Ancient Carthage is a fascinating
yet deeply mysterious subject. Vanishingly little information about
the civilization survived its fall and we are left with just a handful of
outside sources to illuminate the past. Our most detailed accounts are therefore precious
but biased in their focus on the topics of trade, politics, and warfare. It's no surprise then that
we get rather simplistic descriptions about the Carthaginians as people: They were imperialistic,
scheming, religiously devout, and rich beyond measure. However, by digging through the
literature and analyzing other sources, we can attempt to bring light to the darkness. In
this video in particular it will be our goal to reconstruct what it would have been like to Grow
Up Carthaginian! As we do so you shall see how the influences of Phoenecian, Greek, and African
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the link in the description below to dive in enjoy Before we descend to the ground level, I wanted
to give you a bird’s eye view of the social landscape of Carthage. The city had its origins as
a Phoenecian colony built around the 800s BC upon the strategic crossroads of several Mediterranean
trade routes. In these early days its population was made up mostly of emigrants from Tyre whose
numbers could be counted in the low thousands. Over the centuries though it would
slowly evolve into something more. Carthage’s rise to power began by first dominating
its native and colonial neighbors before expanding into the wider Mediterranean through a mixture
of economic pressure and military force. Soon it would come to lead virtually all the
phoenecian colonies in the west along with many other communities in Africa, Sicily,
Sardinia, Corsica, the Balearics and Iberia. By the time of the First Punic War in the 3rd
century BC it directly or indirectly controlled vast swathes of the Mediterranean with trade
networks that extended far beyond this inner sea. Ruling over the Punic Empire would be a
pair of annually elected chief magistrates called Suffettes, a senate, a popular assembly,
numerous commissions, and all manner of other bureaucratic positions. The general populace
meanwhile was a stratification of nobles, landed elites, wealthy merchants, military
officers, working class commoners, immigrants, freemen, slaves, and more. At its peak, the
population likely numbered in the hundreds of thousands and was quite a diverse reflection
of the cosmopolitan nature of the Empire. We know for instance that Libyan and Greek influence
became quite prominent in the city while yet more exotic ethnicities were seeded by the practice
of employing foreign auxiliaries and mercenaries. Unlike some of its more insular contemporaries,
Carthage was fairly welcoming when it came to admitting at least some of these outside
groups into its full or partial citizen ranks provided they were of sufficient wealth
and merit. However it appears that the upper echelons of society were largely dominated by
those with a long lineage of Punic ancestry. Beyond this we have little understanding
of how the rest of society was organized. There are however some clues. For instance we
hear of how powerful aristocratic families like the Magonids or Barcids dominated politics
for generations. This indicates some system of factions with underlying structures of
socio-political support. But whether this came in the form of some tribal or patronage system as
in Rome, we don’t know. Another clue comes from Aristotle who suggests that Carthaginians belonged
to associations which shared communal meals, similar to those in Sparta, but again its
specifics are unclear. Other clues have led some to postulate that society could have been
organized around religious cults, professional guilds, and neighborhood districts. It's very
hard to tell for sure but it honestly seems quite plausible that all were present to some degree
in such a large and diverse city as Carthage. As for the foundation level of society,
the family, we again know very little. Your average Carthaginian
family likely had two parents, several children, and a couple members
of the extended family hanging around. Each family unit would naturally reside in a
dwelling, the shape and size of which would be a reflection of their socio-economic status.
