Carthage essays

Carthage essays Carthage is an ancient city in the Mediterranean that was under Roman Rule and Christianity was spreading past; it had a vast history and many wars with Rome. It is located on the north shore of Africa at the tip of a peninsula near the city that is now known as Tunis, Tunisia. Phoenician seamen as a trade and shipping outpost founded Carthage. Its harbor location in the Mediterranean Sea gave it advantages for both defense and trade. The city, whose name means "new city," thrived on commerce and its people engaged in trade throughout the region. At the peak of its power around mid- 200 B.C., the city controlled a large commercial empire along the Mediterranean coast. Eventually, the citys conflict with Rome over control of the Mediterranean Sea led to its destruction and it was subsequently taken over by the Roman Empire. (Moulton 113) There are about 1,200 inscriptions that have been found in Northern Africa employing the Libyan language. The writing was consonantal and it reflected the dialects of the period. Many ancient classical authors, including Homer, provided information relative to the origin of the Phoenician people who founded Carthage. The writings talk of the Phoenicians maritime adventures, their contacts with other Mediterranean people, and to their economy, religion, language, writing, and arts. There is distortion in the, information, however, and it is up to the historian to use it with caution. (Khader 87-89) Carthage was founded in 814 B.C. by the Phoenicians from the city of Tyre in the Eastern Mediterranean. (Moulton 113) Dido was believed to be the legendary founder and queen of Carthage. The city was known to its Punic or Phoenician inhabitants as the "new city," probably to distinguish it from Utica, which was the "old city." (Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2001) Carthage remained a Phoenician colony until the 600s B.C. when it gained its independence. When it gained its independence, ...