish my opus the same way:
If you are still tormented by doubts whether it is worth visiting Tunisia, my answer to you is “MANDATORY”!

Carthage is an ancient city that has known prosperity and power, complete destruction, revival and decline. For a long period of time, its ruins rested underground and only in the second half of the 19th century. gradually began to open up to the world. The archaeological park is considered one of the main attractions of Tunisia, so thousands of tourists from all over the world come here. In 1979, the site was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Former Carthage

Profitable geographical position and the business acumen of the Carthaginians turned the city into the capital of a powerful state, which became in the 3rd century. the largest in the Western Mediterranean and one of the richest in the Ancient World. Locals were engaged in trade and natural exchange, production, handicrafts and agriculture. Sea and land trade routes converged in Carthage, since its harbors were capable of receiving a large number of ships, which certainly stopped here when crossing the strait between the African continent and the island of Sicily.

The Carthaginians had their own fleet and army, minted their own coins, imposed high taxes on the inhabitants of the annexed territories, without giving them the slightest concessions and brutally suppressing uprisings. The city had markets, places of worship, a municipality, a cemetery, four residential areas, observation towers and the high citadel of Birsa. The territory was surrounded by a 37-kilometer-long fortress wall up to 12 meters high.

Carthage must be destroyed

Competition and the rapid restoration of Carthage's economic power after the two Punic Wars irritated the Romans, accompanied by calls to fight the enemy. Plutarch in his writings mentions who was the first to say “Carthage must be destroyed.” He attributes the authorship to Cato the Censor, who came from a plebeian family, who managed to achieve high government positions and became famous for his public speeches. He ended all his speeches in the Senate with the catchphrase that has become today, even when their topic was completely different.

"Carthage must be destroyed" in Latin is "Carthaginem esse delendam".

Who destroyed Carthage

The city was razed to the ground in 146 BC. e. during the Third Punic War. Having entered Carthage after a long siege and captured the last line of defense - the citadel of Birsu, the Romans plundered, set fire to and then completely destroyed the Punic capital. The land was generously sprinkled with salt, the captives were sold into slavery, a ban was imposed on the settlement of this place under pain of curse, after which the territory was annexed to the Roman provinces.

City in ruins

Udachnoye geographical location the destruction of Carthage haunted the Romans. The idea of ​​a foundation in its place colonial city voiced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC. e., and 17 years later it was implemented by the first Roman emperor Octavian Augustus. Built on an artificial “cushion,” Roman Carthage—Colonia Julia Carthago—was settled and became the capital of the province of Africa. In the 5th century it was partially destroyed by vandals, and in the 7th century. - completely destroyed by the Arabs.

Excursions

As part of the offer, tourists can visit Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and the city of Tunis. It is recommended to take with you drinking water, cameras, video cameras or modern gadgets, as well as cash for buying souvenirs, hats and sunglasses. Clothes and shoes should be comfortable.

For independent visits to the archaeological park, it is recommended to stay for a couple of days in Tunis or Carthage.

Where is Carthage

The archaeological zone is located in the north-west of the metropolitan vilayet of Tunisia, the most compact province of the North African country of the same name. The central part of ancient Carthage rises on a hill from which magnificent views of the Gulf of Tunis open. The territory belongs to Carthage County.

City of Carthage: history

Many works have been written and many films have been made about the events related to the founding, development, wars, colonies and fall of ancient Carthage. But its history requires further study.

Ancient Carthage

Most often, the founding date of the city is 814-13. BC e. During this period on south coast Mediterranean Sea The future Carthaginian queen Dido landed along with her comrades. She fled from Tyre from the persecution of her brother Pygmalion, who killed her husband in order to seize his wealth.

When purchasing land for a settlement from the king of the local tribe, Iarbantus, Dido used a cunning plan. She was allowed to purchase only the area that would cover the skin of the ox. The legendary queen cut it into thin strips and surrounded them with a hill, where the citadel of Birsa was subsequently built.

Five centuries later, Carthage became a developed, powerful city. It was well fortified from land and impregnable from the sea. Before the start of the Punic Wars, almost half a million people lived here.

Wars with Rome

By the 3rd century. BC e. The Apennine Peninsula came under Roman rule, and Carthage controlled the western Mediterranean. The former did not want to put up with dominance over the straits of the latter and obey their rules, because the forces of the mighty powers at that time were practically equal. A serious conflict, leading to a series of armed clashes, broke out over the possession of Sicily. The three Punic Wars continued intermittently from 264 to 146. (the Romans called the Phoenicians who settled in North Africa as Punes).

The First Punic War ended 23 years later with the victory of the Roman Republic. As a result, the Carthaginians were forced to abandon Sicily in favor of the Romans and pay them indemnities. But contradictions between the powers remained.

The Second Punic War was unleashed by Rome's sworn enemy Hannibal in 221-20. BC e. He entered Italian territory from the north, through the Alps and Apennines, defeated several troops directed against him and proceeded in triumph to the very south. In August 216 BC. e. at the Battle of Cannae (Apulia), the commander dealt a crushing blow to the Roman army. However, the last stage of the war ended with a general battle in Africa in 202 BC. e. victory of the Romans. Carthage lost all its overseas colonies and fleet, paid huge indemnities and was deprived of the right to wage war without the consent of Rome.

The reason for the outbreak of the Third Punic War in 149 BC. e. There was an armed conflict between Carthage and the Numidian king Massinissa, who constantly provoked the Carthaginians. Rome took advantage of the violation of the treaty and sent its army to Africa. The siege of Carthage lasted until the spring of 146 BC. e. and ended in his defeat and destruction.

Rome and Carthage

The Roman era in Carthage began in 29 BC. e. To completely eliminate traces of the Poons, the top of Birsa was cut off and the surrounding area was leveled. A forum was organized in the center, a grid of parallel-perpendicular streets was laid out from it, public and residential buildings were built, temples were erected and an aqueduct was laid. The capital of the province of Africa was moved here, and therefore the population grew to several hundred thousand people. By the 3rd century. the city turned into one of the largest policies in the Roman Empire and became the center of early Christianity. The Romans controlled Carthage until 439.

After Rome

The weakening of the Western Roman Empire also affected Carthage. In the 5th century Control over the province was lost, and the city was captured by the Vandals, declaring it the residence of their king. In 534, the Byzantines reconquered the lands, forming the African Exarchate with its capital in Carthage. It existed until the Arabs captured the territory. In 698, the city finally fell - houses and the aqueduct were destroyed, agricultural land was destroyed, and the harbors were abandoned.

At the end of the 19th century. Tunisia found itself under French protectorate. From that moment on, archaeologists became interested in ancient Carthage.

Ruins and landmarks

The exact location of Carthage was determined in the first half of the 19th century. to the Danish consul K. Falbe, who transferred the plan of the ruins to the map. Excavations began in 1857 under the leadership of the Frenchman C. Boehle, and their active phase occurred at the turn of the 19th - 20th centuries. The finds presented in the park mainly date back to the Roman period. Of the Punic objects, necropolises and a small number of artifacts have been preserved.

Birsa District

On the steep hill of the same name, 60 m high, there was a Carthaginian citadel, which became the last stronghold of the city’s defenders in 146 BC. e. Then 50 thousand inhabitants managed to hide in it. Many surrendered and were enslaved, the rest chose to die in the fire of the Eshmun temple they set on fire.

