| Carthaginian Republic 𐤒𐤓𐤕𐤟𐤇𐤃𐤔𐤕 Timeline: Differently | ||||||
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 Location of Carthage in Northern Africa
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| Capital (and largest city) | Carthage | |||||
| Official languages | Carthaginian (Romance language) | |||||
| Religion | 81.5% Catholicism 5.6% Islam 4.3% Eastern Orthodox 3.1% Jewish 2.1% Coptic 1.8% Atheist 1.4% Protestant 0.2% Other |
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| Demonym(s) | Carthaginian | |||||
| Government | Unitary parliamentary republic | |||||
| - | President | Tom Eyal | ||||
| - | Premier | Keshet Arieh | ||||
| Establishment | ||||||
| - | Independence from the Byzantine Empire | 1 January 700 | ||||
| - | First dictatorship | 14 August 1378 | ||||
| - | Hanno dynasty established | 21 March 1410 | ||||
| - | Fall of the Hano Dynasty and rise of the Second dictatorship | 27 March 1952 | ||||
| - | Democratization | 12 March 1960 | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 1,200,099 km2 463,361 sq mi |
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| Population | ||||||
| - | Estimate | 62,890,337 (24th) | ||||
| - | census | 2011 46,029,258 |
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| Currency | shekel | |||||
| Drives on the | right | |||||
Carthage, officially the Carthaginian Republic (Carthaginian: 𐤒𐤓𐤕𐤟𐤇𐤃𐤔𐤕), is a country in northern Africa, bounded by the Mediterranean Sea on the north. It borders Mauretania and Berberia to the west, Cyrenaica to the east and the Tuareg Confederation to the south. The offspring of a powerful ancient commercial empire, Carthage is one of the wealthiest and most educated nations in the world. Together with Ethiopia, Arabia, and Syria Palaestina, it is one of the four Semitic nations of the world. The country is named after its capital and largest city, Carthage. Other important cities include Tunis, Alger and Beijaja.
At 1.2 million square kilometers, Carthage is the seventh-largest country in Africa and the 30th-largest in the world. It has a population of 46 million inhabitants, which makes it the ninth-most populous country in Africa, and the 39th in the world.
Carthage is often referred to as the most progressive Semitic nation as they have universal healthcare and almost equal pay.
In 2020, during the preparation for that year's general election, a series of campaign ads from the moderate party attacked the other two parties and pointed out that Cain Ebbestein was a compromise candidate. This has begin what currently is being called "The Moderate Flood".
History[]
Ancient Carthage (814–146 BC)[]
The Punics, Carthaginians or Western Phoenicians were a group of peoples in the Western Mediterranean who traced their origins to the Phoenicians. Founded around 814 BC as a colony of Tyre by the legendary queen Dido, Ancient Carthage was one of the richest and most powerful cities in antiquity, and the centre of a major commercial and maritime empire that dominated the western Mediterranean until the mid third century BC. By 300 BC, the now independent Carthaginian Empire spanned a patchwork of colonies, vassals, and satellite states that constituted more territory than any other polity in the region. Carthage's wealth and power rested primarily on its strategic location, which provided access to abundant fertile land and major trade routes. Its vast mercantile network, which extended as far as west Africa and northern Europe, provided an array of commodities from all over the ancient world, as well as lucrative exports of agricultural goods and manufactured products. This commercial empire was secured by one of the largest and most powerful navies in the ancient Mediterranean, and an army composed largely of foreign mercenaries and auxiliaries.
As the dominant power of the western Mediterranean, Carthage inevitably came into conflict with many neighbors and rivals, from the indigenous Berbers of North Africa to the nascent Roman Republic. Following centuries of conflict with the Sicilian Greeks, its growing competition with Rome culminated in the Punic Wars (264–146 BC), which saw some of the largest and most sophisticated battles in antiquity, and nearly led to Rome's destruction. In 146 BC, after the third and final Punic War, the Romans destroyed Carthage and later established a new city in its place. All remnants of Carthaginian civilization came under Roman rule by the first century AD.
Notwithstanding the cosmopolitan character of its empire, Carthage's culture and identity remained staunchly Phoenician, or Punic. Like other Phoenician people, its society was heavily urbanised and oriented towards seafaring and trade, reflected in part by its more famous innovations and technical achievements, including serial production, uncolored glass, the threshing board, and the cothon. The Carthaginians became distinguished for their commercial ambitions and unique system of government, which combined elements of democracy, oligarchy, and republicanism, including modern examples of checks and balances.
Roman Carthage (146 BC–700)[]
After the destruction of Punic Carthage, a new city of Carthage (Latin Carthāgō) was built on the same land in the mid-1st century BC. By the 3rd century, Carthage had developed into one of the largest cities of the Roman Empire, with a population of several hundred thousand. It was the center of the Roman province of Africa, which was a major breadbasket of the empire. Carthage briefly became the capital of a usurper, Domitius Alexander, in 308–311. Conquered by the Vandals in 439, Carthage served as the capital of the Vandal Kingdom for a century. Reconquered by the Eastern Roman Empire (later known as the Byzantine Empire) between 533 and 534, it continued to serve as an Eastern Roman regional center, as the seat of the praetorian prefecture of Africa (after 590 the Exarchate of Africa).
