|
Important Dates in Carthaginian History
|
814/3 BCE |
Carthage founded by Tyrian colonists according
to Timaeus (350-260 BCE), a historian from
Taormina in Sicily historian. F.Gr.Hist.
566 fr.60 |
| Sixth Century
BCE |
Oligarchic Constitution
established. Originally a governer (skn)
reported to the king of Tyre. |
| 508 and 450
BCE |
Rome and the
Carthaginians sign treaties. |
| 480 BCE |
The Greek colonies
under the tyrants Gelon and Theron defeat
the Hamilcar Barca and his Carthaginian
at Himera in Sicily, thereby impeding Carthaginian
interests in that area. Note that the
Western Greeks are fighting this battle
at the same time the Greeks on mainland
Greece are fending off the Persians under
Xerxes. Under Hamilcar's grandson,
Hannibal, Himera is destroyed in 409 BCE.
After the 480 battle, a temple to Athena
was built to mark the victory. See below
two views of the temple in its present form--a
church but one can clearly see the Doric
columns and doric frieze. |
Photo: © C. Renaud |
Photo: © C. Renaud |
| End fifth
century BCE |
Takes over Greek
colonies in western part of Sicily, including
Selinus in 406 BCE. |
| Hellenistic
Period (323-30 BCE) |
The city of
Carthage at its largest extent. By the end
of the fourth century, about 200, 000 people
were living there--an extraordinary number
for cities in the ancient world. |
| 264-40 BCE
|
First Punic
War. As consequence of War, Sicily and Sardinia
fall into Roman hands. |
| 218 BCE |
Hannibal Barca
precipitates war against Rome when he besieges
Saguntum in Spain. He escapes the Roman
army sent to stop him, marches across the
Alps in the winter, and defeat three consular
armies in 218, 217 and 216 BCE. |
| 202 |
L. Scipio Africanus
defeats Hannibal at Zama (in Tunisia). Second
Punic War ends (218-202 BCE). During siege
of Syracuse, Archimedes
dies (212 BCE) |
| 146 BCE |
L. Cornelius
Scipio Aemilianus destroys Carthage. End
of Third Punic War (149-146 BCE) |
| 19 BCE |
Vergil dies;
Augustus has his 'unfinished' national epic
published. Integral to the epic is Aeneas'
stay in Carthage. In the Aeneid,
Vergil explains the mythical causes of the
emnity between the Romans and Carthaginians
|
| Late First
Century BCE |
Augustus, following
the intentions of his adoptive father Julius
Caesar, establishes a colony of veterans
on the site of Punic Carthage. |
| Second Century
|
Apogee of city
under Romans. Carthage at this time is the
third largest city in the empire nad the
second largest in the Western Mediterranean
after Rome itself. The emperorAntoninus
Pius has a large bathing complex constructed
for the city, the ruins of which are still
visible today. |
| Second-Fourth
Centuries |
Carthage enjoys
prosperity and becomes a center of the Christian
church in the West. Such notable Christian
writers as Tertullian and Augustine lived
in Carthage. |
| 439 |
Succumbs to
Vandals and eventually to the Byzantine
Empire. |
| 697 |
Falls to Muslims.
|
Carthago non delenda est
Return to the top of the page.
Bibliography and Links
Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites
Primary sources on Carthage Perseus site.
Carchedon Greek name for ancient Carthage.
The Research Communications Division - OVPR - UGA From the University of Georgia's excavations at Carthage.
Commentary on Book 4 of the Aeneid
Khader, A and Soren, D., eds., Carthage: A Mosaic of Ancient Tunisia (New York1987)
Lancel, S., Carthage: A History English Translation (Oxford 1995)
Greene, J.A., Ager and 'Arosot: Rural Settlement and Agrarian History in the Carthaginian Countryside (1990)
Ennabli, A.., ed., Pour sauver Carthage. (1992)
Hurst and Roskams, eds., Excavations at Carthage: The British Mission 1, in two parts (1984)
Gros, P., ed., Byrsa 3. (1985). The Byrsa was the summit of both the Punic and Roman city.
Humphrey, J.H. ed., Excavations at Carthage 1975-1978. 7 volumes. (1976-82) and
Humphrey, J. H.., ed., The Circus and a Byzantine Cemetery at Carthage (1988). In his text, Roman Circuses, Professor Humphrey has a description of the circus at Carthage.
Fentress, E., ed., ROMANIZATION AND THE CITY. CREATION, TRANSFORMATIONS
AND FAILURES.JRA Supplement 38. To order a copy of this JRA Supplement,
go here
|
Introduction
Carthage in Ancient Texts
Mythical Past of Carthage
History of Carthage
Topography of Carthage
Table of Important Dates in Carthaginian History
Bibliography and Links
|