Today, on the site of the citadel there are remains of Roman buildings. However, on the sides of Birsa, under the layers of the embankment erected by the colonists, it was possible to discover the ruins of Punic Carthage. On the south side you can see the “Hannibal Quarter”, freed from layers, with the remains of residential buildings and well-planned streets. It is assumed that small buildings rose up to 6 floors, and cisterns in the basements served to collect water. During excavations on the slopes of Birsa, deep settling basins and pools were found, where wastewater was discharged through an ancient sewer network.

On Birsa there are:

• Catholic Cathedral of St. Louis - built in the 1890s. and was consecrated in honor of Louis IX, who died suddenly in Tunisia during the Crusade in 1270. Currently, concerts are held in the temple;
• National Museum of Carthage - founded in 1875. The collection presents archaeological finds from the Punic, Roman, ancient Christian and Byzantine periods.

Artifacts found during excavations are placed in the open area - parts of columns and statues, capitals, etc. The Museum of Early Christianity is located nearby.

In the 1990s, a 4.7 m deep shaft leading to a burial crypt was accidentally discovered on Birsa. In one of the two sarcophagi lay the remains of a European youth, who was given the name Arish. Subsequently, his appearance was reconstructed in the form of a wax figure. The find is dated to the 6th century. BC e.

Amphitheater

The rapidly growing city required the organization of mass spectacles, and therefore in the 2nd century. a huge amphitheater with a capacity of up to 50 thousand people was erected. Fights were held in the arena, and during the period of persecution of Christians, public executions were held, as evidenced by a marble column with a memorial inscription. The amphitheater of Carthage was destroyed by vandals in the 5th century.

Cisterns of La Magla (Maalga)

A perfectly preserved complex of covered reservoirs, intended for collecting and storing water, is located near the amphitheater. The huge parallel cisterns were built in the Roman era and restored at the end of the 19th century. Their total length is more than 800 m, and their width is about 8 m. Water entered the reservoirs through a multi-kilometer aqueduct. Its fragments have survived to this day.

Circus

All that remains of the former racetrack stadium are the visible outlines of an oblong shape. Here in the Roman era people gathered for mass spectacles.

Roman villas

From the remains of buildings and cobbled streets one can judge general layout urban area in the Roman period. In varying degrees of preservation, you can see here a Christian basilica from the 7th century, a Byzantine church, and a Punic necropolis, partially restored in the 1960s. a Roman villa of the 3rd century, called the “Poultry House”, and trading shops.

Roman theater

The restored 5,000-seat amphitheater, originally built in the 2nd century, has unique acoustics. Concerts and festivals are organized here.

Baths of Anthony (Antonina Pius)

It is assumed that the grandiose complex was built during the time of Emperor Antoninus Pius, in the middle of the 2nd century. In size it was second only to the Roman baths of Caracalla and Diocletian. All that remains of the structure are the basements, excavations of which were carried out after the Second World War. The above-ground part of the Antonin Baths was destroyed by vandals in the early Middle Ages.

Tophet

The site of mass sacrifices of children (later animals) was discovered in 1921. In the Phoenician and Punic religions that succeeded it, the construction of such a sanctuary was considered mandatory for the implementation of sacrifices. The site, with rows of ceremonial urns filled with charred bones and a cluster of stones carved with requests, left archaeologists in shock.

Experts have counted more than 20 thousand remains collected here over two centuries of the Punic era. After a detailed study of materials extracted from more than 300 urns, scientists came to the conclusion that in most cases the death of children was not violent.

Harbors

The two Punic ports were intended for merchant and military ships. The latter could simultaneously accommodate up to 220 ships. On the isthmus between the two harbors stood a tall tower surrounded by a wall. On a small island in the port area there is an Oceanographic Museum and a small pavilion with exhibitions on the history of the ports.

Byzantine basilica

The early Christian complex, turned into ruins, included a monastery, two churches, a chapel, and a baptistery. Only the rotunda, framed by 16 columns, has survived to this day. The lower parts of the columns remained from the Damus el-Karita Basilica, allowing us to judge its size.

Modern Carthage

The archaeological park is located on the territory of the city of Carthage, founded in 1919. Objects open to viewing are dispersed over a huge area. Historical landmarks coexist with residential buildings modern city, which until recently, step by step, absorbed the territory of ancient Carthage.

Wealthy citizens prefer to live in Carthage. The official residence of the President of Tunisia and the university are located here.

Operating mode

In summer, the archaeological park is open from 08:00 to 19:00, in winter - from 08:30 to 17:00.

Prices

A comprehensive ticket costs 10 TND (Tunisian dinar). Children under 14 years of age have free admission. For photography you need to pay an additional 1 TND.

How to get to Carthage

The archaeological zone can be reached by trains on the TGM line. They run between Tunis-Marine and La Marsa stations. You can get off at any of the stops - “Carthage Byrsa”, “Carthage Dermech” or “Carthage Hannibal”, depending on the intended route of the walk.

By car from the center of Tunisia you need to follow either the street running along the embankment. Goulet and further along the R23 road, or along the N9 highway that goes around Lake Tunis, with a turn to N10.

You can order a taxi in Tunisia using the mobile applications Ched-Taxi, Taxi216, TjikTaxi.

As part of the excursion you can visit Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and the city of Tunis.

Carthage was founded in 814 BC. e. colonists from the Phoenician city of Tire. After the fall of Phoenician influence in the Western Mediterranean, Carthage reassigned the former Phoenician colonies. By the 3rd century BC. e. it becomes the largest state in the western Mediterranean, subjugating Southern Spain, North Africa, Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica. After a series of wars against Rome, it lost its conquests and was destroyed in 146 BC. e., its territory was turned into the province of Africa. Julius Caesar proposed to found a colony in its place (it was founded after his death). After the conquest of North Africa by the Byzantine emperor Justinian, Carthage was the capital of the Carthaginian Exarchate. It finally lost its name after being conquered by the Arabs.

Location

Carthage is located on a promontory with entrances to the sea in the north and south. The city's location made it a leader in Mediterranean maritime trade. All ships crossing the sea inevitably passed between Sicily and the coast of Tunisia.

Two large artificial harbors were dug within the city: one for the navy, capable of accommodating 220 warships, the other for commercial trade. On the isthmus that separated the harbors, a huge tower was built, surrounded by a wall.

The length of the massive city walls was 37 kilometers, and the height in some places reached 12 meters. Most of the walls were located on the shore, which made the city impregnable from the sea.

The city had a huge cemetery, places of worship, markets, a municipality, towers, and a theater. It was divided into four equal residential areas. Approximately in the middle of the city stood a high citadel called Birsa. It was one of the largest cities in Hellenistic times (according to some estimates, only Alexandria was larger), and was among largest cities antiquities.

