Magonids
Encyclopedia
The Magonids were a political dynasty of Ancient Carthage from 550 BCE to 340 BCE. The dynasty was first established under Mago I
, under whom Carthage became preeminent among the Phoenician colonies in the western Mediterranean. Under the Magonids, the Carthaginian Empire expanded to include Sardinia
, Libya
, and for almost a decade much of Sicily
.
s but rather more like tyrants or political strongmen. Diodorus
, however, describes them as kings according to laws which implies a legal procedure not a naked seizure of power and Herodotus tells us that Hamilcar I
was "king by valor" implying selection not hereditary succession.
In 480 BC, following Hamilcar I's death, the King lost most of his power to an aristocratic Council of Elders. In 308 BC, Hannonian Bomilcar attempted a coup d'etat
to restore the monarch to full power, but failed, which led to Carthage becoming in name as well as in fact a republic.
on its own, it now took the lead, establishing itself firmly as the dominant Phoenician military power in the western Mediterranean. Although it still remained an economic dependent of Tyre, it now acted increasingly independently.
Mago was succeeded by his son Hasdrubal I
. The next successor was Hamilcar I
, the son of Hasdrubal's brother Hanno. Carthage, always trying to rid itself of its opponent, the Greeks
, might even have entered into an alliance with the Persian Xerxes
(the accounts are unsure) in order to defeat the joint foe. Herodotus
tells that it was believed that the decisive battle of Himera
between Carthaginian and Greek forces on Sicily
took place on the very same day that the Greeks met with the Persians in the famous battle of Salamis
in 480 BCE in Greece itself. But the Greeks were victorious in both battles and Hamilcar met his death at Himera.
After Hamilcar's death, the dynasty continued with Hamilcar's son Hanno II 'the Navigator' up to 440 BC, under whom a large part of Carthage's African dominions were conquered and more of the Atlantic coast of Africa was explored and settled. Great advances were also made in African inland trade. Meanwhile Carthage appeared to make an effort in keeping itself out of any new wars on Sicily.
This peace and newly acquired vast trading empire also helped rebuild the Carthaginian military forces. By 410 BC Hannibal I (son of Gisco and grandson of Hamilcar) was the king of Carthage. He immediately set out on a new campaign in Sicily, which in 409 BC ended in the utter destruction of the city of Selinus, ally of the powerful Greek city state of Syracuse. Hannibal achieved true notoriety with the sheer destruction he wrought and with the cruelty with which he slaughtered thousands of prisoners.
It was at the siege of the Greek city of Agrigentum that an epidemic
swept through the Carthaginian camp which killed Hannibal. Hannibal's cousin Himilco II
(son of Hanno the Navigator and grandson of Hamilcar) now assumed the reins of power of Carthage. He was only formally crowned king in 396 BC, but this most likely means that a Carthaginian king could only be installed in the city of Carthage itself and so he had to wait to receive his title formally until he returned home from Sicily.
He spent his time on Sicily in an on-and-off war with the great Syracusan tyrant Dionysius I of Syracuse
until in 396 BC he was disastrously defeated, fleeing Sicily with Carthaginian refugees whilst abandoning his remaining mercenary troops to be slaughtered by the victorious Greeks.
Himilco later committed suicide.
Mago II
, another member of this family inherited the title of leader at first. His first task was to try and quell a Libyan revolt which came close to overthrowing Carthaginian rule altogether. Thereafter he set out to Sicily again and later even to southern Italy, to occupy himself with Dionysius. What Mago II lacked in military ability he made up for with diplomatic skill. But finally he fell in the Battle of Cronion (378 BC) in southern Italy against the Syracusan army. Finally, Carthage and Syracuse agreed a peace.
In 480 BC, following Hamilcar I's death, the King lost most of his power to an aristocratic Council of Elders. In 308 BC, Hannonian Bomilcar attempted a coup d'etat
to restore the monarch to full power, but failed, which led to Carthage becoming in name as well as in fact a republic.
takes power.
540 BCE: A Carthaginian-Etruscan
alliance had expelled the Greeks from Corsica after the Battle of Alalia
.
530 BCE: Mago dies and Hasdrubal I
takes power.
Mid 520s BCE: Hasdrubal, along with his brother Hamilcar I
, launches an expedition against Sardinia
.
510 BCE: Hamilcar I takes power.
509 BC: Treaty was signed between Carthage and Rome
indicating a division of influence and commercial activities. This is the first known source indicating that Carthage had gained control over Sicily
and Sardinia
, as well as Emporia and the area south of Cape Bon in Africa.
