The Ancients How to Survive in Carthage
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Aug 10, 2025 Dr. Eve MacDonald, a Carthage expert from the University of Cardiff, takes us on a fascinating journey to 210 BC. She shares intriguing insights into daily life in ancient Carthage, from vibrant markets to unique culinary delights like Punic porridge. The podcast also dives into Carthaginian worship practices, including the significant Tanit symbol and community rituals. Listeners will discover the complexities of trade and cultural identity that made Carthage one of the ancient Mediterranean's richest cities.
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Fragmented Record After Destruction
- Roman destruction erased much of Carthage's record, forcing reliance on archaeology and Roman texts.
- Eve MacDonald cautions that this patchwork makes daily-life reconstructions tentative but still informative.
Monumental Harbours On Arrival
- Sailing into the Bay revealed towering seawalls and monumental gates.
- Eve MacDonald says Carthage separated commercial and military harbours with a central admiralty hill.
Vertical Living In A Dense City
- Carthaginians built tall multi-storey apartments using opus Africanum masonry.
- That density implies a compact city that built vertically rather than sprawling outward.