State structure

Carthage was ruled by the aristocracy. Supreme body- a council of elders, headed by 10 (later 30) people. The People's Assembly also formally played a significant role, but in fact it was rarely addressed. Around 450 BC. e. In order to create a counterbalance to the desire of some clans (especially the Mago clan) to gain full control over the council, a council of judges was created. It consisted of 104 people and was initially supposed to judge the remaining officials after the expiration of their terms of office, but subsequently concentrated all power in its hands. The executive (and highest judicial) power was exercised by two suffets; they, like the council of elders, were elected annually by open purchase of votes (most likely, there were other officials, but information about this has not been preserved). The Council of 104 was not elected, but was appointed by special commissions - pentarchy, which themselves were replenished on the basis of belonging to one or another aristocratic family. The Council of Elders also elected the commander-in-chief - for an indefinite period and with the broadest powers. The performance of the duties of officials was not paid; in addition, there was a qualification of nobility. The democratic opposition only strengthened during the Punic Wars and did not have time to play almost any role in history. The whole system was highly corrupt, but colossal government revenues allowed the country to develop quite successfully.

According to Polybius (i.e. from the point of view of the Romans), decisions in Carthage were made by the people (plebs), and in Rome - by the best people, that is, the Senate. And this despite the fact that, according to many historians, Carthage was ruled by an Oligarchy.

Religion

Although the Phoenicians lived scattered throughout the Western Mediterranean, they were united by common beliefs. The Carthaginians inherited the Canaanite religion from their Phoenician ancestors. Every year for centuries, Carthage sent envoys to Tire to perform a sacrifice there in the temple of Melqart. In Carthage, the main deities were the pair Baal Hammon, whose name means “fire-master,” and Tanit, identified with Astarte.

The most notorious feature of Carthage's religion was child sacrifice. According to Diodorus Siculus, in 310 BC. e., during the attack on the city, in order to pacify Baal Hammon, the Carthaginians sacrificed more than 200 children from noble families. The Encyclopedia of Religion states: “The sacrifice of an innocent child as a sacrifice of atonement was the greatest act of propitiation of the gods. Apparently, this act was intended to ensure the welfare of both the family and the community.”

In 1921, archaeologists discovered a site where several rows of urns were found containing the charred remains of both animals (they were sacrificed instead of people) and small children. The place was called Tophet. The burials were located under steles on which requests were written that accompanied the sacrifices. It is estimated that the site contains the remains of more than 20,000 children sacrificed in just 200 years. Today, some revisionists argue that the burial site was simply a cemetery for children who were stillborn or were not old enough to be buried in the necropolis. However, it cannot be said with complete confidence that people were not sacrificed in Carthage.

Social system

The entire population, according to its rights, was divided into several groups based on ethnicity. The Libyans were in the most difficult situation. The territory of Libya was divided into regions subordinate to the strategists, taxes were very high, and their collection was accompanied by all sorts of abuses. This led to frequent uprisings, which were brutally suppressed. Libyans were forcibly recruited into the army - the reliability of such units, of course, was very low. The Siculi - Sicilian Greeks - made up another part of the population; their rights in the field of political administration were limited by “Sidonian law” (its content is unknown). The Siculs, however, enjoyed free trade. People from the Phoenician cities annexed to Carthage enjoyed full civil rights, and the rest of the population (freedmen, settlers - in a word, not Phoenicians) enjoyed “Sidonian law” like the Siculs.

The Wealth of Carthage

Built on the foundation laid by the Phoenician ancestors, Carthage created its own trading network (it was mainly involved in the import of metals) and developed it to unprecedented proportions. Carthage maintained its monopoly on trade through a powerful fleet and mercenary troops.

Carthaginian merchants were constantly looking for new markets. Around 480 BC. e. The navigator Gimilkon landed in British Cornwall, rich in tin. And 30 years later, Hanno, who came from an influential Carthaginian family, led an expedition of 60 ships with 30,000 men and women. People were landed in different parts of the coast to found new colonies. It is possible that, having sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar and along the African coast, Hanno reached the Gulf of Guinea and even the shores of Cameroon.

Entrepreneurship and business acumen helped Carthage become, by all accounts, richest city ancient world. “At the beginning of the 3rd century [BC. BC] thanks to technology, the fleet and trade... the city moved to the forefront,” says the book “Carthage”. The Greek historian Appian wrote about the Carthaginians: “Their power militarily became equal to the Hellenic, but in terms of wealth it was in second place after the Persian.”

Army

Carthage's army was mainly mercenary. The basis of the infantry were Spanish, African, Greek, and Gallic mercenaries; the Carthaginian aristocracy served in the “sacred detachment” - heavily armed cavalry. The mercenary cavalry consisted of Numidians, who were considered the most skilled warriors in antiquity, and Iberians. The Iberians were also considered good warriors - the Balearic slingers and caetrati (correlated with the Greek peltasts) formed the light infantry, the scutatii (armed with a spear, javelin and bronze shell) - the heavy, Spanish heavy cavalry (armed with swords) was also highly valued. The Celtiberian tribes used the weapons of the Gauls - long double-edged swords. An important role was also played by elephants, which were kept in numbers of about 300. The “technical” equipment of the army was also high (catapults, ballistas, etc.). In general, the composition of the Punic army was similar to the armies of the Hellenistic states. At the head of the army was the commander-in-chief, elected by the council of elders, but towards the end of the existence of the state, this election was also carried out by the army, which indicates monarchical tendencies.

Story

Carthage was founded by immigrants from the Phoenician city of Tire at the end of the 9th century BC. e. According to legend, the city was founded by the widow of a Phoenician king named Dido. She promised the local tribe to pay gem for a piece of land limited by the skin of an ox, but on the condition that the choice of location remains hers. After the deal was concluded, the colonists chose comfortable spot for the city, ringing it with narrow belts made from one bull's skin.

The authenticity of the legend is unknown, but it seems unlikely that without the favorable attitude of the natives, a handful of settlers could have established a foothold in the allotted territory and founded a city there. In addition, there is reason to believe that the settlers were representatives political party, not popular in their homeland, and they hardly had to hope for support from the metropolis. According to Herodotus, Justin and Ovid, soon after the founding of the city, relations between Carthage and the local population deteriorated. The leader of the Maksitan tribe Giarb, under the threat of war, demanded the hand of Queen Elissa, but she preferred death to marriage. The war, however, began and was not in favor of the Carthaginians. According to Ovid, Giarbus even captured the city and held it for several years.

Judging by the objects found during archaeological excavations, at the beginning of its history, trade relations connected Carthage with the metropolis, as well as Cyprus and Egypt.

In the 8th century BC. e. The situation in the Mediterranean has changed greatly. Phenicia was conquered by Assyria and numerous colonies became independent. Assyrian rule caused a massive exodus of population from the ancient Phoenician cities to the colonies. Probably, the population of Carthage was replenished with refugees to such an extent that Carthage was able, in turn, to form colonies itself. The first Carthaginian colony in the Western Mediterranean was the city of Ebessus on the island of Pitiuss (first half of the 7th century BC).

At the turn of the 7th and 6th centuries. BC e. Greek colonization began. In order to counter the advance of the Greeks, the Phoenician colonies began to unite into states. In Sicily - Panormus, Soluent, Motia in 580 BC. e. successfully resisted the Greeks. In Spain, a league of cities led by Hades fought Tartessus. But the basis of a single Phoenician state in the west was the union of Carthage and Utica.

The advantageous geographical position allowed Carthage to become largest city Western Mediterranean (population reached 700,000 people), unite around itself the remaining Phoenician colonies in North Africa and Spain and conduct extensive conquests and colonization.

6th century BC e.

