CARTHAGINIAN HISTORY IN OUTLINE
FIRST PERIOD (813-410 B.C.)
814-813 B.C. Carthage, according to tradition, is founded by Elissa, sister of King Pygmalion of Tyre, who fled from her brother. The Phœnicians find the land occupied by Libyans whom they dispossess. They also manage to get some kind of control over the nomads in the outlying regions of their new domain. The official heads of the government were the suffets, similar to the Roman consuls. There may have been only two in office at a time, serving for one year, but capable of re-election.
600-550 Malchus, mentioned by Justin, who calls him “king” of Carthage. Successful wars in Africa and Sicily undertaken to extend the city’s commerce. Malchus defeated in Sardinia; he turns against Carthage.
550-500 Decline of Tyre after Persian conquest. Carthage becomes independent (530). Mago, father of Hasdrubal and Hamilcar succeeds Malchus. It is to the efforts of this family that Carthage owed her supremacy. Hasdrubal’s sons are Hannibal, Hasdrubal, and Sappho; Hamilcar’s are Himilco, Hanno, and Gisco. Carthaginian supremacy established over Sardinia, Balearic Isles, parts of Sicily, Liguria, and Gaul; in the course of which conquests there occurred a 536 sea-fight of the Etruscans and Carthaginians against the Phocæans of Aleria, in Corsica. Phocæans victorious, but their losses oblige them to abandon Corsica.
509 Commercial treaty between Carthage and Rome restricting Roman commerce in Punic waters.
500 Expedition of Hanno and Himilco to colonise west African coast, and to explore the Atlantic. Britain discovered.
480 Expedition against Agrigentum and Syracuse in conjunction with Persian invasion of Greece. Battle of Himera. Hamilcar defeated with great loss by Gelo of Syracuse.
SECOND PERIOD (410-264 B.C.)
410 Renewal of attempts of Carthage to reduce Sicily. Hannibal, son of Gisco, storms Selinus. Agrigentum destroyed by Hannibal and Himilco. Death of Hannibal. Himilco attacks Gela.
405 Treaty between Carthage and Dionysius of Syracuse secures Carthaginian conquests in Sicily.
398 Dionysius attempts to expel Carthaginians from Sicily. In the ensuing war all Sicily falls before the Punic arms. Dionysius is besieged in Syracuse, but pestilence breaks out among the Carthaginians, and they are defeated. Himilco starves himself to death.
397 Libyans revolt against Carthage. The city has a narrow escape.
396-392 Mago leads an expedition against Syracuse, which is not successful.
380 Mago’s second Sicilian expedition defeated at Cabala. The whole of Sicily is nearly lost, but Mago’s victory at Corsica restores the Carthaginian power. The Halycus recognised as boundary to Carthaginian possessions in Sicily.
368 Dionysius again tries to expel the Carthaginians. Is unsuccessful and dies. Dionysius II makes peace with Carthage.
345 Timoleon of Corinth, having liberated Syracuse from her tyrants, makes war on Carthage.
340 Battle of the Crimissus. Carthaginians defeated with severe loss. Peace restores the boundary on the Halycus. Greek cities declared free.
333 Carthaginians send help to the Tyrians besieged by Alexander the Great.
310 Agathocles of Agrigentum besieges Carthage, but is recalled by revolt of Agrigentum.
306 Peace between Carthage and Agrigentum. It lasts until Agathocles dies (289). His death encourages the Carthaginians to extend their dominions, until 277 the Syracusans call on Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, for help against Carthage, and he aids them to drive the Carthaginians from the west of Sicily and besieges them in Lilybæum. Carthage and Rome united against him.
276 Pyrrhus quits Sicily.
265 Carthaginians go to the aid of Campanian mercenaries besieged in Messana (Messina) by Hiero of Syracuse. Another party in Messana appeals to Rome.
THIRD PERIOD (264-146 B.C.)