Most Carthaginians would have lived in simple, flat roofed structures with a few small rooms
and a built-in cistern. Others might live in cramped apartment complexes or in lines of street
facing dwellings that doubled as shops. The more well off might have more expansive properties with
numerous floors and courtyards. The most elite had small palaces and estates with additional
properties beyond the walls of the city. Now with all that out of the way, let’s finally
see what it would be like to grow up Carthaginian. By luck of the draw, a child would be
born into one of these various families. There were no hospitals, and as was common across
the mediterranean, children were delivered in the home. For those who could afford it this often
took place in a specially prepared room with the assistance of a midwife or doctor. But no
matter one's social rank it is sure that all families would have prepared one way or another
by seeking the help of the gods. Childbirth after all was quite dangerous for both mother and child
with mortality rates of babies being around 40%. In Carthage parents would
have used prayers, offerings, amulets, and all kinds of other measures
to ensure that the likes of Eshmun, god of healing, and Tanit, goddess
of fertility, would protect them. Babies which survived this first trial
would likely have been celebrated with gift and name giving ceremonies as
is common across most societies. From our records it seems that the
Carthaginians used single names to which might be added patronymic and location
identifiers in a manner similar to the Greeks. For instance, whereas the famous Athenian orator
would be called “Demosthenes, son of Demosthenes of Paiania” his Carthaginian counterpart might
be called “Safot, son of Yatonbaal of Hippacra”. As for the names themselves we have records of at
least 500 different examples for men and women. Interestingly enough, it turns out that most of
these had their roots in the name of some deity. For example Hamilcar means servant of Melqart,
Abdstart means servant of Astarte, Hannibal means Baal be gracious to me, Zakarbaal means Baal
remember me, Himilco means Melqart is my brother… I could go on and on but you get the point;
the Carthaginians were a religious lot. In theory there were countless ways in
which one could follow this practice and get a fairly unique name. However
it seems that a few names in particular were quite popular and the elite tended to
pick from a small pool of titles. It's for this reason we confusingly hear of so many Hannos,
Hamilcars, and Hasdrubals in their histories. Assuming a named child remained in good health
it would be raised within the family unit. He or she would primarily learn from their mother,
who would spend most of her time raising children. If the mother was lucky, she might have relatives
or other children who could aid in the process. If the family was wealthy, the child might also
be taught basic lessons from slaves, servants, or nurses. Much would be absorbed through passive
observation as the baby slowly began to speak the first words of their parent’s tongue and
the prevailing Punic language of Carthage.
Within just a few years the child would be
expected to begin contributing around the home. One of their most fundamental duties
would be to assist in the religious rituals that helped keep families safe from
misfortune caused by evil spirits and demons. Written and archaeological evidence suggests
that in Phoenecian culture it was women who led most of these daily activities and passed them
on to future generations. This involved making offerings, reciting prayers, and preparing
special remedies to promote good health. In addition, young children would also help
perform various chores. They prepared food, fetched water, washed clothes, swept rooms, and
assisted in whatever ways were demanded of them. Soon these tasks would become more specialized.
Boys for instance began to take up the trades of their fathers or might be sent to learn
from a skilled family member or friend. Growing up in a bustling port city ensured that
many learned to produce goods that could be sold or traded at the market and often made trips to
the shore to catch fish which could feed their family. It would be up to the father when they
were deemed old enough to begin taking on more hazardous tasks. This might include metalworking
in the workshops along the Byrsa hill, tending to the fields and orchards
which surrounded the city, rigging their first sail on a boat in the merchant
harbor, or joining the ranks of the army and navy. Girls might also have taken on some of
these tasks. However for the most part they followed after their mothers by taking on
the important duties of the domestic sphere. They cooked, cleaned, made textiles, performed
religious duties, and may have acquired special skills like playing an instrument to provide
entertainment and attract future husbands. Depending on a family’s social status, more
formal education may have been provided. Communal schooling is likely to have been present
and the elite in particular could be expected to have tutors lined up for their children. Sons
of merchants for instance might start to learn principles of navigation, arithmetic, and trade
while also picking up a few extra languages to assist in their future endeavors. Sons of
prominent nobles might learn to be an officer in the navy or army. Elite daughters meanwhile may
have been taught the art of aristocratic culture to gain influence for the family and exert
their soft power across the community or may have been prepared for a life of duty serving
in one of the city’s many prestigious cults. Along the way boys and girls celebrated a variety
of coming-of-age milestones. Unfortunately we have no evidence with which to provide any specifics.