In the 6th century, the Greeks founded the colony of Massalia and entered into an alliance with Tartessus. Initially, the Punes suffered defeats, but Mago carried out a reform of the army (now mercenaries became the basis of the troops), an alliance was concluded with the Etruscans, and in 537 BC. e. In the battle of Alalia, the Greeks were defeated. Soon Tartessus was destroyed and all the Phoenician cities of Spain were annexed.

The main source of wealth was trade - Carthaginian merchants traded in Egypt, Italy, Spain, the Black and Red Seas - and agriculture, based on the widespread use of slave labor. There was strict regulation of trade - Carthage sought to monopolize trade turnover; for this purpose, all subjects were obliged to trade only through the mediation of Carthaginian merchants. This brought huge profits, but greatly hampered the development of the territories under their control and contributed to the growth of separatist sentiments. During the Greco-Persian Wars, Carthage was allied with Persia, and together with the Etruscans an attempt was made to completely capture Sicily. But after the defeat at the Battle of Himera (480 BC) by a coalition of Greek city-states, the struggle was suspended for several decades. The main enemy of the Punics was Syracuse (by 400 BC this state was at the height of its power and sought to open trade in the west, completely captured by Carthage), the war continued at intervals of almost a hundred years (394-306 BC) and ended with the almost complete conquest of Sicily by the Punics.

III century BC e.

In the 3rd century BC. e. the interests of Carthage came into conflict with the strengthened Roman Republic. Relations, previously allied, began to deteriorate. This first appeared at the final stage of the war between Rome and Tarentum. Finally, in 264 BC. e. The First Punic War began. It was carried out mainly in Sicily and at sea. Quite quickly, the Romans captured Sicily, but this was affected by the almost complete absence of Rome’s fleet. Only by 260 BC. e. The Romans created a fleet and, using boarding tactics, won a naval victory at Cape Mila. In 256 BC. e. The Romans moved the fighting to Africa, defeating the fleet and then the land army of the Carthaginians. But the consul Attilius Regulus did not use the advantage gained, and a year later the Punic army under the command of the Spartan mercenary Xanthippus inflicted a complete defeat on the Romans. In this battle, as in many previous and subsequent ones, elephants brought victory (even though the Romans had already encountered them when fighting against Pyrrhus, king of Epirus). Only in 251 BC. e. In the battle of Panorma (Sicily), the Romans won a great victory, capturing 120 elephants. Two years later, the Carthaginians won a great naval victory (almost the only one in the entire war) and there was a lull due to the complete exhaustion of both sides.

Hamilcar Barca

In 247 BC. e. Hamilcar Barca (Lightning) became the commander-in-chief of Carthage; thanks to his outstanding abilities, success in Sicily began to lean toward the Punics, but in 241 BC. e. Rome, having gathered its strength, was able to field a new fleet and army. Carthage could no longer resist them and, after defeat, was forced to make peace, ceding Sicily to Rome, and pay an indemnity of 3,200 talents for 10 years.

After the defeat, Hamilcar resigned, power passed to his political opponents, led by Hanno. The Carthaginian government made a highly unreasonable attempt to reduce pay to mercenaries, which caused a strong uprising - the Libyans supported the army. Thus began the mercenary uprising, which almost ended in the death of the country. Hamilcar was again called to power. During the three-year war, he suppressed the uprising, but the garrison of Sardinia sided with the rebels and, fearing the tribes living on the island, recognized the power of Rome. Carthage demanded the return of the island. Since Rome was looking for an opportunity to destroy Carthage, under an insignificant pretext in 237 BC. e. declared war. Only by paying 1,200 talents to reimburse military expenses was the war averted.

The apparent inability of the aristocratic government to govern effectively led to the strengthening of the democratic opposition, led by Hamilcar. The People's Assembly vested him with the powers of commander-in-chief. In 236 BC. e., having conquered the entire African coast, he transferred the fighting to Spain. He fought there for 9 years until he fell in battle. After his death, the army chose his son-in-law Hasdrubal as commander in chief. In 16 years (236-220 BC), most of Spain was conquered and firmly tied to the metropolis. Silver mines brought very large incomes, and a magnificent army was created in battles. Overall, Carthage became much stronger than it had been even before the loss of Sicily.

Hannibal

After the death of Hasdrubal, the army chose Hannibal - the son of Hamilcar - as commander in chief. Hamilcar raised all his children - Mago, Hasdrubal and Hannibal - to hate Rome, therefore, having gained control of the army, Hannibal began to look for a reason to start a war. In 218 BC. e. he captured Saguntum - greek city and an ally of Rome - the war began. Unexpectedly for the enemy, Hannibal led his army around the Alps into Italian territory. There he won a number of victories - at Ticino, Trebia and Lake Trasimene. A dictator was appointed in Rome, but in 216 BC. e. near the city of Canna, Hannibal won a crushing victory, the consequence of which was the transition to his side of a significant part of Italy, and the second most important city - Capua. The fighting took place in both Spain and Sicily. Initially, Carthage was successful, but then the Romans managed to win a number of important victories. With the death of Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal, who led him with significant reinforcements, the position of Carthage became very complicated. Mago's landing in Italy was unsuccessful - he was defeated and killed in battle. Soon Rome moved the fighting to Africa. Having concluded an alliance with the king of the Numidians, Massinissa, Scipio inflicted a series of defeats on the Punes. Hannibal was called home. In 202 BC. e. In the battle of Zama, commanding a poorly trained army, he was defeated, and the Carthaginians decided to make peace. Under its terms, they were forced to give Spain and all the islands to Rome, maintain only 10 warships and pay 10,000 talents of indemnity. In addition, they had no right to fight with anyone without the permission of Rome.

After the end of the war, Hanno, Gisgon and Hasdrubal Gad, the heads of the aristocratic parties, who were hostile towards Hannibal, tried to get Hannibal condemned, but, supported by the population, he managed to retain power. Hopes for revenge were associated with his name. In 196 BC. e. Rome defeated Macedonia, which was an ally of Carthage, in the war. But there was one more ally left - the king of the Seleucid Empire, Antiochus. It was in alliance with him that Hannibal hoped to wage a new war, but first it was necessary to put an end to the oligarchic power in Carthage itself. Using his powers as suffet, he provoked a conflict with his political opponents and practically seized sole power. His tough actions against corruption among aristocratic officials caused opposition on their part. A denunciation was made to Rome about Hannibal's diplomatic relations with Antiochus. Rome demanded his extradition. Realizing that refusal would cause war, and the country was not ready for war, Hannibal was forced to flee the country to Antiochus. There he received virtually no powers, despite the greatest honors that accompanied his arrival. After the defeat of Antiochus, he hid in Crete, in Bithynia and, finally, constantly pursued by the Romans, was forced to commit suicide, not wanting to fall into the hands of the enemy.

III Punic War

Even after losing two wars, Carthage managed to quickly recover and soon became one of the richest cities again. In Rome, trade had long been an essential sector of the economy; competition from Carthage greatly hampered its development. His rapid recovery was also a big concern. Marcus Cato, who headed one of the commissions investigating the disputes of Carthage, managed to convince most of the Senate that he still posed a danger. The issue of starting the war was resolved, but it was necessary to find a convenient excuse.

