Book Description

Carthage is mainly known as the city that was utterly destroyed by the Romans in 146 BC. This book tells the story about this fascinating city, which for centuries was the center of a far-flung trade network in the Mediterranean. Carthage was founded by Phoenician migrants, who settled in the north of what is now Tunisia, probably in the ninth century BC. The city's strategic location was key to its success. From here, the Carthaginians could dominate both seafaring trade and the overland trade with the African interior. Carthage, Fact and Myth presents the most recent views of Carthaginian society, its commerce and politics, and the way its society was organized. Chapters, written by leading experts, describe the founding of Carthage, its merchant and war fleets, and the devastating wars with Rome. These include the campaigns of the famous Carthaginian commander Hannibal who crossed the Alps with his army and elephants to pose a grave threat to Rome, but he was ultimately unable to prevail. Tunisian experts describe Roman Carthage - the city as it was rebuilt by the Emperor Augustus - and discuss the later Christian period. Finally, the reader encounters a wealth of information about European images of Carthage, from 16th-century prints to the Alix series of comics.