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Essay / Punic Wars and the Development of Carthage
Many conversations surrounding the idea of alternate history range from insanity to a possible outcome if the variables fell at the exact time and place. Used as a source of entertainment in literature, games and films, certain topics will be the subject of treatment but will also attract the attention of academics and intellectuals. Dissected and applied in theory, the results vary depending on the needs of such a history course. Among those that have been discussed and studied intellectually, such as John F. Kennedy surviving his assassination or the failed D-Day landings, Carthage crosses the mind of “what if” when observing the events of the Punic Wars. A state of similar status and power, it rivaled another whose impact continues to affect our times, the Roman Republic. Although far from analyzing the consequences if Carthage managed to win or survive the takeover by Rome, the objective is its sustainability and its reunification. Carthage's investment in trade allowed them to display their status power through its expansion into the western Mediterranean, rivaling that of Rome on an equal footing through the use of colonies, its rule of kings and his conflict between them and the Greeks. Say no to plagiarism. . Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay Since its birth as a Phoenician colony and becoming the capital of a Punic empire, its roots in the profession of trader find their origin in its initial purpose in order to facilitate it in the Western Mediterranean from the cities of Sidon, Tire and others located in present-day Lebanon. Although Tire was considered the commercial and political center of the Phoenicians, "its destruction by Alexander the Great passed domination to Sidon and then to Carthage." Each colony paid tribute to Tire and Sidon without any of them controlling them, but with Carthage taking over, it appointed each colony with its own magistrates to govern the cities and have direct control over them. At the end of the 7th century BC, it became one of the main commercial centers of the western Mediterranean region with its trade in ephemeral materials. The establishment of colonies and repopulation of the former Phoenician colonies expanded their networks while coming to the defense of other threatened Punic colonies and their expansion brought tribute and men for the army. However, they did not conquer the lands adjacent to the city before embarking on overseas projects. They depended on trade and focused their efforts on protecting their trade network, establishing Carthage as an overseas hegemon before their advance into the African interior. Their influence along the west coast remained intact, but wars against the Libyans, Numidians, and Moors did not end with the creation of a Carthaginian empire. Carthage's degree of control over their territories varied, and in some ways their hegemony shared the characteristics of powerful entities. The Delian League; its allies sharing defense spending, the Spartan Kingdom; with its serfdom for the Punic elite and state and the Roman Republic; the allies contributing manpower and tribute to supply the Roman war machine. Phoenician cities paid annual tributes or provided personnel for the army and navy. They could manage their own internal affairs, but without an independent foreign policy. Sardinia and Iberia ceded control of their domain to Carthaginian protection, which provided a fleet to combat external threats of piracy. The winningsobtained through these actions elevated Carthage allowing it to receive the status of a central authority which cemented its area of control and a constant supply of resources to those who were well equipped to defend themselves. Initially ruled by kings, elected by the Carthaginian Senate based on merit and served for a time. period without heirs. Although the crown and military command could have been purchased by the highest bidder, leading to absolute but reduced power as Carthage became more democratic, the Magonid family produced several members who were at the forefront of the overseas expansion. Carthage's economic successes caused trade between Etruscan cities to flourish, as it had concluded treaties with them to regulate these activities. Its reliance on shipping to conduct the bulk of its trade led to the creation of the nation's navy to deter pirates and rival nations. Coupled with its success and growing hegemony, Carthage came into conflict with the Greeks, another major power competing for control of the central Mediterranean. During these conflicts, spanning between 600 and 310 BC, the maritime empire of Carthage arose under the military leadership of the "kings". Under the reign of Magon and thanks to his Magonid family, Carthage had become a thalassocracy. Under him, he established the warlike tradition of Carthage through his successes in Africa, Sicily and Sardina which gave the state pre-eminence among the Phoenician colonies of the western Mediterranean. He also initiated the practice of recruiting the army from subject peoples and mercenaries "because of Carthage's small population to provide defense for the scattered empire" (Warmington, 52). Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a Custom EssayThe conflict between Carthage and the Greeks was due more to economic factors than to ideological and cultural differences. The Greeks led a crusade to expand their own area of influence in which Carthage was not interested in destroying Greek ideals. It was the fragile state of the Carthaginian economy in the face of Greek commercial competition that led them to confront the Greeks during the early years of the empire. The trade network that Carthage inherited from Tire depended heavily on the need to keep its commercial rivals at bay. The goods they produced “were intended for the local African market and were initially inferior to Greek products” (Markoe, 104). They were the middlemen between the mineral-rich Iberian Peninsula and the East, bartering cheap goods for metals and then for finished goods in the East and distributing them through their network. The Greek threat was threefold: undercutting the Phoenicians by offering better products, taking over distribution, and attacking Punic shipping. Although they offered increased opportunities for trade and piracy, their noses in areas of Punic influence caused Punic cities to seek the protection of their strongest city, Carthage. Twenty years after the founding of Massalia, the Phoenician cities of Sicily repelled an invasion of Dorian Greek settlers into Sicily in 580 BC. The result was that the defeated Greeks found Lipera, which had become a hub of pirates, a threat to all trade. The Carthaginians, led by a "king" called Malchus, fought successfully against the Libyan tribes in Africa, then defeated the Greeks in Sicily. In the 530s, there had been a three-way naval struggle between the Phoenicians, Greeks, and the Etrusco-Punic allies. The Etruscans attacked.