strophes, the Herculean exertions made by both States, and the frightful sacrifices it entailed upon them both; above all, in the consummate genius of one at least of the generals it produced, it seems to me to be one of the most interesting wars in history. If I have failed to make it in some measure interesting to my readers, I repeat that, in my opinion, it is the fault not of the subject but of the writer. Once more, the dazzling genius of Hannibal, and the comparative fulness-not necessarily the trustworthiness of our authorities for his history, have hitherto tended to throw into the shade the man who, if he was inferior to Hannibal, was inferior to him alone, the heroic Hamilcar Barca. In point of fulness of treatment Hamilcar has fared at the hands of his historians much as has the war in which he bore so large a part. Dr. Arnold, whose noble history was cut short by his untimely death when he had only reached the turning-point in the Hannibalian war, the fatal battle of the Metaurus, has given four hundred pages to that much of Hannibal's career alone, while he has given barely twenty to Hamilcar; and Dr. Mommsen himself, though he is in no way sparing of his admiration for Hamilcar, has, in point of fulness of treatment, dealt with the father and the son in a manner which, as it seems to me, is hardly less disproportionate to their comparative merits and achievements. It seemed, therefore, desirable to lay rather less stress on what has been done so fully and so b xvi exhaustively before, and to give more time and space to what has hitherto, perhaps, received less generous treatment, and also throws more light on the great city which is my special subject. The chapters relating to Hannibal himself, to the Third Punic War, and to the destruction of Carthage, speak for themselves. One more chapter only requires special comment here. In the spring of 1877, after I had finished the first draft of the book, and was far advanced in its revision, I was enabled to pay a visit to the site of Carthage and its neighbourhood. It was a short visit, but was full of deep and varied interest. It was my first sight of an Eastern city, and it brought me, for the first time, into direct personal contact with that vast religious system which is one of the greatest facts of human history, and which, from causes deep as human nature itself, seems destined, whatever the upshot of the present Eastern difficulties, always to maintain its hold on the Eastern world. I was able several times to visit the site of the Phoenician city, and to study as far as my limited time would permit me, on the spot, those questions of its topography and history with the general bearings of which I had been so long familiar in books. I walked round the harbours of Carthage, bathed in water which half preserves and half conceals its ruins, explored the Byrsa and the cisterns, traced for many miles the course of the aqueduct, crossed the river Bagradas, and examined, amongst other spots re In the con nowned in ancient story, the site of the still more ancient city, the parent city of Utica. cluding chapter of this volume I have endeavoured to gather up some of the impressions which I derived from these varied sights and scenes; and I hope I have been able by these means, as well as by various touches which I have inserted subsequently in other portions of the book, to communicate to my readers what, I think, I gained for myself—a more vivid mental picture of that ancient city whose chequered fortunes I have endeavoured to relate. I wish to return my hearty thanks to the Rev. Sir G. W. Cox, Bart., for having carefully revised my book, both in manuscript and in proof, and for having made several valuable suggestions. THE KNOLL, HARROW. b CONTENTS. PACE Characteristics of Phoenicians-Their defects-Size of their territory- Their relations to Israelites-Early commerce in Mediterranean- Pre-eminence of Phoenicians-Origin of Carthage-Legend of Dido -Elements of truth contained in it-Its treatment by Virgil- Position and population of Carthage-Its relation to Sicily-Our knowledge of Carthage, whence derived-Its early history-Rapid growth of its empire-Its dealings with the native Africans-with the Phoenician cities in Africa—with Tyre-with Sicilian Grecks-Con- stitution of Carthage-The Suffetes-The Senate-Anomalous cha- racter of the constitution-Its deterioration-The "Hundred Judges" -Close oligarchy-General contentment-Greek and Roman views of Carthaginian constitution-Causes of its stability-Social life of Carthaginians Their luxury, fine arts, architecture, wealth-Their commercial principles-Their agriculture-Merits of Mago's work on agriculture-Carthaginian religion-Worship of Baal-Moloch- of Tanith or Astarte-Deeply-rooted character of this worship— Inferior divinities-Worship of Melcarth-Carthaginian literature- The army-The mercenaries and the Numidian cavalry-Condition of the masses-Colonisation-Periplus of Hanno-" Dumb trade" with the Niger-Gold dust-Periplus of Himilco-" Mago's" har- bour-Disaffection of subject races-Was Rome or Carthage best |