Carthage - C7-Game/pedia GitHub Wiki

Traits: Industrious & Seafaring

Starting Technologies: Alphabet & Masonry

Unique Unit: Numidian Mercenary

Carthage’s origins trace back to the late eighth century BC, when Phoenician colonists, fleeing Assyrian expansion along the Levantine coast, sought new coasts to settle. According to legend, Queen Dido of Tyre founded the city, naming it Qart-Hadasht, or "New City," signifying its future importance. Strategically positioned on the North African coast near Sicily, Carthage became a vital hub of trans-Mediterranean trade.

Carthaginian merchants sailed from Britain and Spain in the West to Egypt and Tyre in the East, establishing colonies along the classical seas. They traded silver, purple dyes, grain, and wine, amassing riches in the process. Expansion into Spain brought fertile land and rich silver mines, securing Carthage’s dominance in the western Mediterranean. Its prosperity earned it the title "Jewel of the Mediterranean," but success invited competition. The Greeks were the first major rivals, building colonies across the region, with Syracuse becoming Carthage’s most persistent adversary. For centuries, they fought over Sicily, resulting in a bitter stalemate. The Etruscans of Italy proved reliable allies, but their Latin subjects rose against them, forming a new power—Rome.

Initially, Rome and Carthage coexisted, respecting each other's spheres of influence. However, in the mid-third century BC, Rome’s expansion into Sicily ignited the Punic Wars, one of history’s greatest military conflicts. The naval battles of these wars were unmatched until the Napoleonic era. Carthage’s defeat in the First Punic War set the stage for its greatest general—Hannibal Barca.

Sworn to vengeance, Hannibal waged war against Rome for over a decade, never suffering defeat in battle. He led his army from Spain, crossed the Alps with war elephants, and crushed Rome’s legions in legendary victories. At Cannae, he annihilated a superior Roman force of over fifty thousand through brilliant tactics. Yet, despite his mastery of warfare, he failed to force Rome’s surrender. The Romans, resorting to Fabian tactics, avoided pitch battles until Scipio Africanus invaded North Africa. Hannibal was recalled to defend Carthage but met his match at Zama, suffering his first and final defeat. Forced into exile, he would never see his city again.

Despite its loss, Carthage remained a formidable economic power, repaying its crushing war debt to Rome in just thirty years. Fearful of its resurgence, Rome waged the Third Punic War in the mid-second century BC, ultimately annihilating the city. Over half a million Carthaginians were killed or enslaved, and Carthage was reduced to ruins, marking the end of one of history’s greatest civilizations.

Can you establish Carthage as a great city? Will your merchants trade across the ancient seas bringing back riches and enemies alike? Can you lead Carthage to victory over her enemies when victory is within your grasp? Can you build a civilization that can stand the test of time?