Carthage Trivia

1. What treaty had Rome broken before declaring war on Carthage?

From Quiz Hannibal Barca: One Man Against Rome

Answer: Ebro Treaty

The Carthaginian siege of Saguntum was only an excuse for Rome to go to war against Carthage. The River Ebro had been agreed on as the boundary between Rome's and Carthage's spheres of influence. Saguntum was on the Carthaginian side of the boundary and so Hannibal had every right to subdue it.

From Quiz Hannibal: Rise and Fall

Answer: 247 BC

Hannbial was born in 247 BC in Carthage as the eldest son of Hamilcar Barca, a Carthaginian general in the First Punic War (264 BC-241 BC). Hamilcar Barca was the founder of the city of Barcelona in Spain. He died in 228 BC by drowning in the Jucar River.

From Quiz The First Punic War

Answer: Phoenicians

The name "Punic wars" comes from the Roman name for Carthaginians, "Punici". Most experts reckon that it it a shortening of the word "phoenici" meaning Phoenician. Settlers from Tyre came and settled Carthage c.814 BC.

From Quiz The Third Punic War

Answer: Carthage had broken the terms of an earlier peace deal and attacked a Roman ally

At the end of the Second Punic War Rome imposed a harsh treaty on Carthage, clauses in this treaty denied the Carthaginians the right to fight a war without Roman permission, banned them from having a war fleet and also imposed a massive indemnity. The indemnity should have crippled Carthage, however such was the recovery that the city made they were able to offer to pay the whole fine years early. The Carthaginians acted entirely in good faith towards the Romans. However the Romans remained anxious about Carthage, and allowed their ally, King Massinissa of Numidia to attack the Carthaginians and steal their land. The Carthaginians, prevented by the Romans from fighting back, asked them for arbitration. The Romans sided with Massinissa who continued encroaching on Carthaginian territory. With their independance threatened the Carthaginians fought back, but were defeated. The Romans used this incident to justify war.

From Quiz Hannibal Barca

Answer: 247 BC

Hannibal was born 247 BC in Carthage. It was around the time when Carthage was being destroyed by the Romans during the First Punic War.

From Quiz The Second Punic War

Answer: Saguntum

The Punic Wars were fought between Rome and the African city state of Carthage, which had an empire that spanned large parts of North Africa and Spain. Saguntum was in southern Spain, and well inside the acknowledged Carthaginian sphere of influence. However, the Romans had signed an alliance with the Saguntines and so when it was attacked they declared war.

From Quiz Hannibal Barca

Answer: Hamilcar

When Hannibal was just nine years of age Hamilcar brought him out to Spain where Hannibal learnt the art of warfare. Hamilcar made Hannibal swear an oath that he would do everything possible to harm the Roman Empire.

From Quiz Carthage Legends and Early History

Answer: 814 BC

There are various hypotheses about the actual year of the founding. Some historians date the founding even earlier, in about 1000 BC, and some a century or so later, "ab urbe conditam", in the period 663-673. The most widely accepted theory though is that Carthage was founded in 814 BC, according to Timeus.

From Quiz Hannibal Barca: One Man Against Rome

Answer: Carthalo

He was a little known officer who also delivered an ultimatum to to Rome after Cannae. Very persuasive and very capable, he caused much fear to the Romans on Hannibal's behalf, for example by painting statues blood red, which the Romans took to be a very bad omen.

From Quiz Hannibal: Rise and Fall

Answer: Saguntum

Hannibal took Saguntum in 219 BC. Hannibal wanted war with Rome and he knew this was the easiest way to provoke it. Rome asked for Hannibal's extradition and Carthage refused. Rome declared war on Carthage. Also the two countries hated each other after The First Punic War and this played a role in Rome's declaration of war. Saguntum was an ally of Rome and called for its aid but Rome was unable to help as it was busy dealing with pirates.

From Quiz The First Punic War

Answer: Hiero

Hiero wanted his Syracuse to be the dominant force in Sicily, and he thought Carthage offered him the best chance of doing this. However, after the Romans won an early victory, he changed sides. He then was Rome's most faithful ally, and stayed with them even at their lowest ebb. Without him, they could easily have lost the war.

