Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume I Part 1.djvu/549

CARTHAGO.

Zorus, and Carchedon (Philist. ap. Syncell. p. 172, s. 324, Fr. 50, ed. Didot; Appian. Pun. 1; Euseb. Chron. s. a. 978). Dido's name, and that of the city too, are also given in the form of Carthagena, and Dido is represented as the daughter of Carchedon (Καρθαγένα; Syncell. p. 183, s. 345). The name of the city is also said to have been at the first Origo (Syncell. p. 181, s. 340).

All writers an agreed that Carthage was a oolony of Tyre, and that it was one of the latest Phoenician settlements on the African coast of the Mediterranean (287 years later than Utica, according to Aristotle), but farther than this we have no certain knowledge of its origin. Regard being had to the traditions of its peaceful settlement, and to the earlier establishment of great commercial cities by the Phoenicians on the same coast, and also to the fact, which may be regarded as pretty well established (see below), that the city was founded at the period of the highest commercial prosperity of Tyre, there would seem to be much probability in the conjecture (Becker, in Ersch and Gruber's Encyklopädie), that the city originated in a mere emporium (or, in

modern language, a factory, like that in which the Anglo-Indian empire had its first beginning), esta

CARTHAGO.

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blished jointly by the merchants of the mother city and of Utica, on account of the convenience of its position; and that it rose into importance by the natural process of immigration, from Utica especially.

Such a gradual origin would in part account for the great variety of dates to which its foundation is ascribed; though another cause of this variety is, doubtless, to be sought in the assigned date from which the Greek and Roman authors have made their computations, sometimes from the fall of Troy, sometimes from the foundation of Rome, and sometimes from the commencement of the Olympiads. Besides these, and the era used by Eusebius, namely, from the birth of Abraham, there is an important computation, from the building of the temple by Solomon, which Josephus gives from old Phoenician documents preserved in his time at Tyre, as well as from Menander of Ephesus.

In order to exhibit the various statements in one view, they are here presented in a tabular form, showing the dates as actually given by the several authorities, and also the corresponding years B. C. To facilitate the comparison, the dates of the eras themselves are also stated.

B. C. [2015 Ann. Abr. Troy. Rome. Authoritiei. 1 Birth of Abbaham. Euseb. Common date b. c. 2151.] 1234 50 Appian. JVffi. 1 Philistns places it about the same time, but his exact date is not quite dear. Syncell. p. 172. s. 324. 11184 [1181

Taking of Trot. Common date.] 835

Ditto. Euseb. Chron. Arm. s. a.] 1038 978 143 Euseb. Chron. Arm. $. a. 38th year of David^s reign. 1028 133 SyncelL p. 181. s. 340. 1011 1005 Euseb. Ckron. Arm. a. a. 25Ui year of Sdomon. 878 Common date. Solin. 30. 862 143 years and 8 months after the building of Solomon's temple. Joseph. & Ap. L 17, 18; Euseb. Chron. Arm. pt I pp. 173, 179, 181, ed. Aucher, pp. 79, 82, 83, ed. Mai; Syncell. p. 183. s. 345. - 852 1164 Euseb. Chron. Arm. s. a. 845 92 In the 700th year before its destroction by the Romans. Liv. Epit. li. 825 72 Trogas Pompeins, ap. Justin. xviiL 7; Oros. iv. 6. 818 65 VeU. Pater. L 6. 814 Timaens, ap, Dionys. HaL i. 74, F. 21, ed. Didot : Rome and Cartilage, founded about the same time, in the 38th year before the first Olympiad. 793 40 Serv. ad Fw^. Aen. iv. 459. [763 L 1263 431

Foundation of Romr.] 2015 1184 753

Christian Era.]

IV. Situation. — A general description of that part of the coast of Africa on which Carthage stood has been given under Africa. On the W. side of the great gulf (anciently called Sinus Carthaginiensis, and now G. of Tunis), formed by the Apollinis Pr. (C. Farina) on the W. and Mercurii Pr. (C. Bon) on the E., there is a line of elevated ground between the salt marsh called Sebcha-es-Sukara, on the N., and the Lagoon which forms the harbour of Tunis on the S., terminating eastward in the two headlands of Ras Ghamart and Ras Sidi Bou Said (or C. Carthage, or Carthagena), of which the former lies a little NW. of the latter. Ras Ghamart is above 300 feet high, C. Carthage above 400 feet.

The latter lies in 36° 52' 22" N. lat, and 10° 21' 49" E. long., and forms the culminating point of the ridge of elevated land just referred to, which sinks on the W. to the level of the adjacent plains. This ridge was in ancient times an isthmus, uniting the peninsula on which Carthage stood to the mainland. Its breadth at the time of the destruction of Cartilage did not exceed 25 stadia (2½ geog. miles, Polyb. i. 73; Strab. xvii. p. 832), which still corresponds to the distance in some places between the salt-marsh on the K. and the port of Tunis on the S. The width, however, must have been much less at the time of the foundation of Carthage; for the same causes most have been continually acting to enlarge