what advantages did the carthaginians have?

Aside from naval battles, the Carthaginian fleet was also vital for transporting armies, resupplying them by providing an escort for transport ships, coastal raids, attacking enemy supply ships, blockading enemy ports, and relieving Carthaginian forces when they were themselves besieged. The First Punic War was fought to establish control over the strategic islands of Corsica and Sicily. The Greek historian Polybius states that Hannibal had done all that he could as a general in battle, especially considering the advantage held by his opponent. World History Encyclopedia. Of a city population that may have exceeded a quarter of a million, only 50,000 remained at the final surrender. Attempts to ram enemy ships could be made in two ways. One of the lesser punishments was a large fine whilst the worst case scenario was crucifixion. The most important Carthaginian deity was Melqart, patron and protector of the city of Tyre and perhaps given a similar role in early Carthage. Although both countries were comparable in military power and economic strength the two nations had different military advantages: Carthage had a strong naval power while Rome had almost no naval power, but had a stronger ground force. 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. Polybius and Livy claim 20,000 Carthaginian killed and an equal number of prisoners; of the Romans, 1500 died at Zama. ), and even human sacrifice (molk). The use of Egyptian-made and home-copied amulets was widespread at Carthage judging by their abundance in tombs. The urns themselves were often recycled pots and jars from as far afield as Corinth and Egypt and so provide an interesting and valuable record of Mediterranean trade. "Carthaginian Society." This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. They had a general, unlike the Romans What advantages did the Carthaginians have? Thank you! Carthaginian Warfare has been overshadowed by defeat to Rome in the Punic Wars, but for six centuries before that Carthage was remarkably successful in conquering lucrative territories in North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, and Sicily. How The Romans Beat The Best Navy Of The Time While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The questions will require you to make decisions regarding the revision of the reading selection. The more successful commanders not only possessed the military skills to exploit the unique situations of individual battles and the weaknesses of their enemies but also the ability to mould their own mercenary fighting force into a homogenous unit. Omissions? At its largest extent, it covered 6,000 square meters and has nine descending levels. License. Why were the carthaginians so powerful? Some urns were buried in shaft tombs and the dedicated sacred open space for these urns was surrounded by walls and known as a tophet. In addition, after a battle or war, the commanders were subjected to a tribunal which investigated their competence or otherwise. Hannibal We care about our planet! Help us and translate this definition into another language! Submitted by Mark Cartwright, published on 16 June 2016. Ercte (247244) and Mt. Scipio made the blockade stringent by walling off the isthmus on which the town lay and by cutting off its sources of supplies from overseas. but Rome did not. Although both countries were comparable in military power and economic strength the two nations had different military advantages: Carthage had a strong naval power while Rome had almost no naval power, but had a stronger ground force. Web. 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. Third Punic War | Carthage and Rome [149 bce- 146 bce] Cartwright, M. (2016, July 06). Carthage's military also allowed it to expand into Sardinia and . Some 20,000 Carthaginians died in the battle, and perhaps 20,000 were captured, while the Romans lost about 1,500 dead. Hannibal was a military leader from Carthage. One particular inscription, which notes a slave paying for his own dedication at a temple, implies that some slaves, at least, were able to accumulate their own money from their activities. This would suggest that a handful of families who could trace their lineage back to the founding of the city and the original colonisers from Tyre had a distinct advantage in running for public office. Learn about the history of Hannibal and his ultimate defeat at the battle of Zama. Carthaginian War ElephantThe Creative Assembly (Copyright). what advantages did the carthaginians have - Brainly.com Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. The tophet at Carthage was known as the 'precinct of Tanit' and located to the south of the city at Salammbo. Definition. He supplemented his original landing force of some 25,000 with local recruits and amassed a 50,000-strong army which included 100 elephants. Corbita SailingJan van der Crabben (CC BY-NC-SA). Nevertheless, descriptions by Roman authors and surviving inscriptions from Punic stelae help reconstruct at least a partial picture of the social makeup of one of the ancient Mediterranean's most important cultures. According to the ancient