Army of carthage

Early History

Greco-Carthaginian Wars

The First Punic War and the Rebellion of the Mercenaries

Second Punic War

The War with Numidia and the Third Punic War

Holy Unit

By this term, Diodorus of Sicily refers to an infantry unit formed from the full citizens of Carthage, in relation to the IV century BC. e. It is suggested that at least part of the Holy Detachment could be cavalry ^[3] . Perhaps, if necessary, the army, consisting of draftees and mercenaries, was formed on the basis of the Holy Detachment, in which the officers were on a regular basis ^[4] .

Talking about the battle at Crimisse (341 or 339 BC), Diodorus of Sicily indicates the number of the Holy Detachment as “twenty five hundred” and explains that it included those citizens “who were selected for valor and a good name, and also for wealth. ” All of them "fell after a courageous struggle" against the troops of Timoleont ^[5] .

In the description of the same battle, Plutarch calculates the number of Carthaginian citizens at 10,000 people whom the Greeks recognized “by the wealth of their weapons, slow steps and strict order in the ranks,” and estimated their losses at 3,000, with “neither nobility of the race, nor wealth, nor glory no one could compare with the dead. " The high position of the fallen soldiers was also proved by the richest trophies captured by the Greeks ^[6] .

The next time, Diodorus of Sicily mentions the Holy detachment in relation to the campaign of Agathocles in Africa (310-307 BC). In the battle of White Tunisia Agathocles with his bodyguards fought in front of the left wing of the Greeks against 1000 hoplites of the Holy detachment, led by one of the Carthaginian commanders, Gannon . The Carthaginians fought bravely, but after the death of their commander and the decision of the second Carthaginian commander, Bomilcar , to withdraw the rest of the army, the Sacred Detachment was also forced to retreat ^[7] .

The soldiers of the Holy detachment were supposedly armed and equipped as hoplites of the Greek polis and Hellenistic states and fought with a phalanx . Plutarch (if we accept the version that he is talking about the Holy detachment) mentions huge white shields, iron shells and copper helmets ^[6] . Both Plutarch and Diodorus of Sicily note the courage, stamina and good training of the Carthaginians.

Livofiniksky infantry

The Livofenikians ( other Greek: Λιβυφοίνικες, Λιβοφοίνικες , Latin Libyphoenices ) called the mixed population of colonies founded by the Phoenicians on the northern coast of Africa. At the Battle of Tunet, the main part of the Xanthippus' foot soldiers was precisely the Livofenikians. Later, mainly from them was formed the 17-thousandth infantry, which accompanied Hamilcar to Spain, and then served there under the command of Hannibal. Hannibal before leaving for Italy left 11 thousand Carthaginian foot soldiers to his brother Gasdrubal and with 20 thousand (not counting other troops) he went on his famous campaign, but only 12 thousand of them reached Italy. The Roman authors, speaking of the African infantry of Hannibal and Hasdrubal, mean the Livofenikians ^[4] .

The Livofenikian infantry formed the Macedonian type phalanx, which, if we understand Polybius literally, was organized into speyrs. Perhaps these units were called somehow differently, but they were probably the same size (about 256 people) as in the Macedonian army . The phalangites were supposed to use the typical weapons of the Hellenistic foot warrior. In several cases, Polybius speaks of the lightly armed spearmen of Hannibal's army. They were used where lightly armed troops were usually used. On the one hand, in this case we can talk about more lightly armed soldiers standing in the back rows, on the other hand, it reflects the fact that only a heavy peak made the phalangite awkward. After the battle at Lake Trasimen, Hannibal supplied his Africans with the best armor captured from the Romans - chain mail , and yet Polybius continues to talk about lightly armed spearmen ^[8] .

Numidian Cavalry

The Numidians were nomadic tribes living in the territories of modern Algeria , Tunisia and Morocco . Before the camel spread in North Africa, the life of nomadic tribes depended entirely on horses, therefore, all warriors were born horsemen, from an early age spending most of their life on horseback ^[9] . Since the formation of the Carthaginian power, the semi-dependent tribes of Numidia have sent military contingents to its army. Excellent riders, the Numidians did not use saddles and fishing rods , controlling the horse with their legs and voices, and instead of the bridle they used a leather belt or rope thrown over a horse's neck. Speaking about the horses of the Numidians, Strabo notes: “Their horses are small, but so obedient that they can be ruled by some ... Some horses follow the owner, even if they are not pulled by the reins, like dogs” ^[10] .

