Punic Navy

[Timotheus]

The Punic army was mostly a mercenary army. Troops from subject territories were the majority with very little in the way of Punic citizen troops.

If I remember right Hannibals army was Hispanians, Gauls, Numidians, and Libyans.

What about the Punic navy? Was it manned by foreign rowers or was it like say the fleets of Athens a citizen navy?

Carthage never had the manpower to put citizen forces in the field to match Rome. Part of this was due to location. Italy was a more populas place than North Africa. But I am wondering if part of this is not also due to the fact that a majority of its population served in the navy. If Carthage fielded on average 200 Quinqueremes (each with about 450 men on board) that would be enough manpower to field 16 or more legions of troops.

I remember someone (not from this forum) once suggesting that the worship of Ba'al and the sacrificing of first born son must have hurt the population of Carthage but I doubt that it would have hurt it that badly and I know that by the 2nd Punic War it was common for families to "adopt" in a "son" from slaves so that he could be sacrificed in place of an actual son.

[Ioannes_Ahenobarbus]

If I remember correctly the rowers were largely Carthaginians.

[Timotheus]

So a large portion of their population was tied up there and thus unusable as troops.

Can you remember off hand where you read this?

Oh and I realize this should have gone into the Enemies and Allies of Rome forun. If someone wants to move it to where it goes thanks in advance.

[Robert Vermaat]

I moved this topic to the proper section. Timothy, please take care where you post. First read, then post.

[Timotheus]

I moved this topic to the proper section. Timothy, please take care where you post. First read, then post.

Thank you.

[Robert Vermaat]

No problem.

[hoplite14gr]

Wiki is a debatable source but see the sources here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Carthage

A couple of them are remarcable

The fleet was used by the Carthagenians to offer opprtunities to the city mass so as to make them lees likely to follow tyrrants.

Mercenary Marines recruited by coastal allies or subjects could "beef up"
the fleet before an engagement.

Kind regards

[Timotheus]

Wiki is a debatable source but see the sources here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Carthage

A couple of them are remarcable

The fleet was used by the Carthagenians to offer opprtunities to the city mass so as to make them lees likely to follow tyrrants.

Mercenary Marines recruited by coastal allies or subjects could "beef up"
the fleet before an engagement.

Kind regards

Very interesting, and on the plus side unlike legions in Rome that became loyal to their generals and might march on Rome you would not have the same danger with an over popular general. What is he going to do? Sail on Carthage? Just doesnt have the same effect.

[Quintus Aurelius Lepidus]

I have read this too that the navy were carthaginians.

I think Adrian Goldsworthy has talked about the Punic Navy in his book about the punic wars.

[Untilatie]

There is a very interesting article (in spanish) about Punic Navy. It appeared at "Guerra y Ejército en el Mundo Fenicio-Púnico" ("War and army in the phoenician- carthaginian world"); XIX Jornadas de Arqueología fenicio-púnica (Ibiza, 2004); Ed. Benjamí Costa y Jordi H. Fernández, Ibiza, 2005.

It speaks about its organization, effectives, etc.
I've got it.