Punic 284694 211215134 2008-05-09T08:05:18Z Paul A 7104 disambiguate link {{otheruses4|the Punic people|the Punic language|Punic language}} The '''Punics''', (from [[Latin]] ''pūnicus'' meaning [[Phoenicia]]n) were a group of Western [[Semitic]] speaking peoples originating from [[Carthage]] in North [[Africa]] who traced their origins to a group of [[Phoenicia]]n and [[Cypriot]] settlers, but also to North African [[Berber]]s. Punics were probably a biological and cultural mix of Berbers and Phoenicians. Contrary to other Phoenicians, Punics had a landowning aristocracy who established a rule of the hinterland in Northern Africa and [[Trans-Saharan trade|trans-Sahara traderoutes]]. In later times one of these clans conquered a [[Hellas|Hellenistic]] inspired empire in [[Iberian Peninsula|Iberia]], possibly having a foothold in Western [[Gaul]]. Like other Phoenician people their urbanized culture and economy was strongly linked to the sea. Overseas they established control over coastal regions of the [[Maghreb]], [[Tripolitania]], [[Sardinia]], [[Corsica]], [[Sicily]], the [[Baleares]], [[Malta]], other small islands of the Western [[Mediterranean]] and possibly along the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic coast]] of Iberia, although this is disputed. In the Baleares, Sardinia, Corsica and Sicily they had strong economic and political ties to the independent natives in the hinterland. Their naval presence and trade extended throughout the Mediterranean to the [[British Islands]], the [[Canary Islands|Canaries]], and [[West Africa]]. Famous technical achievements of the Punic people of Carthage are the development of uncolored glass and the use of lacustrine limestone to improve the purity of molten iron. Most of the Punic culture was destroyed as a result of the [[Punic Wars]] between [[Rome]] and Carthage, while traces of language, religion and technology could still be found in [[Africa]] during the early Christianisation. After the [[Punic wars|Punic Wars]], Romans used the term '''Punic''' as an adjective meaning ''treacherous''. In archaeological and linguistic usage Punic refers to a Hellenistic and later era culture and dialect from [[Carthage]] that had developed into a distinct form from the [[Phoenicia]]n of the mother city of [[Tyre (Lebanon)|Tyre]]. Phoenicians also settled in Northwest Africa (the [[Maghreb]]) and other areas under Carthaginian rule and their culture and political organisation were a distinct form. Remains of the Punic culture can be found in settlements from the [[Iberian Peninsula]] in the West to [[Cyprus]] in the East. ==814 BC to 146 BC== The Punics based their religion from their Phoenician forefathers, who worshiped [[Baal Hammon]] and [[Melqart]], but merged Phoenician ideas with [[African]] deities and some [[Greek mythology|Greek]] and [[Ancient Egyptian religion|Egyptian]], such as [[Apollo]], [[Tanit]], and [[Dionysis]], with Baal Hammon being clearly the most important Punic deity.<ref>Sabatino Moscati, ''The Phoenicians'', 2001, I.B.Tauris, ISBN 18504353</ref> Punic culture became a melting pot, since Carthage was a major hub of trade in the known world, but they retained some of their old cultural identities and practices, such as child sacrifice. Children were sacrificed for religious purposes.<ref>J. B. Rives, ''Religion in the Roman Empire'', 2006, Blackwell Publishing, 237 pages, ISBN 1405106565</ref> One of Hannibal Barca's brothers may have been a sacrifice because [[Hamilcar Barca]], his father, had fathered four children but we only have three names: [[Hannibal Barca]]; [[Hasdrubal Barca]]; and [[Mago Barca]] {{Fact|date=March 2007}}<!--citation request applies to the whole reasoning "three names -> sacrificed fourth; make sure this is not someone's personal OR conjecture-->. So, it is a possibility - not an unusual one either - since many cultures of the time made human sacrifices, such as the Greeks, Gauls, and Romans, although more often used animals. The Punics carried out significant sea explorations in Africa and elsewhere from their base in Carthage. In the fifth century BC [[Hanno the Navigator]] played a significant role in exploring coastal areas of present day Morocco and other parts of the African coast, specifically noting details of indigenous peoples such as at [[Mogador]].