AFR V2 D217 Old ports of Carthage
Old ports of Carthage
In 241 BC, Carthage faced a dire situation after its defeat in the First Punic War. The Treaty of Lutatius imposed an indemnity of 3,200 talents of silver, a colossal burden for a state with a devastated navy and a looming mercenary rebellion. Yet within twenty years, Carthage had not only met its financial obligations but also rebuilt its military might. The source of this remarkable recovery lay in the silver mines of southern Iberia, exploited by the Barcid family. Hamilcar Barca, who quelled the Mercenary War by 237 BC, turned to Iberia to replenish Carthage's coffers. He recognized the potential of the region's rich silver deposits, particularly those near the old Phoenician colony of Gadir. See our article on the Silver of the Barcids: How Iberian Mines Bankrolled Carthage's Road to the Second Punic War.
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