Given the devout nature of the Carthaginians though it is likely that many of these involved
some religious rites. Birthdays were surely important and one's transition from adolescence to
adulthood would have been a major celebration. As was common across the Mediterranean, this usually
occurred sooner for girls who in their teens would begin to prepare for marriage. The men that they
married were usually much older, and the marriages were frequently arranged. Though in Carthage
proper it seems monogamy was the standard, some of the its neighboring cultures practiced
polygamy. Thus, there were probably some men living in Carthage who had multiple wives. But,
even if nominally monogamous, adultery was rampant in the ancient world and it was frequent for
a husband to have concubines or paramours. Once married, couples would soon begin to have
their own children and the process we described would be repeated. But rather than end the video
there I wanted to share the hypothetical stories of two Carthaginians: Zakarbaal and Mago, who
will help us bring this entire story to life. In 328 BC, Zakarbaal is born in the city of
Carthage, the fifth child of his mother. He has a sister and a brother, and would have two
more siblings had they not died in infancy. Like many Carthaginians, he is given a religious
name, meaning something like “Baal, remember me”. Though his father is Punic,
his mother is Sicilian Greek. Unlike in Rome and Greece, marriages with
foreigners were common amongst Carthaginians, and despite his mother Zakarbaal is allowed
full Carthaginian citizenship. As traders and merchants, Zakarbaal’s family are wealthy enough
to be able to afford a nurse and several slaves. Through his mother, Zakarbaal first learns Punic
and soon takes up Greek, in part from his mother and in part through the slaves of his household,
a few of whom are Greeks themselves. Over time he learns to read and write in the most basic
fashion, to better assist his father at work. Perhaps most importantly though, his mother
and father teach him to honor the gods, bring offerings, and conduct himself
at sacrifices and religious feasts. Similar to the Romans, Zakarbaal’s diet consists
of lots of fish, grain, wine, and olive oil. He particularly enjoys garum, a sauce made by
fermenting small fish with herbs and salt. Zakarbaal’s friends include people of many
ethnicities, including Libyans, Greeks, and Carthaginians all living in the city. He
frequently plays with a young slave that his parents bought, and makes friends with a soldier’s
son whose father is Italian and mother African. Zakarbaal has a bunch of toys,
including some wooden carved soldiers, a wheeled horse figurine,
and a set of knucklebones. But perhaps his favorite toy is a wooden boat
carved by an ancestor who had accompanied Hanno the Navigator on his legendary journey beyond the
pillars of Heracles. Zakarbaal clings fondly to these stories and often begs his grandfather
to take him back to the temple where he can observe the treasures and scriptures of these
spectacular adventures. On long summer days he stares out at the ships leaving harbor wishing
one day that he will go on his own adventures. Luckily at age 12, Zakarbaal’s father takes him
on his first overseas trading voyage to Neapolis in Italy. Zakarbaal has been helping his father
conduct business for years, but up until this point was never taken on a dangerous sea journey.
He is nervous but excited. Before they leave, they conduct proper sacrifices, and Zakarbaal
is taught some of the rites associated with honoring the gods before a naval voyage. When
they reach their destination of Neapolis, they stay in the Punic quarter of the city,
where they share a meal with another group of traders from the Carthaginian city of Utica.
He overhears many fascinating stories and begins to daydream once again. However he snaps back to
attention when the tone in the room has shifted. His father is now talking about the possibility of
war coming to Sicily. Zakarbaal tries to speak up and ask questions but is given a swat on the hand
to silence him. They speak of this no further. In the morning, Zakarbaal helps his father
and shipmates unload their goods for sale in the market. They carry many items, including
ivory and fish, but also trinkets and jewelry. The amount of money exchanged is staggering to
Zakarbaal, but the next day his father exchanges most of their profits in the marketplace again for
shipments of Greek pottery and wine. Zakarbaal is confused, but his father intends to teach him that
these will fetch a much better price in Carthage. With that, they board their
ship and return back home. Five years later, war breaks out in Sicily between
Carthage and the Syracusan tyrant Agathocles. Zakarbaal hears that name spat in the streets,
but for the most part life continues as usual in the city. Every once in a while, Zakarbaal
notices soldiers and mercenaries stopping in the city. They tell so many stories that a part of him
wishes to drop everything and join them on their adventures. When his father catches wind of these
fantasies they are laughed off. However in 310 BC, when Zakarbaal is 18, things change drastically.