In the Punic Wars, the Numidian cavalry repeatedly showed itself in battle from the very best side. The Numidians took part in all the major battles of Hannibal , and it was to them that the Carthaginians to a large extent owe their victories. Being useless as a striking force, they perfectly performed the role of skirmishers and pursuers of a retreating enemy. Polybius, speaking of the Numidians, notes that this is “a people remarkably hardy” ^[11] and emphasizes “how dangerous and terrible they are for the enemy, who immediately took to flight” ^[12] . At the Battle of Cannes, the Numidians could not defeat the cavalry of the Roman allies, but as soon as the Celts and Spaniards did this, attacking it from the rear, the Numidians rushed in pursuit ^[13] .

Usually, the Numidian riders were tasked with provoking the enemy into a counterattack, captivating him with a feigned retreat in order to ambush him , force him to leave a favorable position or, conversely, beating the enemy ahead, to take strategically important points. Numidians set off for reconnaissance, in ambush, follow the vanguard of the army, disturb enemy foragers . They are entrusted with predatory raids on enemy territories, the pursuit of a defeated enemy and the capture of prisoners. Numidian cavalry guards the rear, communications, and strategic points ^[14] . Among the tasks entrusted to the Numidians, clearing the way for the army ^[15] and maintaining order on the march during a difficult passage through the marshland ^{[16] [17] are} mentioned.

Armament of Numidian horsemen of the III — I centuries BC e. It consisted of light throwing spears and a round shield made of leather on a wooden base, which could be replaced by just animal skin wound on a hand. The shield of Masinissa, according to Appian , was made of ivory ^[18] . Perhaps, as a melee weapon, the soldiers used a large knife or dagger ^{[9] [19]} . Characteristic details of the look of the Numidians were chitons with a wide rim without a belt, used as cloaks and shells of hides, as well as braided hair and beards ^[10] . Apparently, the leaders of the Numidian tribes could also use foreign equipment. Images on the reliefs and archaeological finds indicate that they used typical armor and arms of the Hellenistic armies , East Greek or South Italian production ^[20] .

Balearic Slingers

Slingers from the Balearic Islands were famous for their high combat qualities (accuracy and heavy weight of shells used) throughout the Mediterranean. Learning the art of sling throwing began in early childhood. Mothers placed bread on a pole and encouraged the children to bring it down: the student did not receive food until he got into the bread. The warriors carried three slings with them: in their arms, wrapped around their heads and wrapped like a belt. According to Strabo, reed rope, hair and animal veins could be used as material for their manufacture ^[21] . Virgil mentions a hemp plume ^[22] . Threw stones from a sling (according to Diodorus of Sicily, larger than any other sling) or oblong-shaped shells specially made from burnt clay or lead .

Slingers fought in the first line of the Carthaginian troops. Their task was to upset the ranks of the enemy: the kinetic energy of the shell was enough to break the shield or cause serious injury to an enemy warrior, even protected by armor. The throwing power was comparable to a catapult shot. With the approach of the enemy or the exhaustion of shells, the slingers retreated behind the formation of heavy infantry. During the siege, they were able to destroy the soldiers on the walls ^[23] .

Spanish infantry and cavalry

The Romans united in the concept of "Spaniards" ( Latin Hispani ) peoples and tribes of different origin living on the Iberian Peninsula, the most numerous of whom were Iberians , Lusitans , Celtiberians and Celts . After the Barkids subjugated most of Spain between the First and Second Punic Wars, these Carthaginian aristocrats were recognized by the local population as supreme leaders, that is, they acted in relation to him not only as foreign officials, but also as their own rulers. Therefore, despite the use by the ancient authors of the term "mercenaries", apply it to all Spanish soldiers in the Carthaginian army of the III century BC. e. wrong ^[24] .

