Carthaginians: an Odd but Hungry People
Very little is known of how the Carthaginians spent their lives.
They weren't a very art-rich culture, meaning that the little that they did produce was scant and mostly imitations of the Egyptians and Phoenicians who were there before them.
However, they were religious- though a more barbaric type as it were. Their religion was later engulfed with the Roman one, so most of that aspect of their life is unknown as well. However, a part that is known about their religion was that it involved sacrifices. It might have been that they had sacrificed one of their own to get their Gods' favor during the Battle of Cannae.
Their diet, though, has more known to it since historians use 'history context clues' to figure it all out. The speculate that the Carthaginians had various types of breads to eat, since their climate was good for growing cereals. They also had more than just regular old bread- they had delicate pastries as well made from finely ground and sifted flour.
Taking advantage of the Mediterranean climate, they grew olives that they used in both their cooking and to cook with. The remains of the olives (once the oil had been extracted) are speculated to have been used to fuel fires. This makes sense, since soldiers would not like to carry heavy packs of wasteful items. Being able to re-use the carcasses of the olives not only made it more efficient but it removed the traces of the soldiers, making them more inconspicuous.
They also had fruits to eat, like grapes, melons, and pomegranates. These foods are a harder to keep, so the average soldier probably did not have many, unless they had been dried and packed tightly away.
Seafood was also a part of the diet. Being close to a sea would naturally hint to this, and fish could be slated for better storage.
Their life was very much the same as the Romans- getting up early, with small meals later supplemented by heavier ones. They worked the terrain for their food and traded and had their daily religious rituals (though it is not accounted how often human sacrifices would be made).
They weren't a very art-rich culture, meaning that the little that they did produce was scant and mostly imitations of the Egyptians and Phoenicians who were there before them.
However, they were religious- though a more barbaric type as it were. Their religion was later engulfed with the Roman one, so most of that aspect of their life is unknown as well. However, a part that is known about their religion was that it involved sacrifices. It might have been that they had sacrificed one of their own to get their Gods' favor during the Battle of Cannae.
Their diet, though, has more known to it since historians use 'history context clues' to figure it all out. The speculate that the Carthaginians had various types of breads to eat, since their climate was good for growing cereals. They also had more than just regular old bread- they had delicate pastries as well made from finely ground and sifted flour.
Taking advantage of the Mediterranean climate, they grew olives that they used in both their cooking and to cook with. The remains of the olives (once the oil had been extracted) are speculated to have been used to fuel fires. This makes sense, since soldiers would not like to carry heavy packs of wasteful items. Being able to re-use the carcasses of the olives not only made it more efficient but it removed the traces of the soldiers, making them more inconspicuous.
They also had fruits to eat, like grapes, melons, and pomegranates. These foods are a harder to keep, so the average soldier probably did not have many, unless they had been dried and packed tightly away.
Seafood was also a part of the diet. Being close to a sea would naturally hint to this, and fish could be slated for better storage.
Their life was very much the same as the Romans- getting up early, with small meals later supplemented by heavier ones. They worked the terrain for their food and traded and had their daily religious rituals (though it is not accounted how often human sacrifices would be made).
Hard to imagine how these brutes could've been the same as the Romans. <sarcasm>
Interrelations
The Romans did not treat the Carthaginians well to begin with. They grossly underestimated the Hannibal lead troops by thinking that the could win with just numbers, thus the almost double number of troops. Also using inexperienced fighters, criminals and such-like. This was more demeaning than anything and no doubt drove the Carthaginians.
However, Hannibal was no better. The trap was clever, to use the Romans usual military style against them. However, it was pretty cheap. The Romans were so compressed that they could barely keep attacking and most could not even lift their weapons in defense. Making it worse- a last salting to the pride-hurt Romans, a Basil the Blinder move- Hannibal ordered the hamstrings to be cut of each Romans soldier.
So that he could kill the Romans "at his own leisure." He also had to use the elephants to mercilessly crush down on the weak humans resulting in the infamous fact of how 600 soldiers were killed every minute. Hannibal was necessarily ruthless, yes, and he captured many POWs as well- around 4,000 by some accounts.
However, Hannibal was no better. The trap was clever, to use the Romans usual military style against them. However, it was pretty cheap. The Romans were so compressed that they could barely keep attacking and most could not even lift their weapons in defense. Making it worse- a last salting to the pride-hurt Romans, a Basil the Blinder move- Hannibal ordered the hamstrings to be cut of each Romans soldier.
So that he could kill the Romans "at his own leisure." He also had to use the elephants to mercilessly crush down on the weak humans resulting in the infamous fact of how 600 soldiers were killed every minute. Hannibal was necessarily ruthless, yes, and he captured many POWs as well- around 4,000 by some accounts.
Look at that disdain filled face that Hannibal has. Look at it.