Alegandron says: "DELENDA EST CARTHAGO!!!"

"Ceterum autem censeo Carthaginem esse delendam!" ("Furthermore, I consider that Carthage must be destroyed")

"Delenda est Carthago!" (Carthage must be destroyed!)

...Cato the Elder (234-149 BC), was a Roman statesman during the latter years of the Punic Wars. Repeatedly. Ad nauseam: He finished up every speech he gave with the saying, no matter what the speech was on.

Rome fought three wars with Carthage, which was originally a Phoenician colony from the City of Tyre. The Romans called them Punicus (or Poenicus), meaning Carthaginian, referring to their Phoenician ancestry. Hence, the wars with Rome vs. Carthage were called the PUNIC Wars.

The 1st Punic War was 264-241 BCE. The war originally were skirmishes in Sicily. However, Rome won a string of victories against Carthage. They ended with taking Corsica, Sardinia, and control of Sicily from Carthage.

The 2nd Punic War was 218-201 BCE. We know this war for the famous Carthaginian General HANNIBAL. He virtually destroyed Rome's armies, one after the other in a string of terrible defeats for Rome. In the Battles of Trebbia (218 BCE - Rome LOST 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers), Lake Trasimene (217 BCE - Rome LOST 15,000 soldiers), and Cannae (216 BCE Rome LOST 50,000 to 75,000 soldiers) Rome was more than decimated.

Within a 4 year period Rome lost between 90,000 to 120,000 soldiers - dead in the field. Think of losing virtually a WHOLE generation of men within a short 4 years...

However, Rome persevered...they never considered defeat. They just continued to fight on. This was their mettle. Rome finally took the fight to Carthage in Northern Africa on the Plains of Zama (202 BCE) with a decisive defeat by Scipio (later Africanus) over Hannibal.

The 3rd Punic War was 149-146 BCE as an extensive siege of Carthage to wipe them off the map... Delenda est Carthago...

Consequently, in hatred of Carthage, much of Carthaginian coinage has been melted down, over-struck, or destroyed by the Romans. I enjoy holding coins from Carthage as they are reminiscent of the massive struggle between two giants for control of the Mediterranean World.

I humbly submit two Carthaginian Trishekels as Roman War Booty from the 2nd Punic War!



Carthage, 2nd Punic War ca. 220-215 (when Rome was at her darkest hour...)
AE Trishekel
30mm, 19.7g 12h
Obv: Head of Tanit, L, Grain Garland Wreath, single pendant earring.
Rev: Horse standing R, Palm tree in background to L,
Ref: Muller Afrique 150, SNG Copenhagen 340, MAA 84a



Carthage, 2nd Punic War ca. 220-215 (when Rome was at her darkest hour...)
AE Trishekel
30mm, 17.6g 12h
Obv: Head of Tanit, L, Grain Garland Wreath, single pendant earring.
Rev: Horse standing R, Palm tree in background to L, Punic letter B to R
Ref: Muller Afrique 145, SNG Copenhagen 344, MAA 84

(And, NO @stevex6 , my horse is not leaving Road-Apples...but I was thinking of your possible comments when I was capturing the coin!)


Just look at Cato... he was ONE TICKED-OFF DUDE! He had just HAD it with these Carthaginian DUDES~ !!!

@Mikey Zee : Carthage was destroyed!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Outstanding coins and succinct writeup!

At the moment, this is my only Carthaginian coin, issued between the 2nd and 3rd wars.


ZEUGITANA, Carthage
early 2nd century BCE
AE 15-shekels, 45 mm, 95 gm
Obv: wreathed head of Tanit left
Rev: horse standing right, left foreleg up; solar disk with uraei above
Ref: Alexandropoulos J (2000) Les monnaies de l'Afrique Antique, 103;
Müller L (1861) Numismatique de L'Ancienne Afrique, 131;
Luynes 3782; Jenkins GK and Lewis RB (1963) Carthaginian Gold and Electrum Coins. Royal Numismatic Society, London, pl. 28 12
Graded Fine by NGC Ancients (strike 5/5, surfaces 2/5); not encapsulated (reason: size )

 

Thanks for the great writeup and of course for photos of those coins.