264 First Punic war (for the possession of Sicily). Romans occupy Messana. Retreat of the Carthaginians and Syracusans. Hiero joins the Romans. Roman successes in Sicily.
260 Sea-fight off Mylæ. Carthaginians defeated by Romans.
256 Sea-fight off Ecnomus. Carthaginian fleet defeated. Romans invade Africa.
255 Carthaginians under Xanthippus defeat the Romans under Regulus. Loss of Roman fleet on homeward voyage.
254 Roman victory at Panormus.
253 Roman fleet destroyed in a storm.
249 Battle of Drepanum. Carthaginian victory.
248-243 Success of Carthaginians under Hamilcar Barca on Italian coast and in Sicily.
242 Battle off Ægates islands. Romans under Catulus defeat Carthaginian fleet.
241 Hamilcar Barca makes peace, agreeing to evacuate Sicily and to pay indemnity. Sicily lost to the Carthaginians.
241-237 Civil war in Carthage. Mercenaries rise against the citizens.
238 Sardinia and Corsica lost by Carthage to Rome.
236-219 Carthaginian conquests in Spain under Hamilcar, Hasdrubal, and Hannibal. Attempt to convert Spain into a Carthaginian province. By an understanding with the Romans, the Ebro is recognised as the Carthaginian boundary.
219 Saguntum captured by Hannibal.
218 Second Punic war (for the possession of Italy). Roman army despatched to Africa.
218 Hasdrubal opposes the Scipios in Spain. Hannibal crosses the Alps and wins victories of the Ticinus and the Trebia. Hannibal crosses the Apennines.
217 Battle of Lake Trasimene. Hannibal defeats the Romans and ravages the country as far as Apulia.
216 Battle of Cannæ. Roman army annihilated. Hasdrubal ordered to join Hannibal in Italy. He is prevented by a defeat on the Ebro.
215 Philip of Macedon allies himself with Carthage.
214 Carthaginians land in Sicily.
212 Romans recover their position in Sicily. Carthaginian successes in Spain.
211 Philip of Macedon’s attention occupied by a coalition against him in Greece. Romans besiege Capua. Hannibal fails to relieve Capua. Hannibal at the gates of Rome. Hannibal’s retreat from Rome. Fall of Capua.
209 New Carthage in Spain taken by the Romans. Battle of Bæcula and defeat of Hasdrubal. Hasdrubal crosses the Pyrenees and Gaul, and appears in the north of Italy.
207 Battle of Metaurus. Hasdrubal defeated and slain. The last hope of the Carthaginians is gone.
206 Carthaginians finally expelled from Spain.
204 Scipio invades Africa.
203 Scipio defeats the Carthaginians. Hannibal recalled to Carthage.
202 Battle of Zama. Scipio defeats Hannibal.
201 Peace with Rome. Carthage resigns the right to wage foreign wars and promises to pay a heavy indemnity. The supremacy of the West passes to Rome. Hannibal governs Carthage, and reforms the Constitution. He plans an alliance with Antiochus of Syria against Rome.
195 Hannibal expelled from Carthage.
183 Death of Hannibal.
183-150 Internal dissensions between the Roman and national parties. Encroachments of Masinissa of Numidia.
151 War between Carthage and Masinissa. The Romans claim this a breach of treaty and prepare for a siege of Carthage.
149 Third Punic war. Siege of Carthage.
146 Carthage taken and destroyed. Her territories become Roman provinces, and are organised as such.
FOURTH PERIOD (146 B.C.-697 A.D.)
122 Caius Gracchus leads a colony which founds the city of Junonia on the site of Carthage. The colony is unsuccessful.
29 Augustus sends out a colony which attains to great prosperity.
439 A.D. Genseric captures Carthage and makes it the capital of the Vandal kingdom.
533 Carthage is stormed by Belisarius and incorporated in the eastern Roman empire.
697 Carthage destroyed by the general of caliph Abdul-malik.
Phœnician Vase
Aqueduct of Tyre