11-29-2010, 12:17 PM
Hello,
I´ve recently purchased the model of the Carthaginian harbour from http://www.rodlangton.com and despite it not being completely historical, I intend to use it as a centrepiece for a diorama of the Punic ports of Carthage with a little bit of the rest of the city for good measure. I have some 27 ships to go with it and will buy more ships and buildings when more funds become available. 8)
Not much is known about Punic architecture except that they also used columns/pillars and gained Hellenistic influences. Private residences had their own cistern, often a shop/workplace on the street and six-storey apartment blocks were vailable for the masses while wealthier citizens lived in dwellings based around a courtyard. While probably different in external looks, these descriptions certainly aren´t that radically different from Roman city dwellings in my opinion. In the end I shall probably use some of mr. Langton´s miniatures of Roman housing to represent Carthaginian living quarters.
Civic buildings are a real problem however, so on to the questions.
1) Does anyone here know how Carthaginian/Punic civic buildings looked like? I´m wondering whether Carthaginian temples, theatres, forums, water supply systems (reservoirs, aquaducts, fountains) looked in any way similar to Roman/Hellenistic counterparts? Can the Greek model of a temple with a portico, architrave, a ring of columns and a cella represent a Carthaginian temple to Tanit? Can Roman/Greek forums/agoras represent Punic ones?
2) As far as I know the Carthaginians -correct me if I´m wrong- did not have amphitheatres and circuses, but did they have hippodromes/stadiums? Has one of those buildings been ascribed to Carthage?
3) Which ancient texts give the best descriptions of Punic Carthage?
4) When was the circular military port first constructed in Carthage? Did it see service in the First Punic War?
That´s quite a few questions to begin with... :oops:
Kind regards,
Cleaver
I´ve recently purchased the model of the Carthaginian harbour from http://www.rodlangton.com and despite it not being completely historical, I intend to use it as a centrepiece for a diorama of the Punic ports of Carthage with a little bit of the rest of the city for good measure. I have some 27 ships to go with it and will buy more ships and buildings when more funds become available. 8)
Not much is known about Punic architecture except that they also used columns/pillars and gained Hellenistic influences. Private residences had their own cistern, often a shop/workplace on the street and six-storey apartment blocks were vailable for the masses while wealthier citizens lived in dwellings based around a courtyard. While probably different in external looks, these descriptions certainly aren´t that radically different from Roman city dwellings in my opinion. In the end I shall probably use some of mr. Langton´s miniatures of Roman housing to represent Carthaginian living quarters.
Civic buildings are a real problem however, so on to the questions.
1) Does anyone here know how Carthaginian/Punic civic buildings looked like? I´m wondering whether Carthaginian temples, theatres, forums, water supply systems (reservoirs, aquaducts, fountains) looked in any way similar to Roman/Hellenistic counterparts? Can the Greek model of a temple with a portico, architrave, a ring of columns and a cella represent a Carthaginian temple to Tanit? Can Roman/Greek forums/agoras represent Punic ones?
2) As far as I know the Carthaginians -correct me if I´m wrong- did not have amphitheatres and circuses, but did they have hippodromes/stadiums? Has one of those buildings been ascribed to Carthage?
3) Which ancient texts give the best descriptions of Punic Carthage?
4) When was the circular military port first constructed in Carthage? Did it see service in the First Punic War?
That´s quite a few questions to begin with... :oops:
Kind regards,
Cleaver
"History is not a course, it´s a way of life."
R. Hubbers, 25-05-2010
R. Hubbers, 25-05-2010
