The Carthaginians Page 2
5. From M. H. Fantar, Carthage: La cité punique, p. 31, by permission of the author and publisher.
6. From Hannibal ad Portas, p. 217, by permission of the Badisches Landesmuseum, Karlsruhe, and Theiss Verlag.
7. Public domain image from Wikipedia Commons, at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Quartier_Punique.JPG, retrieved 14/10/2009.
8. Public domain image from Wikipedia Commons at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carthage-1958PortsPuniques.jpg, retrieved 3/10/2009.
9. From M. H. Fantar, Carthage: La cité punique, p. 43, by permission of the author and publisher.
10. Public domain image from Wikipedia Commons, at: http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Carthage-1922-PortsPuniques.jpg&imgrefurl=http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carthage-1922-PortsPuniques.jpg&usg=__iVS0nYYJWVO60XpepUgF4dmt5sI=&h=1797&w=2400&sz=357&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=z_JOiB5MkF0OeM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3DCarthage%2B1922%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:enUS:official%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1, retrieved 3/10/2009.
11. From M. H. Fantar, Carthage: La cité punique, p. 46, by permission of the author and publisher.
12. From Hannibal ad Portas, pp. 284–5 no. 61: by permission of the Institut National du Patrimoine, Tunisia, and Theiss Verlag.
13. From Hannibal ad Portas, p. 337 no. 5: by permission of the Institut National du Patrimoine, Tunisia, and Theiss Verlag.
14. From Hannibal ad Portas, p. 233 no. 4: by permission of the Institut National du Patrimoine, Tunisia, and Theiss Verlag.
15. From M. H. Fantar, Carthage: La cité punique, p. 62, by permission of the author and publisher.
16. From Hannibal ad Portas, p. 271 no. 10: by permission of the Institut National du Patrimoine, Tunisia, and Theiss Verlag.
17. From M. H. Fantar, Carthage: La cité punique, p. 102, by permission of the author and publisher.
18. From Hannibal ad Portas, p. 291 no. 86: by permission of the Institut National du Patrimoine, Tunisia, and Theiss Verlag.
19. From Hannibal ad Portas, p. 237 no. 20: by permission of the Institut National du Patrimoine, Tunisia, and Theiss Verlag.
20. Reproduced by permission of the Institut National du Patrimoine, Tunisia.
21. From Hannibal ad Portas, p. 259 no. 7: by permission of the Institut National du Patrimoine, Tunisia, and Theiss Verlag.
22. From Hannibal ad Portas, p. 286 no. 64: by permission of the Institut National du Patrimoine, Tunisia, and Theiss Verlag.
23. From Hannibal ad Portas, pp. 285 no. 63: by permission of the Institut National du Patrimoine, Tunisia, and Theiss Verlag.
24. Coin-images reproduced by permission of Dr Stephen Mulligan, Sydney, and prepared by Noble Numismatics Ltd., Sydney.
25. From M. H. Fantar, Carthage: La cité punique, p. 111, by permission of the author and publisher.
26. Reproduced by permission of the Institut National du Patrimoine, Tunisia.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE
All dates are bc unless marked otherwise
Foundations
1103
traditional date for foundation of Gades
1101
traditional date for foundation of Utica
813
Timaeus’ foundation-date for Carthage (and Rome) and story of Elissa-Dido
753
foundation of Rome (most widely accepted date)
Expansion of Carthage
c. 640
Colaeus of Samos trades with Tartessus
c. 600
Phocaean Greeks found Massalia
c. 580
Pentathlus unsuccessfully tries to found a Greek city in western Sicily
550–500
Carthage imposes dominance over much of Sardinia and over western Sicily
c. 540
Phocaean refugees settle at Alalia in Cyprus
c. 540–530
career of Mazeus or ‘Malchus’
c. 535
Carthaginian and Etruscan fleet defeated by Phocaeans off Alalia; Phocaeans abandon Alalia
The Magonid family in power
c. 530
Mago achieves dominance in Carthage’s affairs
c. 530–396
ascendancy of Mago’s sons and descendants, the Magonids
c. 525
Carthaginians control island of Ebusus
c. 515
Dorieus of Sparta’s colony near Lepcis Magna expelled
c. 510
Dorieus killed in western Sicily
c. 510–500
Hasdrubal the Magonid killed in Sardinia
c. 509
Carthage’s first treaty with Rome
c. 500–450
Atlantic voyage of Hanno, recorded in his Periplus, and Himilco’s voyage to north-western Europe