483 BCE: Carthage launches First Sicilian War against Greece in an attempt to gain control of Sicily
480 BCE: Carthage suffers a disastrous loss at Battle of Himera
in which Hamilcar is killed, ending the First Sicilian War
. Hanno II, also known as Hanno the Navigator, takes power. The Tribunal of 104 is established, severely weakening the power of the Kings. Carthage becomes a republic
.
440 BCE: Hanno's reign ends, under whom a large part of Africa was added to Carthage's dominion and more of the Atlantic coast of Africa was explored and settled. Himilco I takes power.
410 BCE: Hannibal I takes power. The same year, he invades Sicily
.
409 BCE: Invasion of Sicily ends with destruction of the city of Selinus, ally of the powerful Greek city of Syracuse.
406 BCE: Himilco II
takes power after Hannibal dies of disease.
396 BCE: Himilco is disastrously defeated in Sicily by Dionysius I of Syracuse
and commits suicide. Mago II
takes power.
392 BCE: After crushing Libya
n revolt, Mago ends war with Dionysus in Sicily.
378 BCE: Mago defeated at Battle of Cronion in southern Italy
by the Syracusan army. Syracuse and Carthage make peace.
375 BCE: Mago II dies and Mago III takes power.
348 BCE: Second treaty signed with Rome, now a significant power in Italy.
344 BCE: Mago III dies. Hanno III takes power.
340 BCE: Hanno III attempts a coup d'etat
against the Council of Elders to restore full monarchial power, but he fails, and is executed.
Mago I of Carthage
Mago I of Carthage was the king of the Ancient Carthage from 550 BCE to 530 BCE and the founding monarch of the Magonid dynasty of Carthage. Mago I was originally a general...
, under whom Carthage became preeminent among the Phoenician colonies in the western Mediterranean. Under the Magonids, the Carthaginian Empire expanded to include Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, and for almost a decade much of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
.
The Nature of Magonid Rule
Leading experts on Carthage have been skeptical as to whether it is even possible to reconstruct the internal history of Carthage and this needs to be borne in mind in relation to the Magonids. Mago and his successors probably ruled less as kingKing
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
s but rather more like tyrants or political strongmen. Diodorus
Diodorus Siculus
Diodorus Siculus was a Greek historian who flourished between 60 and 30 BC. According to Diodorus' own work, he was born at Agyrium in Sicily . With one exception, antiquity affords no further information about Diodorus' life and doings beyond what is to be found in his own work, Bibliotheca...
, however, describes them as kings according to laws which implies a legal procedure not a naked seizure of power and Herodotus tells us that Hamilcar I
Hamilcar I of Carthage
Hamilcar I of Carthage was a Magonid king of Carthage, in present day Tunisia, from 510 to 480 BCE.-Treaty with Rome:Carthage had concluded treaties with several powers, but the ones with Rome is the most famous. In 509 BC, a treaty was signed between Carthage and Rome indicating a division of...
was "king by valor" implying selection not hereditary succession.
In 480 BC, following Hamilcar I's death, the King lost most of his power to an aristocratic Council of Elders. In 308 BC, Hannonian Bomilcar attempted a coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
to restore the monarch to full power, but failed, which led to Carthage becoming in name as well as in fact a republic.
List of leaders
- Mago IMago I of CarthageMago I of Carthage was the king of the Ancient Carthage from 550 BCE to 530 BCE and the founding monarch of the Magonid dynasty of Carthage. Mago I was originally a general...
Justin tells up that he was chosen as general after his predecessor was ousted for seeking royal power. - Hasdrubal IHasdrubal I of CarthageHasdrubal I of Carthage was the Magonid king of Ancient Carthage, in present day Tunisia, from 530 to 510 BCE.-Rule:In the mid 520's, Hasdrubal, along with his brother Hamilcar I, launched an expedition against Sardinia....
son of Mago and invested eleven times with the office of 'dictator'. - Hamilcar IHamilcar I of CarthageHamilcar I of Carthage was a Magonid king of Carthage, in present day Tunisia, from 510 to 480 BCE.-Treaty with Rome:Carthage had concluded treaties with several powers, but the ones with Rome is the most famous. In 509 BC, a treaty was signed between Carthage and Rome indicating a division of...
led the expedition to Sicily of 480 BCE - Hanno The son of the Hamilcar who was killed at Himera in 480 BCE. It has been conjectured that he was Hanno the NavigatorHanno the NavigatorHanno the Navigator was a Carthaginian explorer c. 500 BC, best known for his naval exploration of the African coast...
. - Himilco I (in Sicily) 460-410 BC
- Hannibal I Grandson of Hamilcar and led the response to SegestaSegestaSegesta was the political center of the Elymian people, located in the northwestern part of Sicily, in what are now the province of Trapani and the comune of Calatafimi-Segesta....
