The Carthaginians
By : Raees Kamboj , NJCL 1st Vice President
April 24
Many classicists know Cato ’ s famous phrase “ Carthago delenda est ”, but how much do we know about this legendary civilization ? To close off this year ’ s National Classics Week , we will be exploring the legacy of arguably Rome ’ s biggest rival . While it may be most famously known as the city founded by Dido in the Aeneid , Carthage has a multitude of traditions , innovations , and other mythological references that made a famous classical society . From its complex government structure that had some of the earliest examples of checks & balances to Hannibal ’ s clever idea to militarize elephants in the Second Punic War , Carthage was a civilization of constant innovation . Of course , this could not be a discussion of Carthage without covering their advancements in naval technology . The Carthaginians were foremost a seafaring people who utilized their geographical position to control the majority of trade in the Mediterranean . Their hold over the trade network was so great that people and possessions from all across the Mediterranean would find themselves coming to Carthage .
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