CHAPTER II.

THE HISTORY OF CARTHAGE FROM THE PERIOD OF ITS EARLY CONQUESTS TO THE FIRST PUNIC WAR.

IT is stated in the preceding chapter, that little is known of the early history of Carthage during more than three centuries, except that it became a great commercial, maritime, and agricultural country. After this period, however, about в. c. B. 510, it is brought under our notice as an eminent political state, ever grasping at dominion. The ambitious Carthaginians, ignorant of their moral duties, and unblessed with that lovely spirit of Christianity, which embraces all mankind in its affections, and teaches us to do unto others as we would they should do unto us, carried war into, and extended their conquests in Europe; they invaded Sardinia, made themselves masters of a great part of Sicily, and reduced to subjection almost the whole of Spain. They likewise sent out powerful colonies into many quarters of the world, and they enjoyed the empire of the seas for more than 600 years; they, finally, formed a state able, by her wealth, armies, and fleets, to dispute pre-eminence with the greatest empires in the world.

The first wars waged by the Carthaginians, were to free themselves from the annual tribute which they had engaged to pay the Africans for the territory which had been ceded to them. This conduct does them no honour, as the settlement was granted them upon this condition. But they were not successful on this occasion. The Africans had justice on their side, and the war was terminated by the payment of the tribute.

After this, the Carthaginians carried their arms against the Moors and Numidians, and, being emboldened by the conquests they obtained over those nations, they would no longer pay the tribute which gave them so much uneasiness, and possessed themselves of a great part of the north of Africa. About this time, there arose a dispute between Carthage

and Cyrene, a powerful city situated on the Mediterranean, and which was built by Battus, about 630 years B. C., on the subject of their respective limits. To settle this dispute, it is said by some writers, that it was agreed on each side, that two young men should set out at the same instant from either city, and that the place of their meeting should be the common boundary of both states. The Carthaginians, (these were two brothers named Phileni,) made the most haste; and their antagonists, pretending that foul play had been used, and that the two brothers had set out before the time appointed, refused to adhere to the agreement, unless the two brothers, to remove all suspicion of unfair dealing, would consent to be buried alive in the place where they had met. They acquiesced in the proposal; and the Carthaginians erected on that spot two altars to their memories, and from that time the place was called the Altars of the Phileni, and served as the boundary of the Carthaginian empire, which extended from thence to the pillars of Hercules, or the Straits of Gibraltar. This story, however, bears upon the face of it all the marks of improbability. The contending parties are said to have set out from their respective capitals, Carthage and Cyrene, and met at the place where the altars afterward stood. Now Rennel, in his Memoir of the Geography of Herodotus, says, that these were situated about seven-ninths of the road from Carthage to Cyrene. It is more reasonable, therefore, to suppose, that they mutually set out at the opposite extremes of the disputed territory, and not from their respective capitals.

Concerning the extent of the empire of the Carthaginians, we are told by Strabo, that they possessed 300 cities in Africa before the commencement of the third Punic war; and that at the time of Hannibal's expedition into Italy, their African dominions extended from the columns of Hercules to the Philenian altars on the boundaries of Cyrenaica, a space of 2,000 English miles. According to Dr. Shaw, who was a most accurate geographer, it appears to have been 1420 geographical, or 1636 British miles, thus:

From Tingi or Tangier to the river Mulva or Mulooiah
Ditto, to the Eastern band of the river Chinalaph or Shelliff
Ditto to the river of Ampsaga, or city of Cirta

Ditto to Laribus by Theveste or Tiflesh

Ditto to Carthage

Geograph.
Miles.

200

220

165

130

70

From Carthage to Kairwan, olum vicus Augusti.
Ditto to Tacape, or river of Kabos in the Lesser Syrtis
Ditto to Tripolis, the modern Tripoli

785

75

110

135

115

200

Ditto to Leptis Magna, or Libda in the Greater Syrtis
Ditto to the bottom of the Greater Syrtis, where the Philenian al-
tars are supposed to have stood

Total

This was the whole extent of African territory subject to Carthaginian sway. The real territory of Carthage appears to have extended southwards as far as the lake Tritonis, and westward somewhat beyond the frontiers of the present state of Tunis. There were, however, in this tract of territory, several old Phenician colonies along the coast, which appear to have stood in the relation of allies to Carthage, each retaining their own government. We instance Utica, Leptis, Hippo, and Hadrumetum.

