Carthage facts for kids

A map of the middle of the Mediterranean Sea

Roman theatre, in Carthage

Carthage is an ancient city-state in what is now Tunisia. It began as a Phoenician colony. Carthage at the height of its power was the foremost power in the Mediterranean Sea, controlling parts of Spain, Sicily, North Africa, Sardinia, and the Balearic islands.

The Roman Republic destroyed Carthage in the Punic Wars of the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. In later centuries Rome started a colony in the same place and it became an important city of Africa Province. Eventually the Vandals conquered the city and used it to attack Rome.

The Punic Wars

Carthage was a rival for Mediterranean Sea power for the Roman Republic, who wanted to take over the whole western Mediterranean Sea. Carthage was a large obstacle to that. So, in 264 BC, the Romans responded to a plea for help by some rebels in Messina, and landed an army in Sicily. This started the First Punic War. The Romans then invaded the Carthaginian holdings in Sicily, and the Carthaginian generals could not stop them. Even at sea, the Romans were able to copy the Carthaginian bireme ships and win several major victories on the sea, though the Carthaginians had long fought at sea and the Romans were new to this.

Finally, a general named Hamilcar Barca took up the Carthaginian defense in place of the decidedly older, less energetic Hanno. Hamilcar immediately realized the futility of meeting the superior Roman army in open battle, so he decided to use hit-and-run raids to wear down the Romans. This tactic was slightly more effective against the slow, heavily armored roman troops. Eventually, however the Romans were able to take Lilybaeum, the Carthaginian's main stronghold in Sicily. This ended Carthage's power in Sicily and ended the First Punic War.

In the Second Punic War, Hannibal Barca led the Carthaginian army through Spain, southern Gaul, and across the Alps, into Italy in 218 BC. There he clashed with the Roman Republic in 3 major battles: the battle of the River Trebia, the battle of lake Trasmine, and The battle of Cannae. Hannibal defeated the Romans in stunning victories in each of these battles. He failed, however, to take Rome, and eventually had to retreat back to Carthage, where he was defeated by Scipio Africanis in the battle of Zama. The Romans destroyed Carthage in 146 BC, in the third Punic war. The Carthaginians who survived, numbering about 50,000, were sold into slavery.

Images for kids

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  Modern reconstruction of Punic Carthage. The circular harbor at the front is the Cothon, the military port of Carthage, where all of Carthage's warships (Biremes) were anchored

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  The layout of the Punic city-state Carthage, before its fall in 146 B.C.

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  Punic ruins in Byrsa

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  Archaeological Site of Carthage

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  Archaeological Site of Carthage

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  View of two columns at Carthage

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  Ruins of Carthage

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  Roman Carthage City Center

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  Layout of Roman Carthage

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  The Vandal Kingdom in 500, centered on Carthage

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  Historical map of the Tunis area (1903), showing St. Louis of Carthage between Sidi Bou Said and Le Kram.

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  The first published sketch of artefacts from Carthage – mostly Carthaginian tombstones. This was published in Jean Emile Humbert's Notice sur quatre cippes sépulcraux et deux fragments, découverts en 1817, sur le sol de l'ancienne Carthage.

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  Map of the Mediterranean in 218 BC

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  Trade routes of Phoenicia (Byblos, Sidon, Tyre) & Carthage

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  Idealized depiction of Carthage from the 1493 Nuremberg Chronicle.

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  Juba II, reigned 25 BC – AD 23

See also

In Spanish: Cartago para niños