Independent Carthage (700–1378)[]
In the late 6th century, the Carthaginian province rebelled against the Eastern Roman Empire, starting the Carthaginian War of Independence (689–700). The campaign was successful, and Carthage gained its independence on January 1st, 700 AD. The new state was modelled after Ancient Carthage and adopted many symbols and customs of the period. Its government was very similar to the Punic government, in which the Senate of Carthage ruled for most of the time, and a dictator was put in charge during state emergencies or other grave situations.
Statue of Himlico outside the National College
First dicatorship (1378–1410)[]
The government remained the same until 1378, when a group of Senators installed a dictator-for-life, similar to Julius Caesar. Himlico the Dictator ruled Carthage with an iron fist from 1378 to 1407, when he was murdered by the very same senators who installed him. Many Carthaginians consider this bloody event a déjà vu, to say the least.
Hanno dynasty (1410–1849)[]
After the death of Himlico the Dictator, a large power vacuum took over. Some people believed that the son of the late dictator should inherit his position, while others believed the Senate should be restored. A short civil war took place, the First Carthaginian Civil War, which resulted in Hanno, the nephew of the late dictator, inheriting the post.
Hanno ruled as dictator for less than three years before he declared himself Emperor of Carthage. A strong nationalist, he attacked Egypt. Egypt retaliated, surrounding the capital of Carthage, and forcing the emperor to surrender. Minor borderlands were ceded to Egypt, Hanno demoted himself from emperor to king, and was forced to invite the Senate to rule with him.
From 1410 until 1849, the House of Hanno ruled over the Kingdom of Carthage. During these years, trade opened up and diplomatic relations started with neighboring nations, such as France, Spain, and Egypt. It was also during this time that the Carthaginian industrial system grew. War was odd for the nation, and most of the time, the Carthaginians were at peace.
In 1849, King Hasdrubal VI died without an heir which his adopted Arab son Muhammad Ali Pasha had assumed the throne which resulted in the descendants of Muhammad Ali Pasha ruling Carthage from 1849-1902.
Second dictatorship (1902–1960)[]
The people, having grown nationalist, took over the Senate and established a military dictatorship. The new government closed down foreign relations and destroyed the lives of many Carthaginian citizens including that of the royals.
Democratic republic (since 1960)[]
On the 12th of March 1960 a few disappointed law students formed the Democratic Party to oppose the People's Party, which was a famed puppet party of the dictator. After a student rebellion was brutally put down, a rogue bodyguard blew himself and the dictator's family up. Soon, elections were held with the Democrats becoming the Prime Minister and President; they held these positions until 1972. The movie industry blew up with hits like Zorba the Greek (based on the book), Doctor Zhivago (Romantic epic) and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (family comedy).
A decade after the Democratic Party, the Republican Party emerged from a small town. They took the presidency and the premiership for four years before losing the presidency. During this time the movie industry died down and they became heavily focused on European diplomacy. In late 1989 a third party came in the form of the Moderates. It swept the major mayoral elections and made the other parties nervous about the 1991 General Election. It was around this time that the Communist Party died after last holding the Mayor of Tunis in 1967. Carthage became a major tourist hotspot due to its nice climate and famed movies. This era is seen as the Carthaginian blooming.
After an early start with the major mayoral elections, the Moderates swept the premiership. Since their policy is to have minimal economic interference, the economy thrived for two years until Italy became the biggest tourist spot. With no backup industry the economy crashed and did not recover until 2002. An American businessman managed to buy up most businesses and for a while his friends ran the nation until his assassination in 1993. During the coronation of King Manuel IV of Portugal, the Prime Minister was assassinated and the Carthaginians demanded reparations, to no avail. A trade blockade started and lasted for a year until US President Gary Hart reached an agreement which got him a Nobel Peace Prize. This was a dark time for Carthage as its seemingly steel proof economy crashed.
After the 1980s, Carthage focused on rebuilding its economy. During this time, the American businessman was assassinated and his friends collapsed from power. The Republican party gained traction as the Moderates' popularity crashed thereafter. The government established very good relations with Italy, and this time saw some cultural reawakening with an Academy Award-winning movie. Malta was the first to become an economically stable province of Carthage. Judaism was more present in that decade's generation. People went into the next millennium with economic, cultural and political hope for it.
Culture[]
Language[]
Carthage's official and most widely spoken language is Carthaginian, a Romance language written in the Phoenician alphabet.
Political parties[]
- Republican Party: The leftist party, which promotes presidential neutrality and more people involvement in party selections. The Republicans have been pushing for more nationalisation and particularly in the fishing industry to guarantee food for the poor.
- Democratic Party: The moderate conservative party, which promotes more presidential power. The party has been going through a centrist change which lead to the creation of the Liberal Party and loss of support.
- Moderate Party: A moderate party which promotes free markets. The party has in recent years been in up and down in popularity and often on the verge of dissolution.
- Liberal Party: A Carthaginian version of the American Union Party, it was formed in 2020 after the Democratic party’s slide into centrism.
- Monarchist Party: A conservative party that promotes the restoration of the Hanno monarchy. The party had trouble in leadership as the Hanno family head Fuad II hasn’t expressed interest in leading it.
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