The Numidian king Massinissa constantly attacked the Carthaginian possessions; Having realized that Rome always supports the opponents of Carthage, he moved on to direct seizures. All complaints of the Carthaginians were ignored and resolved in favor of Numidia. Finally, the Punes were forced to give him a direct military rebuff. Rome immediately made claims regarding the outbreak of hostilities without permission. The Roman army arrived at Carthage. The frightened Carthaginians asked for peace, the consul Lucius Censorinus demanded the surrender of all weapons, then demanded that Carthage be destroyed and that a new city be founded far from the sea. Having asked for a month to think it over, the Punes prepared for war. Thus began the Third Punic War. The city was superbly fortified, so it was possible to capture it only after 3 years of a difficult siege and heavy fighting. Carthage was completely destroyed, out of a population of 500,000, only 50,000 remained alive. A Roman province was created on its territory, ruled by a governor from Utica.

Rome in Africa

Just 100 years after the destruction of Carthage, Julius Caesar decided to found a colony on the site of the city. These plans were destined to come true only after his death. In honor of the founder, the colony was named "Colonia Julia Carthago" or "Carthaginian Colony of Julia". Roman engineers removed about 100,000 cubic meters of earth, destroying the top of Birsa to level the surface and eliminate traces of the past. Temples and beautiful public buildings were erected on this site. After some time, Carthage became “one of the most luxurious cities of the Roman world,” the second largest city in the West after Rome. To meet the needs of the city's 300,000 residents, a circus for 60,000 spectators, a theater, an amphitheater, baths and a 132-kilometer aqueduct were built there.

Christianity reached Carthage around the middle of the 2nd century AD. e. and quickly spread throughout the city. Around 155 AD. e. The famous theologian and apologist Tertullian was born in Carthage. Thanks to his works, the Latin language became official language Western Church. In the 3rd century, Cyprian was the Bishop of Carthage, who introduced a system of seven-tier church hierarchy and died a martyr in 258 AD. e. Another North African, Augustine (354-430), the greatest Christian theologian of antiquity, combined the doctrines of the church with Greek philosophy.

By the beginning of the 5th century AD, the Roman Empire was in decline and the same was happening with Carthage. In 439 AD e. the city was captured and plundered by vandals. A hundred years later, the conquest of the city by the Byzantines temporarily stopped its final fall. In 698 AD e. the city was taken by the Arabs, its stones served as material for the construction of the city of Tunisia. In the following centuries, the marble and granite that once adorned the Roman city were looted and taken out of the country. Later they were used to build cathedrals in Genoa, Pisa, and Canterbury Cathedral in England. Today it is a suburb of Tunisia and an object of tourist pilgrimage.

Carthage today

Just 15 km from Tunis, on a shore whitened by sea foam, opposite the peace that protects it mountain range Bukornina, ancient Carthage stands.

Carthage was built 2 times. The first time was in 814 BC, by the Phoenician princess Elissa, and was named Carthage, which means “new city” in Punic. Located at the intersection trade routes Mediterranean Sea, it grew rapidly, becoming the main rival of the Roman Empire.

After the destruction of Carthage by Rome in 146 BC. During the Punic Wars, it was rebuilt as the capital of the Roman colony of Africa and continued to prosper. But it, too, eventually suffered the sad fate of Rome: the powerful cultural and commercial center was overwhelmed by crowds of barbarians in 430, then it was captured by the Byzantines in 533. After the Arab conquest, Carthage gave way to Kairouan, which became the capital of the new Arab state. Carthage was destroyed so many times, but each time it rose again. It’s not for nothing that when it was laid, the skulls of a horse and a bull were found - symbols of strength and wealth.

The city is interesting for its archaeological excavations. During excavations in the so-called Punic quarter, Punic water pipes were discovered under Roman buildings, studies of which showed how cleverly the water supply to tall (even six-story) buildings was carried out. At the beginning of our era, the Romans first leveled the site where the ruins of what was destroyed in 146 BC were located. Carthage, erected expensive retaining fortifications around the hill and built a forum on its flat top.

According to information from ancient history, first-born boys were sacrificed at this place to the patron god of the city, the god Baal-Hammon and the goddess Tanit, starting in the 5th century. BC. The whole ritual is expressively described by Gustave Flaubert in his novel Salammbô. During searches in the territory of Punic burials, archaeologists discovered about 50,000 urns with the remains of infants. On the restored tombstones one can discern the symbols of the gods carved with a chisel, the crescent moon or a stylized female figure with raised hands - the symbol of the goddess Tanit, as well as the sun disk - the symbol of Baal Hammon. Nearby are the harbors of Carthage, which later served the Romans: a commercial harbor in the south and a military harbor in the north.

Attractions

Birsa Hill. Here it is Cathedral St. Louis. Finds from the excavations are on display at the National Museum of Carthage (Musee National de Carthage) on Birsa Hill.

The baths of Emperor Antoninus Pius in the Archaeological Park attract the greatest attention of tourists in Carthage. They were the largest in the Roman Empire after the Baths of Trajan in Rome. The aristocracy of Carthage met here for relaxation, bathing and business conversations. All that remains of the building itself are a few massive marble seats.

Near the thermal baths there is summer palace Beyev: Today it is the residence of the President of Tunisia.

Ancient Carthage was founded in 814 BC. colonists from the Phoenician city of Fez. According to ancient legend, Carthage was founded by Queen Elissa (Dido), who was forced to flee Fez after her brother Pygmalion, the king of Tyre, killed her husband Sycheus in order to take possession of his wealth.

Its name in Phoenician “Kart-Hadasht” means “ New town", perhaps in contrast to the more ancient colony of Utica.

According to another legend about the founding of the city, Elissa was allowed to occupy as much land as an ox's hide could cover. She acted quite cunningly - taking possession of a large plot of land, cutting the skin into narrow belts. Therefore, the citadel erected at this place began to be called Birsa (which means “skin”).

Carthage originally small town, not much different from other Phoenician colonies on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, except for the significant fact that it was not part of the Tyrian state, although it retained spiritual ties with the metropolis.

The city's economy was based primarily on intermediary trade. The craft was little developed and in its basic technical and aesthetic characteristics did not differ from the East. There was no agriculture. The Carthaginians did not have possessions beyond the narrow space of the city itself, and they had to pay tribute to the local population for the land on which the city stood. Political system Carthage was originally a monarchy, and the head of the state was the founder of the city. With her death, probably the only member of the royal family who was in Carthage disappeared. As a result, a republic was established in Carthage, and power passed to the ten “princeps” who had previously surrounded the queen.

Territorial expansion of Carthage

Terracotta mask. III-II centuries BC. Carthage.

In the first half of the 7th century. BC. A new stage in the history of Carthage begins. It is possible that many new immigrants from the metropolis moved there due to fear of the Assyrian invasion, and this led to the expansion of the city, attested by archeology. This strengthened it and allowed it to move to more active trade - in particular, Carthage replaced Phenicia proper in trade with Etruria. All this leads to significant changes in Carthage, the external expression of which is a change in the forms of ceramics, the revival of old Canaanite traditions already abandoned in the East, the emergence of new, original forms of artistic and craft products.

