Hoyos - The Carthaginians

THE CARTHAGINIANS

The Carthaginians reveals the complex culture, society and achievements of a famous, yet misunderstood ancient people. Beginning as Phoenician settlers in North Africa, the Carthaginians then broadened their civilisation with influences from neighbouring North African peoples, Egypt, and the Greek world. Their own cultural influence in turn spread across the Western Mediterranean as they imposed dominance over Sardinia, western Sicily, and finally southern Spain.

As a stable republic Carthage earned respectful praise from Greek observers, notably Aristotle, and from many Romans even Cato, otherwise notorious for insisting that Carthage must be destroyed. Carthage matched the great city-state of Syracuse in power and ambition, then clashed with Rome for mastery of the Mediterranean West. For a time, led by her greatest general Hannibal, she did become the leading power between the Atlantic and the Adriatic.

It was chiefly after her destruction in 146 BC that Carthage came to be depicted by Greeks and Romans as an alien civilisation, harsh, gloomy and bloodstained. Demonising the victim eased the embarrassment of Romes aggression; Virgil in his Aeneid was one of the few to offer a more sensitive vision. Exploring both written and archaeological evidence, The Carthaginians reveals a complex, multicultural and innovative people whose achievements left an indelible impact on their Roman conquerors and on history.

Dexter Hoyos writes on Latin teaching and ancient history. His books include Unplanned Wars (1998), Hannibals Dynasty (Routledge, 2003), Truceless War (2007), and Hannibal: Romes Greatest Enemy (2008). He has retired after 36 years at Sydney University to continue research work on Romans and Carthaginians.

THE CARTHAGINIANS

Dexter Hoyos

LONDON AND NEW YORK

First published 2010
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2010.

To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledges collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.

2010 Dexter Hoyos

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented,
including photocopying and recording, or in any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from
the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British
Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Hoyos, B. D. (B. Dexter), 1944
The Carthaginians / Dexter Hoyos.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
1. Carthaginians. 2. Carthage (Extinct city)--Civilization.
3. Carthage (Extinct city)--History. I. Title.
DT269.C34H69 2010
939.73--dc22
2009048666

ISBN 0-203-85132-3 Master e-book ISBN

ISBN 10: 0-415-43644-3 (hbk)

ISBN 10: 0-415-43645-1 (pbk)

ISBN 10: 0-203-85132-3 (ebk)

ISBN 13: 978-0-415-43644-1 (hbk)

ISBN 13: 978-0-415-43645-8 (pbk)

ISBN 13: 978-0-203-85132-6 (ebk)

TO THE MEMORY OF MY FATHER, BEN
(19132009)