From Quiz The Third Punic War

Answer: They blackmailed the Carthaginians, then invaded anyway

At first the Romans demanded that the Carthaginians disband their army and navy or face war. While the Carthaginians were debating their options they heard that their long standing and hitherto loyal ally, the neighbouring city of Utica, had surrendered to the Romans. The Carthaginian senate despatched envoys to Rome to beg for whatever terms they could get. The Romans declared that Carthage must "satisfy the Roman people" by surrendering 300 sons of important citizens as hostages and accept Roman dominion. They did not expect the Carthaginians to comply, thinking that this would give them an excuse to invade. After much discussion in their senate, the Carthaginians gave in. As soon as they had the hostages, the Romans invaded Africa, landing at Utica. The Carthaginians now sent envoys to the Roman commander, who demanded that the Carthaginians surrender all their weapons and armour, leaving themselves almost defenceless. Again the Carthaginians complied with this unreasonable demand. Polybius says that they handed over 200,000 stands of arms and 2,000 catapults. (This term probably covered all forms of artillery, rather than just catapults). Then the Romans demanded that the Carthaginians abandon their city and move ten miles inland. This was too much and facing national extinction the Carthaginians resolved to fight to the death. Frantic preparations began in the city with the whole population mobilised for the final struggle for their freedom. It is even reported that women volunteered to have their hair cut off to help make ropes for siege weapons. Slaves were freed and armed to help with the defence and work went on night and day to produce new armaments to replace those lost to the Romans.

From Quiz First Punic War

Answer: They sided with Carthage but then defected to the Romans

The Syracusans had been fighting Carthage for hundreds of years, but Rome was a new and hungry power, and the Syracusan king (Heiro) didn't want a new power established in Sicily. However the allies didn't work together and the Romans defeated them both seperately, shortly afterwards Heiro defected to their side.

From Quiz Hannibal Barca

Answer: Hamilcar Barca

At a very young age, Hamilcar taught his son, Hannibal, all the skills and tactics he knew for battle. According to Roman history, Hamilcar forced Hannibal to swear eternal hatred of the Romans.

From Quiz Carthage Legends and Early History

Answer: New City

Qart is the Semitic word for city, and Hadasht means new. The Romans transliterated "Qart Hadasht" as "Carthago".

From Quiz Hannibal Barca: One Man Against Rome

Answer: on a lion skin rug by the sentries

The Romans claimed he did this for fear of assassination. This may have been partly true, and he probably feared enemies inside and outside but, above all, he slept in hardship like his men, to show his solidarity with ordinary soldiers.

From Quiz Hannibal: Rise and Fall

Answer: He crossed the Alps

The Roman consul Publius Cornelius Scipio I was in Massalia to re-supply his army and then invade Spain. However, Hannibal was already at the Rhone. Instead of fighting the Romans he crossed the Alps! The Romans thought they would fight on Cartaginian ground, as in the First Punic War. When Scipio heard of this he rushed to the Rhone to block the river. Once there he got to knew that the Cartaginian army already left three days earlier. It was a mistake that he was criticized for the rest of his life. He went into the mountains with 50,000 men. Little more than half of them came back alive.

From Quiz The First Punic War

Answer: Pyrrhus of Epirus

King Pyrrhus came from a place to the west of Macedon called Epirus. He heavily defeated the Romans twice, and was shocked when they refused to meet his emissaries (remind you of anything?). The Romans then fought back, and inflicted heavy losses on him. He is reported to have said "Another victory like this, and I will truly be defeated." The phrase "Pyrrhic victory" now means a victory at enormous cost.

From Quiz First Punic War

Answer: Oligarchy, a senate of wealthy citizens supported by a people's assembly

In Rome senators were appointed due to family connections, the senate was dominated by the same families throughout the republican era and there was a belief that certain traits (wisdom, courage, loyalty) ran in particular families, you could judge a man by his ancestors and the offices they had achieved. In Carthage entry to the senate depended on wealth. The Carthaginian government was praised by the Greek author Aristotle as a balanced constitution. Both governments were presided over by 'twin presidents' called Consuls in Rome and Suffetes in Carthage.