Already at the beginning of the second stage of its history, Carthage becomes such a significant city that it can begin its own colonization. The first colony was established by the Carthaginians around the middle of the 7th century. BC. on Ebes Island east coast Spain. Apparently, the Carthaginians did not want to oppose the interests of the metropolis in Southern Spain and were looking for workarounds to Spanish silver and tin. However, Carthaginian activity in the area soon ran into competition with the Greeks, who settled at the beginning of the 6th century. BC. in southern Gaul and eastern Spain. The first round of the Carthaginian-Greek wars was left to the Greeks, who, although they did not oust the Carthaginians from Ebes, managed to paralyze this important point.

Failure in the extreme west of the Mediterranean forced the Carthaginians to turn to its center. They founded a number of colonies east and west of their city and subjugated the old Phoenician colonies in Africa. Having strengthened, the Carthaginians could no longer tolerate such a situation that they paid tribute to the Libyans for their own territory. The attempt to free ourselves from tribute is associated with the name of the commander Malchus, who, having won victories in Africa, freed Carthage from tribute.

Somewhat later, in the 60-50s of the 6th century. BC, the same Malchus fought in Sicily, the result of which, apparently, was the subjugation of the Phoenician colonies on the island. And after victories in Sicily, Malchus crossed to Sardinia, but was defeated there. This defeat became for the Carthaginian oligarchs, who were afraid of the too victorious commander, a reason to sentence him to exile. In response, Malchus returned to Carthage and seized power. However, he was soon defeated and executed. Magon took the leading place in the state.

Mago and his successors had to solve difficult problems. To the west of Italy, the Greeks established themselves, threatening the interests of both the Carthaginians and some Etruscan cities. With one of these cities, Caere, Carthage was in particularly close economic and cultural contacts. In the middle of the 5th century. BC. The Carthaginians and Ceretians entered into an alliance directed against the Greeks who settled in Corsica. Around 535 BC At the Battle of Alalia, the Greeks defeated the combined Carthaginian-Ceretian fleet, but suffered such heavy losses that they were forced to leave Corsica. The Battle of Alalia contributed to a clearer distribution of spheres of influence in the center of the Mediterranean. Sardinia was included in the Carthaginian sphere, which was confirmed by the treaty of Carthage with Rome in 509 BC. However, the Carthaginians were never able to completely capture Sardinia. A whole system of fortresses, ramparts and ditches separated their possessions from the territory of the free Sardis.

The Carthaginians, led by rulers and generals from the Magonid family, fought a stubborn struggle on all fronts: in Africa, Spain and Sicily. In Africa, they subjugated all the Phoenician colonies located there, including ancient Utica, which for a long time did not want to become part of their power, waged war with the Greek colony of Cyrene, located between Carthage and Egypt, repulsed the attempt of the Spartan prince Dorieus to establish himself east of Carthage and ousted the Greeks from the emerging there were their cities to the west of the capital. They launched an offensive against the local tribes. In a stubborn struggle, the Magonids managed to subdue them. Part of the conquered territory was directly subordinated to Carthage, forming its agricultural territory - chora. The other part was left to the Libyans, but was subject to the strict control of the Carthaginians, and the Libyans had to pay heavy taxes to their masters and serve in their army. The heavy Carthaginian yoke more than once caused powerful uprisings of the Libyans.

Phoenician ring with comb. Carthage. Gold. VI-V centuries BC.

In Spain at the end of the 6th century. BC. The Carthaginians took advantage of the Tartessian attack on Gades to, under the pretext of protecting their half-blooded city, intervene in the affairs of the Iberian Peninsula. They captured Hades, which did not want to peacefully submit to its “savior,” which was followed by the collapse of the Tartessian state. Carthaginians at the beginning of the 5th century. BC. established control over its remains. However, the attempt to extend it to South-Eastern Spain caused strong resistance from the Greeks. At the naval battle of Artemisium, the Carthaginians were defeated and were forced to abandon their attempt. But the strait at the Pillars of Hercules remained under their control.

At the end of the 6th - beginning of the 5th century. BC. Sicily became the scene of a fierce Carthaginian-Greek battle. Having failed in Africa, Dorieus decided to establish himself in the west of Sicily, but was defeated by the Carthaginians and killed.

His death became the reason for the Syracusan tyrant Gelon to war with Carthage. In 480 BC. The Carthaginians, having entered into an alliance with Xerxes, who was advancing on Balkan Greece at that time, and taking advantage of the difficult political situation in Sicily, where some of the Greek cities opposed Syracuse and entered into an alliance with Carthage, launched an attack on the Greek part of the island. But in the fierce battle of Himera they were completely defeated, and their commander Hamilcar, son of Mago, died. As a result, the Carthaginians had difficulty holding on to the small part of Sicily they had previously captured.

The Magonids made attempts to establish themselves on the Atlantic coasts of Africa and Europe. For this purpose, in the first half of the 5th century. BC. two expeditions were undertaken:

1. in a southerly direction under the leadership of Hanno,
2. in the north, led by Gimilkon.

So in the middle of the 5th century. BC. The Carthaginian state was formed, which at that time became the largest and one of the strongest states in the Western Mediterranean. It included -

• the northern coast of Africa west of Greek Cyrenaica and a number of inland territories of this continent, as well as a small part Atlantic coast immediately south of the Pillars of Hercules;
• southwestern part of Spain and a large part Balearic Islands at eastern shore this country;
• Sardinia (actually only part of it);
• Phoenician cities in western Sicily;
• islands between Sicily and Africa.

The internal situation of the Carthaginian state

Position of the cities, allies and subjects of Carthage

The supreme god of the Carthaginians is Baal Hammon. Terracotta. I century AD Carthage.

This power was a complex phenomenon. Its core consisted of Carthage itself with the territory directly subordinate to it - Chora. Chora was located directly outside the city walls and was divided into separate territorial districts, governed by a special official; each district included several communities.

With the expansion of the Carthaginian power, non-African possessions were sometimes included in the chorus, such as the part of Sardinia captured by the Carthaginians. Another component of the power were the Carthaginian colonies, which exercised supervision over the surrounding lands, were in some cases centers of trade and craft, and served as a reservoir for absorbing the “surplus” population. They had certain rights, but were under the control of a special resident sent from the capital.

The power included the old colonies of Tire. Some of them (Gades, Utica, Kossoura) were officially considered equal to the capital, others legally occupied a lower position. But the official position and the true role in the power of these cities did not always coincide. Thus, Utica was practically completely subordinate to Carthage (which later led more than once to the fact that this city, under favorable conditions for it, took an anti-Carthaginian position), and the legally inferior cities of Sicily, in whose loyalty the Carthaginians were especially interested, enjoyed significant privileges.

The power included tribes and cities that were subject to Carthage. These were Libyans outside the Chora and subject tribes of Sardinia and Spain. They were also in different positions. The Carthaginians did not interfere unnecessarily in their internal affairs, limiting themselves to taking hostages, recruiting them for military service and a rather heavy tax.

The Carthaginians also ruled over their “allies.” They governed themselves, but were deprived of foreign policy initiative and had to supply contingents to the Carthaginian army. Their attempt to evade submission to the Carthaginians was considered a rebellion. Some of them were also subject to taxes, their loyalty was ensured by hostages. But the further from the borders of the power, the more independent the local kings, dynasts and tribes became. A grid of territorial divisions was superimposed on this entire complex conglomerate of cities, peoples and tribes.