historians Clitarch and Diodorus, a hearth was set before a bronze statue of the god Baal (or El), who had outstretched arms on which the victim was placed before falling into the fire. Updates? Please support World History Encyclopedia. At Mylae (Milazzo), off the north Sicilian coast, their admiral Gaius Duilius defeated a Carthaginian squadron of superior maneuvering capacity by grappling and boarding. Please support World History Encyclopedia. The Carthaginians had the advantage in skill and numbers at sea. Inscriptions on Punic stelae describe many temples to many different deities at Carthage, but unfortunately, very little remains of them exist in the archaeological record due to the destruction of the city by the Romans at the end of the Third Punic War in 146 BCE. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Animal entrails were read too prior to battles, where omens were established which reassured the troops with their promise of victory. The Greek hoplite was perhaps the most common model heavy armour, large shield, spear, and sword. what advantages did the carthaginians have? Indeed, they remain largely silent in the already impoverished historical record of Carthage. are there any other examples to support his claim? Many stelae have an inscription which describes a human blood sacrifice, but others describe the substitution of a sheep or lamb for a child. based on appians description of the destruction of carthage, decribe one way the romans increased and consolidated their power? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Did Rome or Carthage have a better navy? 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. It is not clear if Carthage's citizens were obliged to pay tax, such was the enormous revenue extracted from conquered territories. 01 May 2023. Last modified July 13, 2016. Just like in any large city, there were all the professions needed for a thriving population with money to spend: teachers, doctors, architects, cooks, shopkeepers, cobblers, fishermen, scribes, chariot-makers, and so on. By 265 B.C., Carthage was the wealthiest and most advanced city in the region, as well as its leading naval power. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. The naval fleet of Carthage was composed of large warships propelled by sail and oars which were used to ram enemy vessels using a bronze ram mounted on the prow below the waterline. Artillery was a component of Carthaginian armies in Sicily where the cities were well-fortified. The ships were the trireme with three banks of rowers, the quadrireme, and quinquereme. (barricades; debris). Perhaps the finest hour of Carthage's army was Hannibal's streak of four great battles against Rome in Italy during the Second Punic War (218 - 201 BCE). We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. The Roman infantry legions then advanced and attacked Hannibals infantry, which consisted of three consecutive lines of defense. In fact, Rome didn't have a navy at all. stable before this time, with Carthage being most powerfull, the romans wanted more power and recognition, so they used war to get this. In 254 they captured the important fortress of Panormus (Palermo), but when Carthage threw reinforcements into the island the war again came to a standstill. Several commanders, following defeat, committed suicide to avoid the latter penalty. This was possible largely because for much of its history Carthage only ever fought battles in foreign territory and the city itself was never threatened until Agathocles landed an army in 310 BCE and the Roman invasions of the Second and Third Punic Wars. 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. Carthaginian Society - World History Encyclopedia Nevertheless, access to the elite was open to anyone who could acquire the financial means. Cartwright, Mark. In another example, Diodorus describes the Carthaginian general Hamilcar sacrificing a child during the siege of Agrigento in the 5th century BCE when the defenders were suffering from a fatal outbreak of disease. 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. By combining the finest mercenary armies with their own elite forces and huge naval fleet, Carthage was able to dominate the western Mediterranean and protect and expand its vast network of colonies and trading posts from the 9th to 3rd centuries BCE. This was in direct contrast to Roman commanders who had their command for one year, only leading to a more aggressive approach to warfare as they tried to win total victory before being removed from office. Punic Wars, also called Carthaginian Wars, (264-146 bce ), a series of three wars between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian (Punic) empire, resulting in the destruction of Carthage, the enslavement of its population, and Roman hegemony over the western Mediterranean. "Carthaginian Warfare." In 255, under Xanthippus command, they offered battle to Regulus, who had taken up position with an inadequate force near Tunis, outmaneuvered him, and destroyed the bulk of his army. Why, in ancient battles, did being encircled mean defeat? That Hannibal was fighting from a position of weakness does not in any way diminish Scipios victory for Rome, however. There was intense competition between commanders, not helped by the fact that command was sometimes shared between two, or even three, generals. As the armies of Carthage were usually composite groups of foreign mercenary forces; their weapons and armour differed depending on the unit's origin or preferences. At some point also Rome entered into relations with Saguntum (Sagunto), a town on the east coast, south of the Ebro. 