Rome and Carthage_ Written Assignment_ Unit 5.
University of the People
HIST 1421 - Greek and Roman Civilization
Introduction
Carthage was one of the most powerful and influential ancient cities. Formerly
founded on the north coast of Africa near present-day Tunisia as a center of Phoenician trade
and later in the late 9th century BC. New colony of settlers from Tire and Cyprus. While
tradition gives the exact date for the founding of the city, 821 BC, this leads us to believe that
Carthage was founded some two centuries before Rome. This document aims to trace
Carthage's rise to almost equal status with Rome, demonstrate the power of Rome and
Carthage, and explain how their conflict led to the transformation of Rome into a naval power
(Lomas, 2011).
According to tradition, Carthage, a Phoenician colony in North Africa, was founded in
814 BC Due to its advantageous location, trade, and settlement. Not long after it began, it
quickly became the most important Phoenician city. A great deal of land grew around the city
and became the richest city in Mediterranean history thanks to its lucrative trade, a port with
220 piers, a formidable fleet, and an army of mercenaries. The city also obtained resources
through conquest, and taxes and levies regularly increased the city's wealth (Streich, 2018),
eventually becoming almost as powerful and dominant as Rome under the brutal leadership
of General Hannibal.
Carthage and Rome have struggled back and forth throughout the centuries, but Rome
has always been succeeded in many battles while Carthage was nearly defeated. Comparing
Carthage and Rome in terms of unique advantages, it is possible to understand that Carthage's
main strength was its economic power and wealth, while Rome depended on the reliability of
its inhabitants and an experienced administrative system. On the other hand, Rome was more
civilized, more structured and its people had more freedom of choice. Rome was also rich,
though not as rich as Carthage, which was also skilled in the trade and resource extraction.
The Romans were more patriotic and loyal to their leader, while Carthage had strong leaders.
but the people were not interested in them (Morey, 1901).
Both Carthage and Rome were republics that were governed in the same way. In
Carthage, two Judges are elected to run the government, as the consul in Rome would and
elders were called a hundred to serve as a senate in Rome, and committees in the Roman
government were also called assemblies at Carthage (Morey, 1901). The Roman Empire had
a large food supply and a large foreign population, and its success was due to a well-balanced
and well-fed army.
After all, both Carthage and Rome wanted to dominate the Mediterranean. Carthage
choose to enter when in 264 BC. conquered parts of Sicily and other small towns, and several
Italian cities that did not have good relations with Rome. Rome began to fear Carthage
because of its naval superiority and the fact that Carthage used it to spread its wealth, creating