The first foreign conquest attempted by the Carthaginians seems to have been that of Sardinia; but history does not inform us exactly either of the time when the Carthaginians entered Sardinia, or of the manner in which they obtained possession of it. The conquest was first attempted by one Malchus, perhaps Melech, who failed; and it was renewed by Hasdrubal and Hamilcar. Hasdrubal, of whom it is said that he had been eleven times general, fell in battle in Sardinia, but his brother Hamilcar succeeded in reducing part of the island, where the Carthaginians built the colonies of Caralis, now called Cagliari, and Salci. The conquest made in this island, which is separated from Corsica only by a strait of about three leagues in breadth, was of great use to the Carthaginians during their wars, inasmuch as it supplied them with provisions.*

The Carthaginians seized likewise on the Balearic isles, now called Majorca and Minorca. Port Mahon, in the latter island, was so called from Mago, a Carthaginian general, who first made use of, and fortified it. This harbour is, at the present day, one of the most convenient in the Mediterranean, or, it has been said, in the world, as a large fleet of line of battle ships may ride within it, in seven or eight fathoms water, in perfect security from the wind. The Spaniards say,

It was about this time, 490 B. C., that Darius, according to Justin, sent an embassy to Carthage, requesting assistance against the Greeks, which the Carthaginians refused to furnish.

in allusion to its delightful situation, that, the ports of the Mediterranean are June, July, August, and Port Mahon, thereby signifying that it is more beautiful than any other. This port has, indeed, made the possession of Minorca an object of contention among the maritime nations of Europe during the past century.

From these isles the Carthaginians enlisted the most expert slingers in the world. They slang large stones of above a pound weight, and sometimes threw leaden bullets with such force, that they would pierce the strongest helmets, shields, and cuirasses; and they were so dexterous in their aim, that they scarcely ever missed the mark. The inhabitants of these islands were accustomed from their infancy to handle the sling, for which purpose their mothers placed on the bough of a high tree the piece of bread designed for their children's breakfast, and they were not allowed to eat till they had brought it down with their slings. From this practice, these islands were called Balleares and Gymnasie by the Greeks, because the inhabitants used to exercise themselves so early in slinging stones. Bochart derives the name of these islands from two Phenician words, Baal jare, or master of the art of slinging, which strengthens the authority of Strabo, who says that the inhabitants learned their art from the Phenicians, who were once their masters. This is rendered very probable, when we consider, that both the Hebrews and Phenicians excelled in this art.

The next conquests of the Carthaginians were in Spain; but before we enter on the relation of these conquests, it is proper to give our readers some idea of Spain in ancient times. Spain was divided into three parts, Boetica, Lusitania, Tar

raconensis.

Boetica, so called from the river Boetis, the modern Guadilquiver, was the southern division of Spain, and comprehended the present kingdom of Grenada, Andalusia, part of New Castile, and Estremadura. Cadiz, called by the ancients Gadez and Gadira, is a town situated in a small island of the same name, on the western coast of Andalusia, about nine leagues from Gibraltar. It is well known, that Hercules, having extended his conquests to this place, halted, from the supposition that he had reached the extremity of the world. He here erected two pillars, as monuments of his victories, pursuant to the custom of that age. Boetica was the most fruitful, wealthy, and populous part of Spain. It contained 200 cities, and was inhabited by the Turdetani, or Turdali.

On the banks of the Boetis stood three large cities; Castulo towards the source; Corduba lower down; and Hispalis, now called Seville.

Lusitania was bounded on the west by the ocean, on the north by the river Durius, or Douro, and on the south by the river Anas, or Guadiana. Between these two rivers is the Tagus. Lusitania was what is now called Portugal, with part of Old and New Castile.

Tarraconensis comprehended the rest of Spain; that is, the kingdoms of Murcia and Valentia, Catalonia, Arragon, Navarre, Biscay, the Asturias, Gallicia, the kingdom of Leon, and the greatest part of the two Castiles. Tarraco, now Tarragona, a very considerable city, gave its name to this part of Spain. Very near it lay Barcino, or Barcelona. Its name gives rise to the conjecture, that it was built by Hamilcar, surnamed Barca, father of the great Hannibal. The most renowned nations of Tarraconensis were the Celtiberi, beyond the river Iberus, or Ebro; the Cantabri, where Biscay now lies; the Carpetani, whose capital was Toledo; the Oretani, etc.

Spain, abounding with mines of gold and silver, and peopled with a martial race of men, had sufficient to excite both the avarice and ambition of the Carthaginians. They doubtless knew that their Phenician ancestors, as Diodorus relates, taking advantage of the happy ignorance of the Spaniards, with regard to the immense riches hid in the bowels of their lands, first took from them these treasures in exchange for commodities of little value. They foresaw, also, that if they could once subdue this country, it would furnish them abundantly with well-disciplined troops for the conquest of other nations, as actually occurred in after ages. So wise are the men of this world in their generation, so covetous of wealth and glory. Notwithstanding that they are daily taught the truth of the words of the psalmist, who says, "Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; for when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him," Psa. xlix. 16, 17; they seek wealth as the "one thing needful," then die, "like the beasts that perish," "having no hope, and without God in the world."

The occasion of the Carthaginians' first landing in Spain was ostensibly to assist the inhabitants of Cadiz, who were invaded by the Spaniards, and who had originally emigrated from Tyre, as well as the people of Utica and Carthage. The