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Oh, this book is a campaign goldmine!
Carthage Must Be Destroyed: The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Civilization by Richard MilesMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Like most casual historians, Carthage was that city destroyed by Rome early in its history. We might also have understood that a Carthaginian general named Hannibal invaded Italy by taking elephants over the Alps. That was where my understanding of Carthage was before I picked up this amazing history.
Author Richard Miles starts with that famous scene, the fall of Carthage to Roman legions in the 3rd century BCE. From there, he goes all the way back to Phonecian traders and the growing influence of the city of Tyre. He traces the growth of trade in the Mediterranean, and how Tyre planted colonies all along the North African coast and in Spain. How as Tyre lost power in the face of the surging Neo Assyrian Empire, Carthage began growing, coming to dominate trade in the region.
One of the more fascinating aspects of this story is the synthesis of the Tyrrian pantheon with the religions of Magna Grecia in Sicily and Sardinia. Of particular interest is how the Tyrrian god Melqart became fused with the stories of Heracles in the Greek colonies, eventual becoming almost inseparable. This focus on the Melqart/Heracles cult runs through the book and is important to understanding later Carthage/Rome relations.
All in all, a very enjoyable if dense at times history. I learned a great deal from this book, and I will be turning to it in the future for ideas and clarifications of things I read in other histories.
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Also, available from the library!
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