Economics and social structure

The creation of the power led to significant changes in the economic and social structure of Carthage. With the advent of land holdings, where the estates of aristocrats were located, a variety of agriculture began to develop in Carthage. It provided even more food to the Carthaginian merchants (however, the merchants were often wealthy landowners themselves), and this stimulated the further growth of Carthaginian trade. Carthage becomes one of the largest shopping centers Mediterranean.

Appears a large number of subordinate population located at different levels of the social ladder. At the very top of this ladder stood the Carthaginian slave-owning aristocracy, which constituted the top of the Carthaginian citizenship - the “people of Carthage”, and at the very bottom were slaves and related groups of the dependent population. Between these extremes there was a whole range of foreigners, "metecs", the so-called "Sidonian men" and other categories of the incomplete, semi-dependent and dependent population, including residents of subordinate territories.

A contrast arose between Carthaginian citizenship and the rest of the population of the state, including slaves. The civil collective itself consisted of two groups -

1. aristocrats, or "powerful ones", and
2. “small”, i.e. plebs.

Despite the division into two groups, citizens acted together as a cohesive natural association of oppressors, interested in the exploitation of all other inhabitants of the state.

System of property and power in Carthage

The material basis of the civil collective was communal property, which appeared in two forms: the property of the entire community (for example, an arsenal, shipyards, etc.) and the property of individual citizens (lands, workshops, shops, ships, except state ones, especially military ones, etc.). d.). Along with communal property, there was no other sector. Even the property of temples was brought under the control of the community.

Sarcophagus of the priestess. Marble. IV-III centuries BC. Carthage.

The civil collective, in theory, also possessed full state power. We do not know exactly what positions were occupied by Malchus, who seized power, and the Magonids who came after him to rule the state (sources in this regard are very contradictory). In fact, their situation seemed to resemble that of the Greek tyrants. Under the leadership of the Magonids, the Carthaginian state was actually created. But then it seemed to the Carthaginian aristocrats that this family had become “difficult for the freedom of the state,” and the grandchildren of Mago were expelled. Expulsion of the Magonids in the middle of the 5th century. BC. led to the establishment of a republican form of government.

The highest power in the republic, at least officially, and at critical moments in fact, belonged to the people's assembly, which embodied the sovereign will of the civil collective. In fact, leadership was exercised by oligarchic councils and magistrates elected from among wealthy and noble citizens, primarily two sufet, in whose hands executive power was held throughout the year.

The people could intervene in the affairs of government only in case of disagreements among the rulers, which arose during periods of political crises. The people also had the right to choose, although very limited, councilors and magistrates. In addition, the “people of Carthage” were tamed in every possible way by the aristocrats, who gave them a share of the benefits from the existence of the power: not only the “mighty”, but also the “small” made profits from the maritime and trading power of Carthage, people sent for supervision were recruited from the “plebs” over subordinate communities and tribes, participation in wars provided a certain benefit, for in the presence of a significant mercenary army, citizens were still not completely separated from military service, they were represented at various levels of the land army, from privates to commanders, and especially in the fleet.

Thus, a self-sufficient civil collective was formed in Carthage, possessing sovereign power and relying on communal property, next to which there was neither royal power standing above citizenship nor a non-communal sector in socio-economic terms. Therefore, we can say that the polis arose here, i.e. this form of economic, social and political organization of citizens, which is characteristic of the ancient version of ancient society. Comparing the situation in Carthage with the situation in the metropolis, it should be noted that the cities of Phenicia itself, with all the development of the commodity economy, remained within the framework of the eastern version of the development of ancient society, and Carthage became an ancient state.

The formation of the Carthaginian polis and the formation of a power were the main content of the second stage of the history of Carthage. The Carthaginian power arose during the fierce struggle of the Carthaginians with both the local population and the Greeks. Wars with the latter were of a distinctly imperialist nature, because they were fought for the seizure and exploitation of foreign territories and peoples.

Rise of Carthage

From the second half of the 5th century. BC. The third stage of Carthaginian history begins. The power had already been created, and now the talk was about its expansion and attempts to establish hegemony in the Western Mediterranean. The main obstacle to this was initially the same Western Greeks. In 409 BC. Carthaginian commander Hannibal landed in Motia, and began new tour wars in Sicily, which lasted intermittently for more than a century and a half.

Gilded bronze cuirass. III-II centuries BC. Carthage.

Initially, success leaned towards Carthage. The Carthaginians subdued the Elims and Sicans who lived in western Sicily and began an attack on Syracuse, the most powerful Greek city on the island and the most implacable enemy of Carthage. In 406, the Carthaginians besieged Syracuse, and only the plague that began in the Carthaginian camp saved the Syracusans. World 405 BC assigned the western part of Sicily to Carthage. True, this success turned out to be fragile, and the border between Carthaginian and Greek Sicily always remained pulsating, moving either to the east or to the west as one side or another succeeded.

The failures of the Carthaginian army almost immediately responded to the aggravation of internal contradictions in Carthage, including powerful uprisings of the Libyans and slaves. End of the 5th - first half of the 4th century. BC. were a time of intense clashes within citizenship, both between separate groups of aristocrats, and, apparently, between the “plebs” involved in these clashes and aristocratic groups. At the same time, slaves rose up against their masters, and subject peoples against the Carthaginians. And only with calm within the state was the Carthaginian government able in the middle of the 4th century. BC. resume external expansion.

The Carthaginians then established control over southeast Spain, something they had tried unsuccessfully to do a century and a half earlier. In Sicily, they launched a new offensive against the Greeks and achieved a number of successes, once again finding themselves under the walls of Syracuse and even capturing their port. The Syracusans were forced to turn to their metropolis Corinth for help, and from there an army arrived led by the capable commander Timoleon. The commander of the Carthaginian forces in Sicily, Hanno, failed to prevent Timoleon's landing and was recalled to Africa, while his successor was defeated and cleared Syracuse harbor. Hanno, returning to Carthage, decided to take advantage of the situation that arose in connection with this and seize power. After the failure of the coup, he fled the city, armed 20 thousand slaves and called the Libyans and Moors to arms. The rebellion was defeated, Hanno, along with all his relatives, was executed, and only his son Gisgon managed to escape death and was expelled from Carthage.

However, soon the turn of affairs in Sicily forced the Carthaginian government to turn to Gisgono. The Carthaginians suffered a severe defeat from Timoleon, and then a new army led by Gisgon was sent there. Gisgon entered into an alliance with some of the tyrants of the Greek cities of the island and defeated individual detachments of Timoleon's army. This allowed in 339 BC. conclude a peace relatively beneficial for Carthage, according to which he retained his possessions in Sicily. After these events, the Hannonid family became the most influential in Carthage for a long time, although there could be no talk of any tyranny, as was the case with the Magonids.

The wars with the Syracusan Greeks went on as usual and with varying degrees of success. At the end of the 4th century. BC. the Greeks even landed in Africa, directly threatening Carthage. The Carthaginian commander Bomilcar decided to take advantage of the opportunity and seize power. But the citizens spoke out against him, suppressing the rebellion. And soon the Greeks were repulsed from the Carthaginian walls and returned to Sicily. The attempt of the Epirus king Pyrrhus to oust the Carthaginians from Sicily in the 70s was also unsuccessful. III century BC. All these endless and tedious wars showed that neither the Carthaginians nor the Greeks had the strength to take Sicily from each other.

