Deviation Actions
Description
“Democracy, commerce, faith.”
The beating heart of Carthage is the city itself, a major port and bustling trade hub nestling on the North African coast. Since gaining independence from its Phoenician forbearers, it has quickly established a considerable military, naval and trade empire of its own. Holding the same polytheistic beliefs as their ancestors, the Carthaginians worship many gods, chief amongst them Ba’al Hammon, the Ruler of the Multitudes, and Tanit, the patron goddess of Carthage itself. Many people believe that child sacrifice takes place at their temples.
Carthage is an expansionist trading state with a small indigenous population. As such, the bulk of its armies consist of mercenary units. The core of its land forces, however, are elite Carthaginian citizens known as the Sacred Band and mighty war elephants from the forests of North Africa. Accomplished seamen, their ships are fast and manoeuvrable, with good ramming and missile capabilities.
Since the sixth century BC, Carthage has enjoyed a commercial treaty with Rome. The nations even fought together during the Pyrrhic War, although this was a marriage of convenience to prevent Greek hegemony of Southern Italy and Sicily. The outcome of that war was perhaps better for Rome; Carthage gained a foothold in Sicily, but Rome achieved dominance over much of the Italian peninsula. Now, tensions run high between these mighty nations…
As a playable faction, Carthage benefits from its mastery of the waves and its heritage as a great trading nation. As a democracy, it also enjoys an improved level of population happiness. The player also has the choice to play as one of three major political powers, each of which confers further military, economic and cultural benefits.
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Did you know that there is a legend that Carthage was founded by a women? Her name was Queen Dido (Elissa to some). Queen Dido was a princess of Tyre. She fled Tyre because her husband was murdered and her brother was power hungry for the throne. She took off with lots of her fathers wealth and tricked her brother into thinking it was gone forever by throwing bags of sand into the ocean (which her brother thought her bags of gold). She said it was an offering to her dead husband. Her brother thought that the gold was gone for good so he didn't go after her.
She and her compadres took off and set sail for a new home. Dido landed in what is modern day Tunisia and bartered land with her gold to a local tribesmen Larbas. She asked for land that she could encompass and entire ox's hide. Larbas thought he got an amazing deal so he accepted but Dido outsmarted him and cut the ox's hide into strips and laid it out in a half circle. There is a mathematical formula about that called Dido's equation. Carthage was on the rise to power and wealth. The tribes around Carthage saw this and were surprised. Larbas demanded that Dido be his wife or he would obliterate Carthage.
(There are different stories here but I am going to stick with the one I like best.)
Dido was shocked. She pondered about what to do. She wanted to remain loyal to her first husband so she tricked Larbas. The day of their marriage she made a pyre and said it was an offering to her first husband. Then when the time came she threw herself into the fire and said that she would remain loyal to her first husband. After that Dido was defied and worshiped for as long as Carthage endured.