Zakarbaal hears that Agathocles of Syracuse has landed with an army in Africa. Panic washes over
the city. A few riots and protests break out, and the city decides to draft the Carthaginian
citizenry into the army for the first time in hundreds of years. Zakarbaal is one
of those drafted. He is terrified, but hides it well. Perhaps this will finally be
the great adventure he has long been waiting for. Yet those hopes are quickly crushed. Zakarbaal
witnesses the destruction and horror of warfare first hand as his unit fights for three long
years against not just Greeks but the Numidians who have joined them. In the faces of these
enemies he is forced to slay, he sees only his childhood friends. By the time the war
ends in 307 BC, Zakarbaal is a changed man. He returns to the embrace of
his parents but feels numb. Only the sight of his small boat rekindles some
of the youthful hope he once had before the war.
Let’s turn to Mago. Our second Carthaginian
is a stark contrast to Zakarbaal, and serves to remind us of the hundreds of thousands of
Carthaginians who were not wealthy or upper class. In 348 BC, a Sicilian mother gives birth to a
healthy boy named Polemarchus. His father is wealthy and upper class, and it seems to all that
Polemarchus has a bountiful life ahead of him. But, war makes fools of us all. In 343
BC renewed war in Siciliy sees his family members killed or enslaved by Carthaginians.
Polemarchus himself is clasped in shackles and shipped back to Carthage, where he
is bought by a wealthy Carthaginian man, who erases his history and gives him the Punic
name Mago. He is valued not for his humanity, but because he speaks Greek. As a still
impressionable child, Mago picks up Punic over time and refines his language skills
through interactions with his enslavers. As a young boy, Mago lacks many of the amenities
Zakarbaal has as a child. He has one or two toys, and his favorite food matters little, as he does
not pick what he eats. Though Mago makes friends with a couple other children living in the city,
he is allowed little time to play with anyone outside of his family. Nevertheless, Mago finds
that he is treated well by the Carthaginians; if he were in Rome, his treatment might have
been much harsher, and he is grateful for this. He even hears that Carthaginian slaves might
eventually attain their own freedom and work their way into partial or full citizenship.
But for now Mago is still a slave, and is subject to occasional beatings as a child and the
complete erasure of his character and freedom. Over time, Mago loses track of how old he
is. He barely remembers his own parents, and when people ask where he is from, he can
only say Sicily. His own name he holds onto, but no one has used it for years.
He receives no formal education, but instead learns his master’s business
as he serves him from a young age Nevertheless, Mago becomes skilled in
his forced occupation. As a teenager, he begins to make deals in his master’s name, and
he is rewarded in small amounts for his efforts. It takes Mago several years, but finally he saves
enough money to start his own small business. Mago judges that he is probably about 22 by
this point, but he is not sure exactly. With permission from his Carthaginian master,
Mago begins selling goods of his own, turning quite the profit in the process
and paying a portion to his owner. Eventually, Mago saves up enough money to
purchase his own freedom for a large sum of money. Mago’s owner agrees to grant him his freedom, but there is a mutual understanding that Mago
will still remain tied to his enslaver’s family. And, even if he wanted to leave, Mago
knows nothing but trading by this point. His childhood and early years where he might have
gone down a different path were robbed from him. Besides, Mago liquidated most of his savings to
buy his freedom and is now back to square one. Thus, a newly freed Mago returns to work for
his master with little difference from before. Mago believes that he is nearing his 40s by now,
and considers himself lucky that he was freed at such a young age. Hopefully he can find a wife
and have children whose futures will be brighter. I have to say, these episodes on Carthage
and daily life in the past are some of my favorite topics in the world to cover.
They are great reminders of the very real, lived experience of history that so often
gets overlooked by traditional education and even our own ancient sources who care little
for the lives of your average, everyday commoner. Let me know what other topics you
would like to see covered next!