The Carthaginians put the Spaniards second in terms of fighting qualities after the “Africans” (Livofenikians) ^[25] . The Spanish infantry included warriors armed with swords and long shields of the Celtic type, as well as dart throwers. The Spanish sword with a direct wide double-edged blade served as the prototype of the Roman legionnaire sword . Specifically, the Spanish weapons were long (more than 2 m) monolithic iron throwing spears with a serrated tip - soliferrum , or saunions. Warriors wore white tunics , bordered by a purple stripe, and - along with helmets - a kind of headdress: a cap made of animal life, decorated with a comb. The cavalry’s favorite weapon was the Falcata — a curved, single-blade, stabbing and chopping sword, probably borrowed from the Phoenicians . Probably already in the IV century BC. e. The Horseshoe was introduced by the Celtiberians, which was to significantly increase the combat potential of this kind of troops. As far as iconographic sources permit judging, the Spaniards may have known hard saddles , although blankets made of wool (sometimes from the skin of an animal, such as a lynx ) were more common.

The riders acted excellently both in the right battle, and using the tactics of guerrilla warfare (for which, for example, their horses were trained to kneel and remain calm and quiet until the signal). If necessary, the Spanish cavalry could dismount, turning into first-class infantry, as well as fighting in a mixed formation along with light infantrymen. According to ancient sources, the Spanish cavalry dominated the battlefields in the era of the Punic Wars. Neither the Roman and Italian horsemen, nor even the Numidians who sided with the Romans, could resist it ^[26] .

Gallic infantry and cavalry

The Gallic mercenaries in the Carthaginian service are mentioned in the First Punic War, in particular, as part of the Lilibey garrisons during the siege by the Romans in 250 BC. e. and earlier Akragant. Polybius speaks negatively of them, noting treachery, which goes as far as attempts to go over to the side of the enemy, and a tendency to plunder Carthaginian possessions ^[27] . The commander of the Gallic mercenaries, Avtarit , became one of the leaders of the rebels during the Libyan war and enjoyed great authority among them ^[28] .

During the Second Punic War, the Gauls constituted the most significant contingent in the Hannibal army (more than 40% of the total strength at the time of arrival in Italy) ^[29] . Probably, the strategic plan of the great commander was to raise an uprising of the conquered Gallic tribes in Northern Italy and - in the future - the Italics , who were Roman "allies" ^[30] . Before the campaign, Hannibal's agents inundated southern Gaul. They explored the roads, probed the mood of the leaders, negotiated with them and on behalf of their master and generously made promises for the support and peaceful passage of the Carthaginian army through their possessions. Thanks to the anti-Roman sentiments of the Gauls, successful diplomacy and rich gifts, the leaders of Hannibal managed to ensure their friendly neutrality and replenish the ranks of their troops with Gallic warriors ^[31] .

Chariots

The Carthaginian war chariots are repeatedly mentioned by Diodorus of Sicily when describing wars with the Greeks of the 5th – 4th centuries BC. e. Most likely, the tradition of using chariots came from the Middle East , where in the II – I millennia BC e. they were the main striking force. They were also used by the Libyan subordinates of the Carthaginians ^[4] . According to the calculations of Diodorus of Sicily, the concentration of chariot troops among the Carthaginians was one of the highest in the Ancient World , reaching 1 chariot per 20 soldiers, and the total number of chariots in the army ranged from 300 to 2000 (the battle of Tunet in 310 BC. e.). In this battle, chariots were used together with cavalry to engage in combat, playing a supporting role; their attack was not supported by infantry ^[32] . In the description of the battle at Crimisse, it is especially noted that the Greeks captured two hundred Carthaginian chariots ^[33] . According to Plutarch, they were harnessed by four horses ^[6] . By the time of the Punic Wars, war chariots were no longer mentioned in the army of Carthage ^[34] .

War Elephants

The Carthaginians included fighting elephants - a new kind of troops - in their army after the war with Pyrrhus , replacing them with war chariots. Elephants were not bred in captivity, but were caught in the wild, trying to catch young people no older than five years old, but they began to be trained from the age of ten. Elephants fully grew by the age of twenty, and their working age ranged from twenty to forty years. In the wild, the elephant lived for sixty years, but rarely in captivity more than forty. Elephants played an important tactical role in the Carthaginian army. They terrified warriors who had never seen elephants, and horses, depriving horse-drawn detachments of combat readiness, covered their infantry, and with a successful attack they could break through the enemy’s front. In addition, elephants were used to break into an enemy camp, as Hannon the Great did during the rebellion of mercenaries . The commander, seated on the back of an elephant, had an excellent view of the battlefield ^[35] .

