A Little About Carthage:
Carthage Territory:
264 B.C. Three years prior to the First Punic War
The year is 264 B.C.E. and Carthage* happens to be the strongest empire in the Mediterranean and the most feared. Ruling over half of modern day Spain, Sicily and over the coast of northwestern Africa, Carthage was the richest empire in that time period. Lasting for 700 years, this empire was thought to be the greatest of it's time. However, northeast of this powerful capital, a small village was slowly rising to power, determined to destroy Carthage. This is the birth place of the small village called Roma* on the peninsula of modern-day Italy.
Beginning of Carthage:
Queen Dido of Carthage meeting Enea
Carthage was first founded in 846 B.C. by Queen Ellisar Dido after escaping tyranny when her husband, a high priest, was murdered by her brother. Upon finding the perfect spot for her city, she sailed the Gulf of Tunis and spied on the natives living in the area. And according to texts, Tanit or Juno in Latin and Hera in Greek, pointed out the perfect spot. Here, Ellisar agreed with the goddess and began building her land. However, first, she had to deal with the natives that weren't so lenient about letting her build her city. So, she came to an agreement with King Japon. In turn of having the land, she'd give him a fair amount of money and rent for several years, depending on how much she could mark out on a bull's skin.
King Japon agreed and figured that he had the better end of the deal. Until he realized that this woman was smarter than he suspected. Because the land she took was bigger than he thought was possible. Ellisar killed a bull and cut it's hide very thin and then sewed it into a one long string. Then she placed it in a semi-circle, starting with the seashore as part of the land. And whatever was within the circle belonged to King Japon.
Now the king was really impressed with her tactics. So impressed, he asked to her to marry him yet she refused. So hoping to find a girl with similar talents like Ellisar, he opened up a university. So Ellisar decided to stay and founded the new city. They named it Qart-Haddasht or else known as Carthage to us in English. Qart-Haddasht was taken from the two words in the Phoenician language meaning New Land since it now belonged to King Japon.
Over the years, the empire steadily grew under Queen Dido's power, becoming wealthier as it gained it's independence from Tyre, despite the fact they kept in close contact with them. Queen Dido soon committed suicide due to Aeneas. The legend of Aeneas was to find the Roman race evidently, but after the Venus* sent her son Cupid to force Dido to fall in love with Aeneas, their plans are changed. Mercury* was sent to remind Aeneas of his divine mission and that he was required to sail at once.
Soon, Queen Dido found out what Aeneas was planning and was not exactly happy. Finding out that Aeneas was in search of finding a new race, an empire, this could jeopardize Queen Dido's empire and put it in danger of falling. So, she cursed the Roman race a created the rivalry between Carthage and Rome. And her empire would pay as it lead to the three famous Punic Wars. Realizing what she had done, the queen comes to the decision to commit suicide.
So with the help of her sister, a funeral pyre is built and Dido and her sister light the funeral pyre, burning them and the belongings of Aeneas that were among them. And just as Aeneas' ship leaves, he turns around and notices the smoke rising, thus signaling the end of smart and lovely queen of Carthage.
King Japon agreed and figured that he had the better end of the deal. Until he realized that this woman was smarter than he suspected. Because the land she took was bigger than he thought was possible. Ellisar killed a bull and cut it's hide very thin and then sewed it into a one long string. Then she placed it in a semi-circle, starting with the seashore as part of the land. And whatever was within the circle belonged to King Japon.
Now the king was really impressed with her tactics. So impressed, he asked to her to marry him yet she refused. So hoping to find a girl with similar talents like Ellisar, he opened up a university. So Ellisar decided to stay and founded the new city. They named it Qart-Haddasht or else known as Carthage to us in English. Qart-Haddasht was taken from the two words in the Phoenician language meaning New Land since it now belonged to King Japon.
Over the years, the empire steadily grew under Queen Dido's power, becoming wealthier as it gained it's independence from Tyre, despite the fact they kept in close contact with them. Queen Dido soon committed suicide due to Aeneas. The legend of Aeneas was to find the Roman race evidently, but after the Venus* sent her son Cupid to force Dido to fall in love with Aeneas, their plans are changed. Mercury* was sent to remind Aeneas of his divine mission and that he was required to sail at once.
Soon, Queen Dido found out what Aeneas was planning and was not exactly happy. Finding out that Aeneas was in search of finding a new race, an empire, this could jeopardize Queen Dido's empire and put it in danger of falling. So, she cursed the Roman race a created the rivalry between Carthage and Rome. And her empire would pay as it lead to the three famous Punic Wars. Realizing what she had done, the queen comes to the decision to commit suicide.
So with the help of her sister, a funeral pyre is built and Dido and her sister light the funeral pyre, burning them and the belongings of Aeneas that were among them. And just as Aeneas' ship leaves, he turns around and notices the smoke rising, thus signaling the end of smart and lovely queen of Carthage.
Vocabulary:
Carthage: Strongest empire before the time of Rome. Fell in 146 B.C.E.
Roma:
Rome (in Latin)
Venus:
The goddess of love and beauty, also known as Aphrodite in Greek.
Mercury:
The messenger of the gods and jack-of-all trades and also know as Hermes in Greek.
Carthage: Strongest empire before the time of Rome. Fell in 146 B.C.E.
Roma:
Rome (in Latin)
Venus:
The goddess of love and beauty, also known as Aphrodite in Greek.
Mercury:
The messenger of the gods and jack-of-all trades and also know as Hermes in Greek.