c. 500
Thefarie Velianas’ shrine to Astarte-Uni at Pyrgi, Etruria
c. 485
Carthaginians at war with Acragas and Syracuse in Sicily
480
Battle of Himera and death of Hamilcar the Magonid
480–410
Carthage at peace with Sicilian Greeks
after 480
progressive subjugation of Libyans
474
Syracuse defeats Etruscans at sea off Cumae, Campania
415–413
Athenian expedition against Syracuse
War and peace with the Sicilian Greeks
409–405
Carthaginian campaigns against Sicilian Greeks
406
Sack of Acragas by Hannibal son of Gisco and his colleague Himilco
405
rise to power of Dionysius I at Syracuse; peace with Carthage
398–396
Dionysius’ new war with Carthage
398
Syracusans sack Motya
396
plague epidemic at Carthage; suicide of Himilco; end of Magonid dominance
Carthage institutes cult of Demeter and Kore (Persephone) to atone for impieties in Sicily Great Libyan Revolt, put down by Mago
393–392
Sicilian campaigns of Mago, ended by new peace with Syracuse
390s/380s
creation of the court of One Hundred and Four
383–(?)381
Mago’s second war with Syracuse
379/378
Carthage re-establishes town of Hipponium in southern Italy
370s–360s
plague again rages at Carthage; revolts by Libyans and Sardinians, eventually crushed
368
Dionysius I launches new war with Carthage, but dies; war flickers out
c. 368
Carthaginian senate bans study of Greek (temporarily)
367–357
rule of Dionysius II at Syracuse
360s–350s
ascendancy of Hanno the Great at Carthage
c. 350
conspiracy and fall of Hanno the Great
357–344
wars, coups and anarchy in Greek Sicily
348
Carthage’s second treaty with Rome
Carthage against Timoleon and Agathocles
345
new Carthaginian intervention in Greek Sicily
343
Timoleon arrives in Sicily. Suicide of Mago after setback outside Syracuse
341
May/June: battle of the river Crimisus and end of Carthage’s war in Sicily Gisco son of Hanno the Great recalled from exile
341–320s
ascendancy of Gisco
334
Alexander the Great captures Tyre, threatens Carthage with future attack
325
Carthage mediates in Sicilian Greek quarrels
319
Carthage mediates in Syracusan civil strife, first opposing but then supporting Agathocles
317
Agathocles takes power at Syracuse
315–314
Carthaginian general
Hamilcar mediates in fresh inter-Greek conflicts
312
Agathocles attacks Carthaginian territory in western Sicily
311
new general, Hamilcar son of Gisco, occupies much of eastern Sicily; besieges Syracuse
310
(14 August) Agathocles’ invasion fleet sails to Cape Bon; he wins victories in Libya; many or most Libyans revolt from Carthage
309
Hamilcar’s second attack on Syracuse defeated; he is captured and killed; Carthage’s Sicilian Greek allies break away. Agathocles dominates Libya but cannot take Carthage
308
Bomilcar’s failed coup in Carthage Agathocles, reinforced by Ophellas’ army from Cyrene, captures Hippacra and Utica; returns on his own to Sicily. Plundering campaigns by his son and lieutenants across Libya and into Numidia; Carthaginians defeat the invaders
307
Agathocles returns to Africa, but is defeated; abandons his sons and soldiers to return to Syracuse; collapse of the Greek invasion. Libyans subdued
306
peace between Carthage and Agathocles restores old status quo
supposed date of supposed ‘Philinus-treaty’ with Rome
War with Pyrrhus and the First Punic War
289
death of Agathocles; fresh upheavals among Sicilian Greeks
288
Mamertine mercenaries seize Messana
c. 280
Hicetas, tyrant of Syracuse, invades Carthaginian Sicily
280/279
Carthaginian land and sea forces besiege Syracuse; Syracusans appeal for help to Pyrrhus in Italy
278–276
Pyrrhus’ campaigns against the Carthaginians
276
Pyrrhus returns to Italy
275/274
Hiero becomes effective leader of Syracuse
273/272
Hiero makes peace with Carthage
272
Tarentum surrenders to Rome; Rome now effective ruler of Italian peninsula
264
escalating crisis over Mamertines of Messana; outbreak of war between Carthage and Rome
264–241
First Punic War
260
Rome’s first grand fleet defeats Carthaginians off Mylae, Sicily
256–255
failed Roman invasion of North Africa under Regulus
249
Roman naval defeats off Drepana and Camarina (last Carthaginian victories in the war)
247
Hamilcar Barca appointed general in Sicily Hanno the Great captures Theveste in Numidia
241
(10 March) Roman naval victory off Aegates Islands; peace treaty ends First Punic War
