what advantages did the carthaginians have?

based on appians description of the destruction of carthage, decribe one way the romans increased and consolidated their power? Carthage Who was Hannibal and what did he do? Perhaps Carthage's most shocking naval loss was their very first sea engagement with Rome at the battle of Mylae (Milazzo) in 260 BCE. This Roman-Carthaginian alliance against Pyrrhus caused him great trouble as he had to both fend off the Roman army and the Carthaginian navy. what disadvantage did Rome have when fighting the carthiginians? Books The Carthaginian council upheld Hannibals action and drew upon itself a declaration of war. The oldest such structures date to the 7th century BCE and so illustrate Carthage's prosperity and booming population early in the city's history. Mark is a full-time author, researcher, historian, and editor. Cite This Work We know, for example, that Hannibal released non-Roman enemy troops on several occasions to increase the chances of local areas revolting against Rome. Unfortunately for posterity, when Carthage was destroyed by the Romans so too was its history in many respects and details of how Carthaginian society functioned, the relations between classes, and the role of women especially, remain frustratingly elusive. The Carthaginians were quick to copy the Hellenistic inventions of catapult (for stones and incendiaries) and crossbows. We care about our planet! Priests would have enjoyed a high status as they performed rituals and sacrifices (both animal and human) in honour of the Punic gods. The military of Carthage was one of the largest military forces in the ancient world.Although Carthage's navy was always its main military force, the army acquired a key role in the spread of Carthaginian power over the native peoples of northern Africa and southern Iberian Peninsula from the 6th century BC and the 3rd century BC. (like the persian emipire) its how the earth balances itself out, writing and publicly displaying laws (twelve tables), republican government, but the plebeians demanded it. In 202 BCE, the Roman general Scipio Africanus famously defeated the great Hannibal and his elephants at the Battle of Zama in western Tunisia. Read the following passage and then choose the best revision for the underlined portions of the paragraph. One of the best corps in the Carthaginian army was the cavalry force of their allies, the Numidians. Roman expansion in Italy from 298 to 201 bce Carthage was founded by the Phoenician city of Tyre in 813 BCE as a handy location along western Mediterranean trade routes, and the colony would go on to prosper and found its own colonies, eventually taking over the old Phoenician network too. Please support World History Encyclopedia. From the 6th century BCE, stelae were dedicated to Baal or Tanit and placed on top of the urns instead of stones. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Cartwright, M. (2016, June 16). As the two armies approached each other, the Carthaginians unloosed their 80 elephants into the ranks of the Roman infantry, but the great beasts were soon dispersed and their threat neutralized. The last and decisive battle of the Second Punic War, it effectively ended both Hannibal's command of Carthaginian forces and also Carthage's chances to significantly oppose Rome. Troops were coordinated during battle using standards. https://www.worldhistory.org/Carthaginian_Religion/. Accordingly they equipped a new army in which, by the advice of a Greek captain of mercenaries named Xanthippus, cavalry and elephants formed the strongest arm. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. We want people all over the world to learn about history. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. According to Livy, Hannibal told Scipio, What I was years ago at Trasimene and Cannae, you are today. Scipio is said to have replied with a message for Carthage: Prepare to fight because evidently you have found peace intolerable. The next day was set for battle. Tusked and reaching a height of 2.5 metres, the elephants were made even more fearsome by adding armour to the head, trunk, and sides, and blades or spears to the tusks. Baal had many other incarnations, or perhaps even separate deities under that name: Baal Iddir, Baal Marqod, Baal Oz, Baal Qarnem, Baal Sapon, and Baal Shamin. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. So too, after the battle, victories were celebrated with more sacrifices and conquests were recorded on tablets and stelae set up at Punic temples. This aggression provoked war with Carthage and Syracuse. Create your account. Carthage was a sea power so therefore it had a naval advantage over Rome, until the Romans caught up, that is. We also know that temples were off-limits to women and pigs, although there were some priestesses who served certain deities and their temples. This victory, by giving the Romans undisputed command of the sea, rendered certain the ultimate fall of the Punic strongholds in Sicily. Just how this might have been achieved is not known. Nevertheless, its commercial enterprises expanded rapidly in the 2nd century bce, exciting the envy of Romes growing mercantile community. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/Carthaginian_Warfare/. The ships were the trireme with three banks of rowers, the quadrireme, and quinquereme. Some of Scipios Roman forces were reinvigorated veterans from Cannae who sought redemption from that disgraceful defeat. In addition to utilizing 80 war elephants that were not fully trained, Hannibal was also compelled to rely mostly upon an army of Carthaginian recruits that lacked much battle experience. Please select which sections you would like to print: Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Child sacrifice did occur at Carthage, as it did in many other ancient cultures, but the physical evidence of the scale of such a practice does not seem to match the long-held infamous reputation the Phoenicians and Carthaginians have suffered from since antiquity. The prolonged prosperity of the city during much of its history, based as it was on the labour of others, was probably the most significant reason why the citizens of Carthage acquiesced to rule by an elite aristocracy. Priestess of Isis on a Carthaginian Sarcophagus Lid. Submitted by Mark Cartwright, published on 06 July 2016. When enemy forces became used to them and trained their horses not to panic or if the terrain was unsuitable, then their effectiveness was greatly reduced. They also mention the victims wearing a smiling mask to hide their tears from the god to whom they were being offered. but Rome did not. Cartwright, Mark. Hannibal was a military leader from Carthage. The Romans now directed their efforts once more against Sicily. This was the first of a priestly class at the city. When the Carthaginians in 150 resisted Masinissas aggressions by force of arms, thus formally breaking the treaty with Rome, a Roman army was dispatched to Africa. Many of these professions are mentioned on Punic stelae. World History Encyclopedia. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Nevertheless, access to the elite was open to anyone who could acquire the financial means. Having staged a successful invasion of Africa and having vanquished its canniest and most-implacable foe, Rome began its vision of a Mediterranean empire. To avoid the threat that successful mercenary armies rebelled against the ruling elite of Carthage, the Carthaginians made sure that all senior and middle command positions were held by citizens of Carthage. Defeated leaders could expect no better and were often cruelly executed. Such were the requirements of Carthage's large navy that ships were constructed using mass-produced pieces marked with numbers for ease of assembly. Foreigners in the city came from the original founding city of Tyre in Phoenicia, from the conquered areas of North Africa (especially Libya and Numidia), Spain, Italy, and Sardinia. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The defending ships would try not to create any gaps in their formation and perhaps stagger their lines to counter the diekplous. "Carthaginian Religion." He had trained his men to move to the side when the elephants charged, locking their shields and facing the alleys as the elephants passed by. Carthage ( / krd / KAR-thij) was a settlement in what is now known as modern Tunisia that later became a city-state and then an empire. The Carthaginian North: Semitic influence on early Germanic. Battle of Zama, (202 bce), victory of the Romans led by Scipio Africanus the Elder over the Carthaginians commanded by Hannibal. Less important Phoenician gods surviving in Punic religion included Hawot (god of the dead), Hudis (the new moon), Kese (the full moon), Kusor/Kusorit (god/goddess of intelligence), and Semes (the sun goddess). It is not clear if Carthage's citizens were obliged to pay tax, such was the enormous revenue extracted from conquered territories. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/article/908/carthaginian-society/. Related Content Cite This Work Temples were built in their honour, ceremonies were overseen by a priestly class, sacrifices were made to appease them, and their imagery appeared on ships, coins, and in the arts. In 147, however, the command was given to Scipio Aemilianus, the adopted grandson of the former conqueror of Carthage. One of the most important Punic deities that were not worshipped in Phoenicia was Tanit (Tnt), although she may have been considered an attendant of Astarte there. What advantages did the Carthaginians have over Romans? Slaves were either conquered peoples or brought from slave markets and were used for all manner of tasks, professional or menial, in the city and in the countryside, as well as in the Carthaginian navy during the Punic Wars. Thank you! We want people all over the world to learn about history. This meant that enterprising individuals, able to exploit the market conditions of the city where goods were imported, exported, and manufactured or cultivated on site, or those who were able to fund their own private trading expeditions to such rich lands of opportunity as Sicily and Spain, could rise to the very top of society and politics. Using a blend of terror and diplomacy, Hamilcar relentlessly expanded his control over southern Spain, and the riches from these campaigns were channelled back to Carthage to make it the wealthiest city in the ancient world. No doubt the appearance and noise of elephants caused panic amongst the enemy's men and horses, but they were wildly unpredictable in battle and could cause as much damage to their own side as the opposition. what advantages did the carthaginians have? There were female priests, but once again, the details of initiation and duties of the priestly class remain unknown. Hannibal, he gathered 46,000 men, many horses, and 37 elephants. He holds an MA in Political Philosophy and is the WHE Publishing Director. The Mamertini, a band of Campanian mercenaries, had forcibly established themselves within the town and were being hard pressed in 264 by Hieron II of Syracuse. Corrections? This strategy could be countered by spreading one's ships as wide as possible but not too much so as to allow a diekplous attack. Corbita SailingJan van der Crabben (CC BY-NC-SA). National Geographic Societys Expedition Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. The quinquereme, so called for its arrangement of five rowers per vertical line of three oars (a total of 300 rowers), became the most widely used in the Punic fleet. Tanit was also associated with the palm tree, dove, the moon, fish, and pomegranate, all of which appear with her on Carthaginian coins and stelae dedicated to her. Mago, who had sustained battle wounds during a losing engagement in Liguria (near Genoa), died at sea during the crossing. During a siege, they also employed battering rams, mobile siege towers, mounds, and mining to overcome enemy fortifications. Scipios cavalry then charged the opposing Carthaginian cavalry on the wings; the latter fled and were pursued by Masinissas forces. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Patrick Hunt (Ph.D., Institute of Archaeology, UCL, University of London, 1991) is an archaeologist and historian who has taught at Stanford University since 1993. Of a city population that may have exceeded a quarter of a million, only 50,000 remained at the final surrender. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Though Carthage had clashed violently with several other powers in the region,. if you were a roman citizen reading this description, how would you feel? There was intense competition between commanders, not helped by the fact that command was sometimes shared between two, or even three, generals. Carthage Under SiegeThe Creative Assembly (Copyright). Not just trading middle-men, the Carthaginians produced their own manufactured goods and so the city had a large number of pottery, glass, and metal workshops (producing weapons, jewellery, and everyday items), dyers, carpenters, and construction workers. There were cases of slaves becoming free, even if their new status is unlikely to have ever given them equal rights to ordinary citizens. Their armies had different advantages: Carthage was a naval power and Rome was stronger in land battles. The victims were killed by fire, although it is not clear precisely how. Priests would have enjoyed a high status but lived an austere life, symbolised by their distinctive shaved heads. The Carthaginian generals Hannibal and his brother Mago were accordingly recalled from their campaigns in Italy. 01 May 2023. The inherent weaknesses in the Carthaginian army - disparate groups of sometimes disloyal mercenaries, confused command structures, and an over-reliance on heavy infantry and war elephants - meant that Carthage was, ultimately, unable to maintain its position as a Mediterranean superpower and keep pace with mighty Rome. High ranking priests and priestesses were specifically assigned to serve the goddesses. Strongly linked to Baal and considered the consort of Baal Hammon, she was commonly referred to as 'Tanit face of Baal' (Tnt pn B'l) and represented in inscriptions, mosaics, pottery, and stelae as a symbol (a triangle with a straight line and circle above it) seemingly representing a stylised female figure with arms outstretched. Last modified July 13, 2016. Significance First Punic War, also called First Carthaginian War, (264-241 bce) first of three wars between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian (Punic) empire that resulted in the destruction of Carthage. Carthage was an ancient Phoenician city located on the northern coast of Africa. Did Rome or Carthage have a better navy? Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The indemnity Rome set as payment from Carthage was 10,000 silver talents, more than three times the size of the indemnity demanded at the conclusion of the First Punic War. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. Updates? Analysis of the remains found within the urns at Carthage reveals that, overall, 80% of the human remains are from newborn babies or foetuses. The survivors were sold into slavery, the city was razed, and the territory was made a Roman province under the name of Africa. Because Hannibal could not transport the majority of his horses from Italy, he was forced to slaughter them to keep them from falling into Roman hands. 12,000 Romans were killed against 800 Carthaginians. In dire moments sacrifices were also made in a last ditch effort to avoid defeat. Even in Phoenician/Punic mythology, where the god El sacrifices his son Ieud, it is to save his country from collapse. They did not have Carthage's wealth or intercontinental . In 251 or 250 the Roman general Lucius Caecilius Metellus at last brought about a pitched battle near Panormus in which the enemys force was effectively crippled. They hadn't reckoned with Hannibal's. World History Encyclopedia. Phoenician-Punic Grinning MaskCarole Raddato (CC BY-NC-SA). In some sense this is the trouble with . Indeed, they remain largely silent in the already impoverished historical record of Carthage. Priests may have controlled education, of which we know very little, and also the libraries we know existed at the time of Carthage's destruction in 146 BCE. Polytheistic in nature, such important Phoenician gods as Melqart and Baal were worshipped in the colony alongside new ones such as Tanit. The rewards of military victory for Carthage were control of new territories with their natural resources, acquisition of slaves, sometimes the incorporation of parts of the defeated army into their own, and the state treasuries and granaries of conquered cities. Battle of Zama, (202 bce), victory of the Romans led by Scipio Africanus the Elder over the Carthaginians commanded by Hannibal. Although the Carthaginians consented to make reparation by giving 300 hostages and surrendering their arms, they were goaded into revolt by the further stipulation that they must emigrate to some inland site at least 10 miles (16 km) from the sea, making impossible the commerce by sea that drove the citys economy. The absence of a large citizen army which had raised the collective political consciousness of citizens in other states such as those in Greece was, perhaps, another reason for the Carthaginians' seeming lack of interest in political power. World History Encyclopedia. It was one of the greatest military feats in history. -yes While Pyrrhus was still fighting battles in Sicily and facing heavy losses, he received information from Tarentum that it was difficult to defend the city on their own and that they needed assistance. Sometimes during a long conflict even new temples were built to such important deities as Tanit, Melqart, and Baal Hammon to please them and make sure their support did not waver.

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