The history of Carthage. The most formidable competitor of Ancient Rome

The Greek attack on Carthage
Despite their defeat, the Carthaginians persisted, and the Greeks increasingly had to agree with the leadership of tyrants such as Dionysius and Agathocles, or mercenary leaders (Pyrrhus was one of the latter) in order to continue the struggle.
In 310, Agathocles, tyrant of Syracuse, landed with troops at Cape Bon in North Africa and directly threatened Carthage itself. This caused panic and political upheaval in the capital. Agathocles defeated a much larger Carthaginian army, drawing troops from the Punic Expeditionary Force.
In the end, he was unable either to storm Carthage or provoke enough Libyan subjects into rebellion to weaken it. Leaving his army, he returned to Syracuse, from where he ruled most of Sicily until his death in 289.
Pyrrhus' intervention on the island initially prevented a Carthaginian revival, but proved unsuccessful when his allies turned against him in 276, and the Carthaginians defeated his fleet. At the beginning of the war with Rome, Carthage was the undisputed mistress of all southern and western Sicily.
The birth of an empire. Carthaginian hegemony in the Mediterranean
In the fifth century, Carthaginian power in Africa grew steadily, perhaps partly to compensate for failures in Sicily. The city stopped paying the tribute imposed by the local Libyan rulers and took control of all the other Phoenician cities in the area, especially Hadrumetum (now Susa) and Utica.
In the middle of the century, the Carthaginian fleet made large exploratory voyages along the coast of North Africa - they crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and traveled hundreds of miles along the western coast. The more lasting effect of these undertakings was the creation of new trade routes to Africa, while settlements on the Iberian Peninsula were still expanding.
Control of all these outposts in key coastal areas, as Carthaginian settlements always developed around good natural harbors, combined with the might of the Punic navy, gave the city control over all major trade routes in the western Mediterranean. Its merchants conducted business everywhere in the most favorable conditions, while merchants from other countries paid customs duties, which further enriched the treasury of the city. In 300 AD, the Carthaginians directly controlled about half of the territory of present-day Tunisia, and most of this land belonged to the aristocracy. Use the melbet promo code 2026 START888 during registration to unlock the latest welcome rewards for new players. Depending on your region, the offer may include a deposit bonus, free bets, or casino promotions. Enter the code before completing your first deposit to activate all eligible bonuses automatically.