The origins of Carthage are not exactly known, history assumes that the city was born out of an exiled Queen, Dido, who found refuge in a North Africa City state and trading the land she could get from an oxhide that she possessed managed to scrap some land which became the foundation of the soon to become, albeit short lived, empire of the Carthage.
Some argue that this is fable and the descendants of Carthage were rather the Phonecians from Tyre who acquired land over the natives of Africa, the Lydians and Nudmidians (Morey, 1901)
The government of Carthage was similar in structure to the tyrant kings of earlier Rome, being aristocratic and under military rule. Further reading tells us that the Carthaginians excelled in trade, building commercial links with the world powers if the time. This included the nations such as Arabia, for heir frankincense, Egypt for their linen, Spain for its Gold, Balearic for its Silver and Britain for its tin. It is most likely that their experience crossing the great seas for trade enabled them to build a very powerful navy, one which could not be compared to even the Romans one at the time, for they had great ships that which are described as great with “five banks of oars.” The Carthaginian navy was in fact so superior that on the first Punic war, the Romans contemplated giving up the war until they managed to reinforce their navy by building vessels similar to those of the Carthaginians. (Morey, 1901) …show more content…
At some point, they even had Spain as a colony, a city State that they eventually lost to their sworn enemies of Rome. (Morey, 1901). The basis of the first Punic war was over an island in which domination could avert attack from the opposing
Some argue that this is fable and the descendants of Carthage were rather the Phonecians from Tyre who acquired land over the natives of Africa, the Lydians and Nudmidians (Morey, 1901)
The government of Carthage was similar in structure to the tyrant kings of earlier Rome, being aristocratic and under military rule. Further reading tells us that the Carthaginians excelled in trade, building commercial links with the world powers if the time. This included the nations such as Arabia, for heir frankincense, Egypt for their linen, Spain for its Gold, Balearic for its Silver and Britain for its tin. It is most likely that their experience crossing the great seas for trade enabled them to build a very powerful navy, one which could not be compared to even the Romans one at the time, for they had great ships that which are described as great with “five banks of oars.” The Carthaginian navy was in fact so superior that on the first Punic war, the Romans contemplated giving up the war until they managed to reinforce their navy by building vessels similar to those of the Carthaginians. (Morey, 1901) …show more content…
At some point, they even had Spain as a colony, a city State that they eventually lost to their sworn enemies of Rome. (Morey, 1901). The basis of the first Punic war was over an island in which domination could avert attack from the opposing