A West Mediterranean Story. The Struggle for power in Carthage during the second Half of the Third Century BC

Abstract

The interest of classical literature on the conflict that confronted Rome against Carthage allows us to study aspects of the history of this ancient Tyrian colony that are virtually unknown to other historical periods. Despite the prominence of the Barcid family and his closest associates in the historical events of this period, the supremacy of the Barcid strategists and their colleagues has never been absolute since they had to deal against the opposition of a political faction that used all the tools at its disposal to stop their rise to power or to try to finish their supremacy. This contribution aims to analyze the composition of these Carthaginian political factions, determine their political differences and define the techniques that can be used to seize power or to avoid others from reaching it.