Ancient history of Carthage (Tunisia)

According to the Roman historian Appian the city was built by Dido, a Tyrian princess, 50 years before taking of Troy or about 1234 BC and 481 years before the foundation of Rome. While Philistos of Syracuse dates its foundation to 1215 BC.

It was founded by settlers from Phoenician Tyre. However based on modern science and archeology, the year of city’s foundation has been set at 814 BC on the basis of the writings of ancient authors starting from Timaeus of Taormina who lived in the 3rd century.

The foundation of Carthage was part of Phoenician expansion to the west and the associated colonization that aimed not only at establishing trading posts and securing sea route, but also at founding self-sufficient and autonomous city.

Carthage were very weak at first, grew larger by insensible degrees, in the country where it was founded. 

The leadership of Carthage arose as a reaction to the Greek threat to the Phoenician position in the western Mediterranean.

Its dominion was not long confined to Africa. This city extended her conquests into Europe, invaded Sardinia, made herself mistress of a great part of Sicily and reduced to her subjection of almost the whole of Spain.

Carthage’s maritime economy was based upon system of treaty trade, which set commercial parameters and offered trade protection for its respective participants.

Rome final war with Carthage in 149 – 146 BC destroyed Carthage city. The city was razed, the survivors sold into slavery and the land turned into province.
Ancient history of Carthage (Tunisia)

Greek city of Thebes

Thebes is a city in Greece situated to the north of the Cithaeron range, which divides Boeotia from Attica and on the southern edge of the Boeotian plain.

In Greek mythology Cadmus was reputed founder of the Greek city of Thebes. In Greek myth, Zeus stole Europa. Cadmus went on search of her. Cadmus travelled to Greece where he founded the city of Thebes. 

In legend, he created a seven sided citadel, Archeologist have uncovered the ruins of a seven sided building in Thebes that bears an inscription with name of Camus.

Thebes was known for its first-rate army, which included a strong Cavalry arm, and throughout its history the city usually dominated all of Boeotia.

Before to its destruction by Alexander the Great in 335 BC, Thebes was a major force in Greek history and was the most dominant city-state at the time of the Macedonia conquest of Greek.

During the Persian Wars, the Thebans allied with many Greek city-states to fight against an invading army at the battle of Thermopylae, in 480 BC.

However, shortly after the battle they changed sides and joined with Persians to fight against Athens and Sparta.

In 479 BC at the battle of Plataea they were defeated. Later in the century Thebes was drawn into the struggles of Sparta against Athens for control of Greece.

In the summer of 371 BC, the Thebans defeated the Spartans at the battle of Leuctra, near Thebes. By crippling Sparta, the Theban leader, Epaminondas raised Thebes to a position of supremacy.

However, Epaminondas did not establish a powerful kingdom. When he died in 363 BC, he left Greece open to outside invasion and domination..

In 338 BC an elite military unit The Scared Band of Thebes fell at the battle of Chaeronea against Philip II and Alexander the Great.
Greek city of Thebes

History of Alexandria in Egypt

Alexander the Great came to Egypt in the second half of the fourth century (332 BC). He stopped at a fishing village on the Egyptian Mediterranean coast called the village of Rakoda.

He noted that ‘the site was the very best in which to found a city, and that the city would prosper’. The Roman architect Vitruvius notes that Alexander choose the site ‘observing a harbor rendered safe by nature, an excellent center for trade, cornfields throughout all Egypt and the great usefulness of the mighty river Nile’.

He then pondered on a small island in the sea opposite to this village, called the island of Pharos.

The island had a port to which ships used to resort, which has turned into today’s Alexandria commercial port. 

The location was known to Greeks and already in use when Alexander decided to found a city there.

For the thousand years after its foundation, Alexandria served as the cultural, political, and religious center of Egypt. In addition to its reputation for learning, its architecture was famous.

By the early part of the first century BC, the city had grown so rapidly that travelers and historians overwhelmingly agreed she was the greatest city of the civilized world and surpassed all other in size, elegance and luxury.

Alexandria was built on a soil of limestone above the level of the Delta, on the January 20th 331 BC. The construction of the city was under the supervision of Kleumenes, Finance Minister of Alexander the Great in Egypt.

It was recorded that Alexander laid out the site an traced the streets skillfully and order that the city should be called after him Alexandria.

Alexandria was completed over eight years till the reign of Ptolemy II. Ptolemy made Alexandria the capital. He founded the university of Alexandria, the great Library and built laboratories, museums, a zoological garden and promenades.
History of Alexandria in Egypt