The emergence of a new rival - Rome

The situation changed in the 60s. III century BC, when a new predator intervened in this fight - Rome. In 264, the first war began between Carthage and Rome. In 241 it ended with the complete loss of Sicily.

This outcome of the war exacerbated the contradictions in Carthage and gave rise to an acute internal crisis there. Its most striking manifestation was a powerful uprising, in which mercenary soldiers took part, dissatisfied with the non-payment of money owed to them, the local population, who sought to throw off the heavy Carthaginian oppression, and slaves who hated their masters. The uprising took place in the immediate vicinity of Carthage, probably also covering Sardinia and Spain. The fate of Carthage hung in the balance. With great difficulty and at the cost of incredible cruelty, Hamilcar, who had previously become famous in Sicily, managed to suppress this uprising, and then went to Spain, continuing the “pacification” of the Carthaginian possessions. Sardinia had to say goodbye, losing it to Rome, which threatened a new war.

The second aspect of the crisis was the increasing role of citizenship. The rank and file, who in theory held sovereign power, now sought to transform theory into practice. A democratic “party” arose led by Hasdrubal. A split also occurred among the oligarchy, in which two factions emerged.

1. One was led by Hanno from the influential Hannonid family - they stood for a cautious and peaceful policy that excluded a new conflict with Rome;
2. and the other - Hamilcar, representing the Barkids family (nicknamed Hamilcar - Barca, lit., “lightning”) - they were active, with the goal of taking revenge from the Romans.

Rise of the Barcids and the war with Rome

Presumably a bust of Hannibal Barca. Found in Capua in 1932

Wide circles of citizens were also interested in revenge, for whom the influx of wealth from the subject lands and from the monopoly of maritime trade was beneficial. Therefore, an alliance arose between the Barcids and the Democrats, sealed by the marriage of Hasdrubal with the daughter of Hamilcar. Relying on the support of democracy, Hamilcar managed to overcome the machinations of his enemies and go to Spain. In Spain, Hamilcar and his successors from the Barcid family, including his son-in-law Hasdrubal, greatly expanded the Carthaginian possessions.

After the overthrow of the Magonids, the ruling circles of Carthage did not allow the unification of military and civil functions in the same hands. However, during the war with Rome, they began to practice similar things, following the example of the Hellenistic states, but not at the national level, as was the case under the Magonids, but at the local level. Such was the power of the Barkids in Spain. But the Barkids exercised their powers on the Iberian Peninsula independently. Strong reliance on the army, close ties with democratic circles in Carthage itself and the special relations established between the Barcids and the local population contributed to the emergence in Spain of a semi-independent Barcid power, essentially of a Hellenistic type.

Hamilcar already considered Spain as a springboard for a new war with Rome. His son Hannibal in 218 BC provoked this war. The Second Punic War began. Hannibal himself went to Italy, leaving his brother in Spain. Military operations unfolded on several fronts, and the Carthaginian commanders (especially Hannibal) won a number of victories. But victory in the war remained with Rome.

World 201 BC deprived Carthage of the navy and all non-African possessions and forced the Carthaginians to recognize the independence of Numidia in Africa, to whose king the Carthaginians had to return all the possessions of his ancestors (this article placed a “time bomb” under Carthage), and the Carthaginians themselves had no right to wage war without permission Rome. This war not only deprived Carthage of its position as a great power, but also significantly limited its sovereignty. The third stage of Carthaginian history, which began with such happy omens, ended with the bankruptcy of the Carthaginian aristocracy, which had ruled the republic for so long.

Internal position

At this stage, there was no radical transformation in the economic, social and political life of Carthage. But certain changes still took place. In the 4th century. BC. Carthage began minting its own coins. A certain Hellenization of part of the Carthaginian aristocracy occurs, and two cultures emerge in Carthaginian society, as is typical for the Hellenistic world. As in the Hellenistic states, in a number of cases civil and military power was concentrated in the same hands. In Spain, a semi-independent Barkid power emerged, the heads of which felt a kinship with the then rulers of the Middle East, and where a system of relations between the conquerors and the local population appeared, similar to that existing in the Hellenistic states.

Carthage had large expanses of land suitable for cultivation. In contrast to other Phoenician city-states, Carthage developed large agricultural plantation farms on a large scale, employing the labor of numerous slaves. The plantation economy of Carthage played a role in economic history the ancient world played a very important role, since it influenced the development of the same type of slave economy, first in Sicily and then in Italy.

In the VI century. BC. or maybe in the 5th century. BC. in Carthage lived the writer and theorist of the plantation slave economy Mago, whose great work enjoyed such fame that the Roman army that besieged Carthage in the middle of the 2nd century. BC, an order was given to preserve this work. And it was really saved. By decree of the Roman Senate, Mago's work was translated from Phoenician into Latin, and then was used by all agricultural theorists in Rome. For their plantation economy, for their craft workshops and for their galleys, the Carthaginians needed a huge number of slaves, selected by them from among prisoners of war and purchased.

Sunset of Carthage

The defeat in the second war with Rome opened the last stage of Carthaginian history. Carthage lost its power, and its possessions were reduced to a small district near the city itself. Opportunities to exploit the non-Carthaginian population disappeared. Large groups of dependent and semi-dependent populations escaped the control of the Carthaginian aristocracy. The agricultural area shrank sharply, and trade again assumed predominant importance.

Glass vessels for ointments and balms. OK. 200 BC

If earlier not only the nobility, but also the “plebs” received certain benefits from the existence of the power, now they have disappeared. This naturally caused an acute social and political crisis, which now went beyond the existing institutions.

In 195 BC. Hannibal, having become a Sufet, carried out a reform government structure, which dealt a blow to the very foundations of the previous system with its dominance of the aristocracy and opened the way to practical power, on the one hand, to broad layers of the civilian population, and on the other, to demagogues who could take advantage of the movement of these layers. Under these conditions, a fierce political struggle unfolded in Carthage, reflecting acute contradictions within the civil collective. First, the Carthaginian oligarchy managed to take revenge, with the help of the Romans, forcing Hannibal to flee without completing the work he started. But the oligarchs were unable to maintain their power intact.

By the middle of the 2nd century. BC. Three political factions fought in Carthage. During this struggle, Hasdrubal became the leading figure, heading the anti-Roman group, and his position led to the establishment of a regime similar to the Greek minor tyranny. The rise of Hasdrubal frightened the Romans. In 149 BC. Rome began a third war with Carthage. This time, for the Carthaginians, it was no longer about domination over certain subjects and not about hegemony, but about their own life and death. The war practically came down to the siege of Carthage. Despite the heroic resistance of citizens, in 146 BC. the city fell and was destroyed. Most of citizens died in the war, and the rest were taken into slavery by the Romans. The history of Phoenician Carthage is over.

The history of Carthage shows the process of transformation of the eastern city into an ancient state and the formation of a polis. And having become a polis, Carthage also experienced a crisis of this form of organization of ancient society. At the same time, it must be emphasized that we do not know what the way out of the crisis could be here, since the natural course of events was interrupted by Rome, which dealt a fatal blow to Carthage. The Phoenician cities of the metropolis, which developed in different historical conditions, remained within the framework of the eastern version of the ancient world and, having become part of the Hellenistic states, already within them moved to a new historical path.