 

"What a beautiful field we leave for the Romans and Carthaginians to fight in!" Pyrrhus -275 BCE
I'm with old Cato on the issue of Carthage; there was no way that those two cities could cooperate peacefully after the massive loss of life in the 2nd Punic war.
Either Rome had to destroy Carthage or Carthage would eventually rise up and seek revenge for their earlier losses.

Interesting writeup!
Congrats!
and
ROMA INVICTA!

 

LOL, HOLY COW!!! 95g!!! 3 troy ounces! I LOVE it!!! You are my kinda gal! LOL, wow!

 

I am off to bed but before I go.....
TIF show them the side view.........

 

Lovely coins, especially the reverses.

 

Nice coins! I enjoyed the writeup, too. I've not yet been able to snag a Carthage issue, but I'm always on the hunt for one. TIF's will do .

 

Nope...not gonna say it...NOPE I won't say it.... nope, nope....

 

LOL, It's a HAMBURGER!!!

 

My only Carthaginian coin is a tiny little bronze one:


Zeugitania, Carthage. Ca. 400-350 B.C. Æ unit (15.3 mm, 2.77 g, 8 h). Wreathed head of Tanit left, wearing earring and necklace / Horse standing right; palm tree behind; two pellets to right. MAA 18a

 

Two things always come to mind when I see that pic...

1) That coin is as big as an island!
2) TIF must be a giant!!

 

This one was minted near the beginning, or during the 3rd Punic war.

The baby sister to TIF's coin.



AE-3 Shekels 202-146 BC.

 

Looking at the horse on your coin... Kinda has that Tennessee Walker gait! Awesome coin...LOL, just huge!

 

two nice /meaty bronze coins ALEG...and a nice write up...congrats to you sir.

i don't have a large one, but one is on "the list".

i do have some small ones that a coin buddy and forum member gave to me...

 

Thanks Bing! I just love all their horses!

 

Not really a field I collect in but I do have a (not-so-good shape) representative of Punic Carthage:



For those a little sore about Carthage's defeat at the hands of Rome take solace in the fact that Carthage later again became a serious enemy of Rome some six centuries later

 

I have a special fondness for Punic Carthage, and all the coins presented here I love. (even the groddy ones)

The three shekel pieces is fairly scarce, yours are in excellent condition. I wouldnt mind having either one.

TIF's 15 shekel makes me sick everytime I see it. Its wrong that they stuck that much metal on a coin. Its wrong that the patina is perfect. Its wrong that its her only Carthage coin and its really wrong that its not mine.

I remember when she bought that and I got a sneak peak. I had been looking for the coin in "affordable" for sometime. I had all but given up and then she popped out with that 95 grams monster. I promptly freaked out in my mind. (Happened only a few times, that coin, VK's XLII Domitian and Doug's Tribute penny Indian imitation.) I promptly looked for another coin of Carthage that I sought in "affordable." Unfortunately when Prof. Seaver passed away he could not take his coins with him and I was able to score my one and only SILVER Carthage. A great coin in its own regard but it will always be a conciliation prize.

North Africa, Zeugitana, Carthage
Carthage (c. BC 300-264)
AR Shekel 21 mm x 6.90 grams
Obverse: Tanit Left.
Reverse: Horse looking back, Palm Tree
Ref: GC.6491, Cop.141 A.36 pl. 2, Müller108, CNP.166 a
Note: ex Professor J E Seaver Collection., Rare.



Here is another from Sardinia I don't think anyone has this one...

Dominion of Carthage
Uncertain mint on Sardinia (c. BC 300-264)
AE Shekel 19.6 mm x 5.56 grams
Obverse: Bust of Kore (Tanit) Left
Reverse: Bust of Horse right No pellets.
Ref: Sassari 275-531 4.81 g Holleman munten, list 106 (1996), 27
Note: Gorgeous Deep Brown Patina. Scarce to Rare. (The photo still irritates me)



North Africa, Zeugitana, Carthage
AE Unit 16 mm x 2.29g
c. 250-200 BC
OBV. Pegasus Flying Left
REV. Palm Tree with 2 Dates
ref. rGCV 6530.
Note: Scarce.