<ref>Hanno, ‘'Periplus of Hanno'', 5th century BC, Carthage</ref><ref>C.Michael Hogan, ''Mogador: promontory fort'', The Megalithic Portal, ed. A. Burnham, Nov. 2, 2007 [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=17926]</ref> Punics pushed westerly into the Atlantic and established important settlements in [[Lixus]], [[Volubilis]], [[Chellah]] and Mogador, among other locations. ==Sicilian and Punic Wars== Being trade rivals with [[Magna Grecia]], the Punics had several clashes with the Greeks over the island of [[Sicily]] in the [[Sicilian Wars]]. They eventually fought [[Rome]] in the [[Punic Wars]], but lost due to being outnumbered, lack of full governmental involvement, and reliance on their navy as the power of their military. This enabled a Roman settlement of Africa and eventual domination of the Mediterranean Sea. [[Cato the Elder]] famously ended his speeches with the imperative that Carthage should be utterly crushed, a view summarised in Latin by the phrase ''Praeterea censeo Carthaginem esse delendam'', meaning simply, "Moreover, I declare, Carthage must be destroyed!". They were eventually incorporated into the Roman Republic in 146 BCE with the destruction of Carthage, but Cato never got to see his victory because he died in 149 BC. ==146 BC to 700 AD== The annexation of Carthage wasn't the end of the Punics. Although the area was partially romanized and the some of the population adopted the Roman religion (while fusing it with aspects of their beliefs and customs), the language and the ethnicity persisted for some time. People of Punic origin prospered again as traders, merchants, and even politicians of the [[Roman Empire]]. Carthage was rebuilt about 46 BCE by [[Julius Caesar]], which was considered a bad gesture by some because the ruins of Carthage were cursed and so would be anyone who built on its site (Caesar ironically died 19 months later). However, Carthage again prospered and even became the number two trading city in the Roman Empire, until [[Constantinople]] took over that position. As [[Christianity]] spread across the Roman Empire, it was especially successful in [[Northern Africa]]; moreover, Carthage became a major Christian city even before Christianity was legal. It is possible that [[Saint Augustine]] himself was Punic, as he was aware of Punic words. One of his more well known passages reads: "It is an excellent thing that the Punic Christians call [[Baptism]] itself nothing else but salvation, and the Sacrament of Christ's Body nothing else but life." ("Forgiveness and the Just Deserts of Sins, and the Baptism of Infants", 1.24.34, AD 412) The last remains of a distinct Punic culture probably disappeared somewhere in the chaos during the [[Fall of Rome]]. The demographic and cultural characteristics of the region were thoroughly transformed by turbulent events such as the [[Vandals]]' wars with Byzantines, the forced population movements that followed and, finally, the [[Arabic]] conquest in the 7th century. ==Noted Punic or Berber people== *[[Septimus Severus]] (Roman emperor from the mainly [[Punic]] [[Libya]]n city of [[Lepcis Magna]], founded by [[Phoenicia]]ns) *[[Caracalla]], his son *[[Tertullian]], an early [[Christianity|Christian]] theologian (born in the highly multiethnic, Phoenician-founded city of [[Carthage]]) *[[Vibia Perpetua]] (early [[Christian martyr]], also born in [[Carthage]]) *[[Cyprian]] (also born in [[Carthage]]) *[[Hannibal]], Carthaginian General ==See also== *[[Phoenician languages]] *[[Carthage]] *[[History of Tunisia]] *''[[Poenulus]]'' ("The Puny Punic"), a comedy by [[Plautus]], shows the vision the Romans had of Punics. A number of lines are in the Punic language. *''[[Punica]]'', the genus of [[pomegranate]]s, known to Romans as ''mala punica'' ("the Punic apple"). ==Line notes== {{reflist}} ==References== B. H. Warmington, Carthage (2d ed. 1969) T. A. Dorey and D. R. Dudley, Rome against Carthage (1971) N. Davis, Carthage and Her Remains (1985). [[Category:History of North Africa]] [[Category:Phoenicia]] [[Category:Extinct languages of Africa]] [[an:Punico]] [[da:Puner]] [[es:Púnico]] [[fr:Civilisation carthaginoise]] [[nl:Punisch]] [[no:Punerne]]