From Quiz Hannibal Barca

Answer: Salamanca

Hannibal, now general of the Carthaginian army, returned to his father's aggressive military tactics and policies and began fighting the natives. In 220, he captured the city of Salamanca.

From Quiz Carthage

Answer: Punic

They spoke a Semitic language of their own, which probably had some relation Aramaic, however small. Traces of the Punic language can be found in the language of Malta, however as far as I know it is now a dead language.

From Quiz Hannibal Barca

Answer: The Alps & Alps

Hannibal crossed the Alps with over 45,000 infantry, 6,000 cavalry and 37 elephants. Hannibal's crossing of the Alps is one of the things he is most famous for.

From Quiz Carthage Legends and Early History

Answer: Baal Hammun

I assume you know who Jupiter and Zeus were. Zalmolxis was the god of the Dacians, who lived north of the lower Danube (in what is now Romania and Moldova).

From Quiz Hannibal Barca: One Man Against Rome

Answer: he often disguised himself with wigs and different attire

The Romans said he did this in fear of assassination. The fact is he wanted to see the land ahead of him in preparation for a battle or an ambush. He could not do this dressed as a general, so he went about dressed like a traveller or peasant or common soldier. His father taught him to take maximum advantage of the terrain in battle.

From Quiz Hannibal: Rise and Fall

Answer: The Battle of Lake Trasemine

In 217 BC Hannibal ambushed a Roman army under the command of Gaius Flaminius Nepos. After smaller battles at Ticinus and Trebia two Roman armies lined up to surround him when crossing the Apennines. However, he crossed sooner then expected. The two Roman armies now had to chase Hannibal to prevent Hannibal reaching Rome. Instead of fighting the two armies, he ambushed the chasng Roman army of Nepos, killing 15,000 men and Nepos as well.

From Quiz The Third Punic War

Answer: Hasdrubal

Few Carthaginians are named in history, and those who are tend to have similar names, so this Hasdrubal should not be confused with any of the Hasdrubals who served in either of the other Punic wars (Hasdrubal Barca, Hasdrubal Gisco, Hasrdubal the Bald, Hasdrubal the Handsome, and Hasdrubal the Fat). All that is known of his life is that he had commanded the Carthaginian army defeated by the Numidians and had a wife and two sons. The fact that he was able to assume command of the defences of the city after his earlier defeat suggests that he may have held great political power at Carthage, had previous millitary experience, or both. The Roman invasion was initially commanded by Manius Manilius. However, by the time that the city fell Scipio Amelianus had taken over. This is because Roman generals were normally also holders of a political office, and so were elected annually. This process of replacing generals every year caused an inherent weakness in Roman warfare, every consul wanted to finish the war he was involved in before he was replaced. Consuls sometimes made rash and costly decisions to try to enhance their own reputation and political careers. It also prevented Roman commanders from gaining the kind of skill and experience that their professional Carthaginian opponents often had. However the strength of the Roman army at NCO level and its effective organisation counter acted this to a great degree. Hannibal Barca was the great Carthaginian commander in the second Punic War, Scipio Africanus (adoptive grandfather of Scipio Amelianus) was the only Roman general to defeat him in a pitched battle. Hanno the Navigator was a great explorer who is believed to have sailed down the west African coastline founding Carthaginian colonies as he went. He is believed to have been the first man from outside sub Saharan Africa to see a gorrilla. Hanno the Great was a Carthaginian politician and general and main domestic opponent of Hannibal's father, Hamilcar Barca. We do not know how he earned his title.

From Quiz Hannibal Barca

Answer: Saguntum

Since Rome was occupied with the Second Illyrian War, they could not send any reinforcements to help Saguntum. When it was taken over, the Romans felt offended and wanted Hannibal handed over to them. When Hannibal refused, the Second Punic War began.

From Quiz Carthage

Answer: 814 BC by Elishat

According to legend Carthage was founded in 814 BC by refugees from the Phonecian city of Tyre led by a woman called Elishat, who came to be known as Dido, the wanderer.

From Quiz Hannibal Barca

Answer: Carthage

Carthage was located where Tunis (in modern Tunisia) is. Carthage never succeeded in overthrowing Rome and at the end of each of the Punic Wars was forced to pay tribute to Rome.

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Last Updated Apr 13 2024 5:49 AM

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