The Carthaginians used for military purposes the now extinct subspecies of the savannah elephant - the North African or Carthaginian elephant , which was inferior in size to other African and Asian elephants, reaching a height of 2.5 m. They sat on it like a horse, without using a "tower" - a building for deployment of fighters, which was widely used by other armies of the East ^[36] . The sources preserved the nickname of one of the elephants that crossed Hannibal through the Alps - Sur ( Latin Surus ).

In addition to the only exception - Xanthippus - the supreme command of the Carthaginian army was always entrusted to representatives of aristocratic clans. The Commander-in-Chief was the Extraordinary Magistrate, elected by the People's Assembly without limitation on the term of office. As a result of this democratic procedure, the choice of the commander-in-chief was often determined not so much by his leadership talent as by his wealth and ability to gain popularity. The same commander was sometimes assigned to lead several successive campaigns. That is why the Barkids managed to strengthen their personal power in Spain and successfully complete the conquest of most of the peninsula. Along with this post, introduced in the event of a state of emergency, there were military governors, whom Polybius and Appian called the Boetarchs in the Greek manner and who were supposed to ensure order in the provinces in peacetime. In all likelihood, they were also appointed by the National Assembly ^[37] .

Epigraphic sources do not allow us to establish exactly which term corresponded in Carthage to the concept of “military leader”. Perhaps this is the term "slave" , Rb (not to be confused with the Russian word slave ), often found in inscriptions. It literally means “head, leader” and was applicable to civilian posts. Already in the early era of Carthaginian history, the title of dates existed . 𐤓𐤁𐤌𐤇𐤍𐤕 , Rb Mhnt, that is, "head of the army." It is this expression that was used in neopunic texts discovered in Tripolitania , in particular in Leptis Magne , to translate the Roman word “consul” . This suggests that the terms " strategist ", " dux " and " dictator ", used by Greek and Roman authors in relation to Carthage, corresponded specifically to the title Rb Mhnt, and not to the title of suffet . Little is known about the hierarchy in the Carthaginian army, since ancient sources contain only the most general information. The text found in Sidon mentions a certain Rb Šny (second rank commander?), And another inscription found in Carthage refers to Rb Šlš (third rank commander?). Two other inscriptions ( Tire , III century BC. And Dugga , II century BC) contain the term Rb M'T, that is, “commander of a hundred” ^[37] .

As for the hired contingents, it would be reasonable to assume that they were commanded by the Carthaginian military leaders. However, it clearly follows from Polybius' account of the siege of Lilibey during the First Punic War that mercenaries served under the command of their own officers, because their senior commanders tried to transfer the city into the hands of the Romans. Probably, the Carthaginians carried out command at the middle (battalion) level - like the Romans of the late republic. The outstanding success of the Hannibal army, which half consisted of the recently defeated and partly subjugated by the Romans Celts, owes much to this particular Carthaginian system. She did not try to introduce uniformity - each tribe fought in accordance with its own traditions, and it was required to use it in battle so as to gain maximum advantage. No less remarkable was the attitude of the army to its commander: despite its diversity, the troops served Hannibal for 15 years, without making the slightest attempt at rebellion ^[13] .

Throughout the history of Carthage, the fleet was simultaneously an instrument of its military-political power and the basis of economic prosperity. To secure the trade routes they laid, the Carthaginians were already quite early forced to maintain large naval forces capable of repelling pirates and competitors, as well as quickly deploying troops to protect state interests in the Western Mediterranean.

But if the protection of the coast and trade routes was quite effective, then in real wars the situation often turned out differently. Paradoxically, the Carthaginian fleet did not play a decisive role in the victory over the enemy. So, during the wars in Sicily, he was unable to ensure an effective blockade of Syracuse , nor to intercept Agathocles’s troops when he decided to start military operations in Africa . And later, during the Punic Wars , the most high-profile victories were won by the Carthaginians on land and not at sea. And vice versa, the defeat in the naval battle of the Egat Islands decided the fate of the presence of the Carthaginians in Sicily and their superiority at sea ^[38] .

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