Leo Caesius
Banned
I've decided to start posting the rudiments of a new stealth-ATL for Carthage. By "stealth-ATL," I mean that the events follow events in OTL very closely - with the result that they generate relatively few butterflies, at least not until much later along the line. In fact, there is no major POD for this TL, but the divergences that characterize it may even have occured in OTL - but have had such little effect as to be unnoticed. This first post will establish the context to the events which occur both in OTL and the ATL.
1180 BCE - Traditional date for the founding of Lixus (Punic Liks), a Phoenician settlement on the Atlantic coast of Morocco (slightly south of Tangiers).
1110 BCE - Traditional date for the founding of Cadiz (Punic Gadir "fortified citadel" Latin Gades).
1101 BCE - Traditional date for the founding of Utica.
9th c. BCE - Phoenicians trade for tin along the Atlantic coast of Spain, which is under "Tartessian" - native Iberian - control. The city of Gadir benefits from the proceeds of this trade, and in the process the Tartessians become heavily influenced by them, adopting their alphabet, architecture, technology, burial practices, etc.
814 BCE - Carthage (Punic Qart Hadast "Newton") is founded.
753 BCE - Rome is founded.
7th c. BCE - Southeastern Spain and the Atlantic coast of Morocco as far south as Sala (modern Rabat) are colonized by Phoenicians. Small cities are the norm (Malaka, Sexi, and Abdera in Spain, and Tingis, Lixus, Tamusida, and Semes on the African side), with seasonal trading emporia established along the Portuguese coast and along the African coast. Several of these, such as Lepqi (Leptis Major) later develop into cities proper.
610-595 BCE - Reign of Necho II of Egypt. According to Herodotus (4.2.2), Pharaoh Necho sent a fleet manned by Phoenician sailors around Africa and return to Egypt via the Pillars of Heracles. The sailors return to Egypt after three years. "This is how Libya was first discovered to be surrounded by sea, and the next people to make a similar report were the Carthaginians."
573 BCE - Tyre is captured by the Babylonians, who put an end to its colonial ambitions. As a result, many trading posts and even small cities are abandoned; the Phoenician colonists of southern Spain retreat to Gadir, and the African traders fold up their emporium at Mogador and return north.
553-533 BCE - Reign of King Hiram III of Tyre. Hiram is a Tyrian merchant who, in the aftermath of the Babylonian invasion, has become king of the city.
539 BCE - Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, putting an end to the Neo-Babylonian Empire and establishing the Achaemenids as masters of the Near East.
To be continued...
1180 BCE - Traditional date for the founding of Lixus (Punic Liks), a Phoenician settlement on the Atlantic coast of Morocco (slightly south of Tangiers).
1110 BCE - Traditional date for the founding of Cadiz (Punic Gadir "fortified citadel" Latin Gades).
1101 BCE - Traditional date for the founding of Utica.
9th c. BCE - Phoenicians trade for tin along the Atlantic coast of Spain, which is under "Tartessian" - native Iberian - control. The city of Gadir benefits from the proceeds of this trade, and in the process the Tartessians become heavily influenced by them, adopting their alphabet, architecture, technology, burial practices, etc.
814 BCE - Carthage (Punic Qart Hadast "Newton") is founded.
753 BCE - Rome is founded.
7th c. BCE - Southeastern Spain and the Atlantic coast of Morocco as far south as Sala (modern Rabat) are colonized by Phoenicians. Small cities are the norm (Malaka, Sexi, and Abdera in Spain, and Tingis, Lixus, Tamusida, and Semes on the African side), with seasonal trading emporia established along the Portuguese coast and along the African coast. Several of these, such as Lepqi (Leptis Major) later develop into cities proper.
610-595 BCE - Reign of Necho II of Egypt. According to Herodotus (4.2.2), Pharaoh Necho sent a fleet manned by Phoenician sailors around Africa and return to Egypt via the Pillars of Heracles. The sailors return to Egypt after three years. "This is how Libya was first discovered to be surrounded by sea, and the next people to make a similar report were the Carthaginians."
573 BCE - Tyre is captured by the Babylonians, who put an end to its colonial ambitions. As a result, many trading posts and even small cities are abandoned; the Phoenician colonists of southern Spain retreat to Gadir, and the African traders fold up their emporium at Mogador and return north.
553-533 BCE - Reign of King Hiram III of Tyre. Hiram is a Tyrian merchant who, in the aftermath of the Babylonian invasion, has become king of the city.
539 BCE - Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, putting an end to the Neo-Babylonian Empire and establishing the Achaemenids as masters of the Near East.
To be continued...
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