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. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Buildings were destroyed, the people were sold into slavery, and the land officially cursed. Punic Wars: Definition, Scipio & Carthage - HISTORY Carthaginian Warfare - World History Encyclopedia Similarly, some were promised the return of their land which had been taken from them by the Romans. no matter how powerful an empire, it will always come to an end. More certain is that the Carthaginian religion continued, beyond the Roman destruction of the city, to be practised, sometimes under different names, perhaps more clandestinely than previously, but very often at the same temple sites as before. Carthage - National Geographic Society World History Encyclopedia. Tribes that used to roam from province to province were a threat to the continued existence of Rome. This was an elite group of 2,500-3,000 infantry soldiers identified by their white shields and known as the Sacred Band. Motivation for commanders was high too as those generals who failed in wartime were treated harshly. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. We also know that Carthage had a significant Greek community in the 4th century BCE. Historians, such is the lack of clarity on the specifics of Phoenician and Carthaginian gods, continue to discuss his association or even equivalence to Melqart and the Phoenician god El. They did not have Carthage's wealth or intercontinental . Founded by the Phoenicians in the ninth century BC, Carthage reached its height in the fourth century BC as one of the largest metropolises in the world [4] and the centre of the . 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. What advantages did the Carthaginians have? 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. https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Zama-Roman-Carthaginian-history. Not large enough to carry a superstructure (howdah), the type of elephant used by Carthage may have permitted a second rider armed with a bow or javelins. what other sources would help you to better understand the roman republic? There are cases of slaves being allowed to run businesses for their master with relative autonomy and slaves returning to work for their former master after they had gained their freedom (although this may have been a legal obligation). The most important goddess was Tanit, who represented a mother goddess, life, & fertility. The Roman fleet of 145 ships defeated the Carthaginian fleet of 130 ships which had not even bothered to form battle lines, so confident were they of victory against the untested Roman sailors. Carthage, on the other hand, had long been anxious to conquer Sicily and so to complete the chain of island posts by which it controlled the western Mediterranean. At the same time, the Carthaginians, who felt no less severely the financial strain of the prolonged struggle, reduced their forces and made no attempt to deliver a counterattack. Cartwright, Mark. Hannibal, for example, went one step further than his father Hamilcar Barca (who had used such imagery on his coins) and identified himself as Hercules-Melqart, the figure who was a mix of the invincible Greek hero and the Phoenician-Punic god. Some revisions are not of actual mistakes, but will improve the clarity of the writing. A committee of 10 senators was responsible for state religious matters. After one campaign they were ready to sue for peace, but the terms which the Roman commander Marcus Atilius Regulus offered were intolerably harsh. World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. In land battles, after an initial round of skirmishes involving light cavalry, the Carthaginian army attacked the enemy head-on with heavy infantry, much like the Greeks had been doing for centuries with the phalanx (a line of tightly grouped hoplites protecting each other with their shields). In 263 the Romans advanced with a considerable force into Hierons territory and induced him to seek peace and alliance with them. -suffering capital punishment Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. Thus, he could field only about 4,000 cavalry, the bulk of them from a minor Numidian ally named Tychaeus. Their loyalty, rather, was expected and received in times of dire stress during the Second Punic War and the siege of Carthage in the Third Punic War when slaves were granted their freedom in return for military service. 