The dominance of the Barcids
late 241–early 237
Great revolt (Truceless War) of mercenaries and Libyans in North Africa
238/237
Hamilcar Barca becomes dominant at Carthage
237–228
Hamilcar’s campaigns in southern Spain create new Carthaginian province
228–221
his son-in-law and successor Hasdrubal dominates Carthaginian affairs from Spain
227/226
Hasdrubal founds Spanish Carthage (‘New Carthage’ to Romans)
221
Hannibal, son of Hamilcar, becomes chief general and leader of Carthage
219
Hannibal besieges and after 7 months sacks Saguntum in eastern Spain
The Second Punic War
218
Hannibal marches over the Alps into Italy; victory at river Trebia, northern Italy (December)
218–211
elder Scipio brothers’ campaigns in Spain against Carthaginians
c. 218–210
construction of Carthage’s artificial ports south of the agora (suggested dating)
217
(22 June) Hannibal’s victory at Lake Trasimene, Etruria
217–216
Hannibal’s operations against Fabius the Delayer and his military successors
216
(2 August) victory of Cannae, Apulia; Capua defects to Carthage
216–212
much though not all of southern Italy defects from Rome
215
Hannibal’s alliance with Philip V of Macedon
214
Carthage’s alliance with Syracuse
213
Marcellus opens siege of Syracuse
212
Tarentum defects to Hannibal Romans open siege of Capua Syracuse captured and plundered by Marcellus
211
destruction of the elder Scipios in southern Spain Hannibal’s march on Rome; surrender of Capua to Romans
209
younger Scipio (later Africanus) captures Spanish Carthage; Fabius the Delayer recaptures Tarentum
208–206
Scipio defeats Carthaginians in Spain and conquers Carthaginian province
207
Hasdrubal, brother of Hannibal, marches into northern Italy; (21 June) defeated and killed at river Metaurus
207–203
Hannibal confined to far south of Italy
204–203
Scipio invades North Africa, defeats Carthaginians and their Numidian ally Syphax; Carthage makes
peace with Rome. Hannibal recalled from Italy with his army
202
peace denounced or ignored by Carthage and Hannibal; (19 October?) battle of Zama; Carthage, urged by Hannibal, seeks fresh terms
201
second peace treaty with Rome: end of Carthage as a great power. Masinissa king of all Numidia
Carthage’s last half-century
200–196
Rome’s second war with Philip V, crippling Macedon as a great power
197(?)–193
Carthage in dispute (over territory?) with Masinissa of Numidia
196
Hannibal as sufete enacts financial and political reforms
195
Hannibal forced into exile by his political enemies, with Roman connivance
192–188
Antiochus III, the Great King of the east, defeated in war with Rome. Rome becomes dominant power from the Atlantic to the Euphrates
182
supposed dispute between Carthage and Numidia over territory
174–172 mid-160s
third(?) dispute with Numidia over territory Masinissa seizes Emporia; Rome adjudicates in his favour
150s
factional politics at Carthage embittered by Masinissa’s encroachments
153 or 152
Masinissa seizes all Carthage’s western Libyan lands
150
Masinissa attacks more Carthaginian territory; Carthaginian offensive against him ends in disaster Carthage threatened with Roman armed intervention; fails to appease Rome
The Third Punic War and the destruction of Carthage
150–149
(winter) Rome declares war on Carthage. Carthage offers total submission to Roman wishes
149
(spring) consuls land at Utica and demand that Carthaginians abandon their city Carthage declares war on Rome; siege of the city begins
Masinissa dies, aged over 90; Scipio Aemilianus settles Numidia’s affairs
149–148
Carthaginians in the city hold out, supported by field army at Nepheris and by much of Libya
147
Scipio Aemilianus, now consul, reinvigorates the siege; improvised Carthaginian fleet defeated outside the ports
147–146
(winter) Scipio destroys field army at Nepheris; Libya capitulates
146, spring
Scipio’s troops break into Carthage; Byrsa capitulates; Carthage burned. Remaining Carthaginian lands become Roman province of ‘Africa’
Carthage under the Romans
122
abortive effort to found a Roman colony on site of Carthage
112–105
Rome at war with Numidia under Masinissa’s grandson Jugurtha
46
Julius Caesar annexes Numidia as province of ‘Africa Nova’ Caesar refounds Carthage with Roman colonists
AD 160–240
Tertullian: Carthaginian, Roman and Christian writer