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. Roman Empire(Summer Assignment) Flashcards | Quizlet We want people all over the world to learn about history. Baal Hammon ('lord of the altars of incense') was another important god, inspired by the Baal who was supreme god at the Phoenician city of Sidon. The Carthaginians, whose citizen levy was utterly disorganized, could neither keep the field against the invaders nor prevent their subjects from revolting. Indeed, this was a criticism of Aristotle when commentating on Carthage that such a preoccupation with wealth would lead inevitably to a self-interested oligarchy dominating society. (goal) was to show that romans could work together to create a compromise in the government. The Greeks identified Melqart with their own hero Hercules, and a cult of Melqart-Hercules spread around the Mediterranean. Mark is a full-time author, researcher, historian, and editor. This left Rome free to land a force on Corsica (259) and expel the Carthaginians but did not suffice to loosen their grasp on Sicily. Who was the leader of the Carthaginians in the second Punic war and what did he do? He holds an MA in Political Philosophy and is the WHE Publishing Director. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. The failure of the elephant charge can likely be explained by a trio of factors, with the first two being well documented and most important. Demeter and Persephone (Kore) were especially popular and were incorporated into the Punic pantheon following a series of military disasters which the Carthaginians ascribed to their unwise destruction of the goddesses' temple at Syracuse in 396 BCE. Battle of Zama, (202 bce), victory of the Romans led by Scipio Africanus the Elder over the Carthaginians commanded by Hannibal. The size of the Carthaginian fleet changed depending on the period, but according to the ancient historian Polybius, Carthage had a fleet of 350 ships in 256 BCE. 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). World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. what innovation did they create, to overcome this disadvantage? License. There is no evidence that a citizen of Carthage ever became a slave but, as in Rome, this may have happened if a person could not pay their debts or if poor parents sold their child, as was sometimes the case. In 255 BCE, he reorganised the army and brilliantly combined 100 war-elephants with 12,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry to totally defeat two legions and capture the Roman general Regulus in the process. The army of Carthage the city was composed of heavily armoured infantry drawn from the citizenry. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. from Libya and Tunisia) and mercenary armies from Greece, Iberia, Southern Italy, and Gaul. This war caused the Roman Empire to invest in their navy in order to defeat Carthage, which was important to assure the Roman dominion and hegemony in the Mediterranean. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. Working for their livelihoods this class would have included women, slaves, and foreigners, as well as male citizens. The survivors were sold into slavery, the city was razed, and the territory was made a Roman province under the name of Africa. The victim's ashes were then placed in an urn topped with a stone. A second Roman fleet, which subsequently reached Africa after defeating the full Carthaginian fleet off Cape Hermaeum (Shark Peninsula), withdrew all the remaining troops. A committee of 10 senators was responsible for state religious matters. who was the audience of the twelve tables? Carthage was, then, an accomplished practitioner of warfare for centuries but eventually, and despite a heroic effort which several times almost brought victory, more than met its match in Rome with its professional and well-trained army backed by a seemingly endless pool of replacements and financial support. Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! Besides two slave revolts at the beginning and middle of the 4th century BCE, when slaves joined the rebel Libyans and then the Carthaginian leader Hanno in wider uprisings, there is no mention of any other unrest over the centuries. Catapults could be mounted on the deck of these large vessels but were probably limited to siege warfare and not used in ship-to-ship battles. 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. why were both Carthage and Rome wanting to control the mediterranean? Boarding Troops Lacking the training and experience of the Carthaginians, the Roman sailors were at a disadvantage in terms of speed and manoeuvrability. First, the elephants were not well trained. Carthage was a sea power so therefore it had a naval advantage over Rome, until the Romans caught up, that is. Inscriptions inform us that a chief priest was responsible for a particular temple and assisted by a lower category of priests (khnm). Unlike in Greek city-states, most citizens were not expected to perform military service either in peacetime or war. Tophet of CarthageDennis Jarvis (CC BY-SA). All of these ploys helped to reassure the common soldier that they were fighting on the right side with the best general. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. Religious ceremonies could also take place at natural features like rivers and springs as these were often held as sacred by the Carthaginians.