's call for help in 410 BCE - Himilco IIHimilco II of CarthageHimilco was a member of the Magonids, a Carthaginian family of hereditary generals, and had command over the Carthaginian forces between 406 and 397 BCE. He is chiefly known for his war in Sicily against Dionysius I of Syracuse. The Magonid Family of Carthage played a central role between 550 –...
Laid siege to Syracuse 396 BCE. - Mago IIMago II of CarthageMago the second was Shofet of Carthage from 396 to 375 BCE, and was a member of the Magonid dynasty. He became Shofet after the suicide of Himilco II in 396 BCE and was succeeded by Mago the third in 375....
396-375 BCE - Mago III 375-344 BCE
Rule
With the arrival of Mago, Carthaginian foreign policy appears to have changed dramatically. If previously Carthage had tentatively colonized the island of IbizaIbiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
on its own, it now took the lead, establishing itself firmly as the dominant Phoenician military power in the western Mediterranean. Although it still remained an economic dependent of Tyre, it now acted increasingly independently.
Mago was succeeded by his son Hasdrubal I
Hasdrubal I of Carthage
Hasdrubal I of Carthage was the Magonid king of Ancient Carthage, in present day Tunisia, from 530 to 510 BCE.-Rule:In the mid 520's, Hasdrubal, along with his brother Hamilcar I, launched an expedition against Sardinia....
. The next successor was Hamilcar I
Hamilcar I of Carthage
Hamilcar I of Carthage was a Magonid king of Carthage, in present day Tunisia, from 510 to 480 BCE.-Treaty with Rome:Carthage had concluded treaties with several powers, but the ones with Rome is the most famous. In 509 BC, a treaty was signed between Carthage and Rome indicating a division of...
, the son of Hasdrubal's brother Hanno. Carthage, always trying to rid itself of its opponent, the Greeks
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
, might even have entered into an alliance with the Persian Xerxes
Xerxes I of Persia
Xerxes I of Persia , Ḫšayāršā, ), also known as Xerxes the Great, was the fifth king of kings of the Achaemenid Empire.-Youth and rise to power:...
(the accounts are unsure) in order to defeat the joint foe. Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
tells that it was believed that the decisive battle of Himera
Battle of Himera (480 BC)
The Battle of Himera , supposedly fought on the same day as the more famous Battle of Salamis, or on the same day as the Battle of Thermopylae, saw the Greek forces of Gelon, King of Syracuse, and Theron, tyrant of Agrigentum, defeat the Carthaginian force of Hamilcar the Magonid, ending a...
between Carthaginian and Greek forces on Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
took place on the very same day that the Greeks met with the Persians in the famous battle of Salamis
Battle of Salamis
The Battle of Salamis was fought between an Alliance of Greek city-states and the Persian Empire in September 480 BCE, in the straits between the mainland and Salamis, an island in the Saronic Gulf near Athens...
in 480 BCE in Greece itself. But the Greeks were victorious in both battles and Hamilcar met his death at Himera.
After Hamilcar's death, the dynasty continued with Hamilcar's son Hanno II 'the Navigator' up to 440 BC, under whom a large part of Carthage's African dominions were conquered and more of the Atlantic coast of Africa was explored and settled. Great advances were also made in African inland trade. Meanwhile Carthage appeared to make an effort in keeping itself out of any new wars on Sicily.
This peace and newly acquired vast trading empire also helped rebuild the Carthaginian military forces. By 410 BC Hannibal I (son of Gisco and grandson of Hamilcar) was the king of Carthage. He immediately set out on a new campaign in Sicily, which in 409 BC ended in the utter destruction of the city of Selinus, ally of the powerful Greek city state of Syracuse. Hannibal achieved true notoriety with the sheer destruction he wrought and with the cruelty with which he slaughtered thousands of prisoners.
It was at the siege of the Greek city of Agrigentum that an epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
swept through the Carthaginian camp which killed Hannibal. Hannibal's cousin Himilco II
Himilco II of Carthage
Himilco was a member of the Magonids, a Carthaginian family of hereditary generals, and had command over the Carthaginian forces between 406 and 397 BCE. He is chiefly known for his war in Sicily against Dionysius I of Syracuse. The Magonid Family of Carthage played a central role between 550 –...
(son of Hanno the Navigator and grandson of Hamilcar) now assumed the reins of power of Carthage. He was only formally crowned king in 396 BC, but this most likely means that a Carthaginian king could only be installed in the city of Carthage itself and so he had to wait to receive his title formally until he returned home from Sicily.
He spent his time on Sicily in an on-and-off war with the great Syracusan tyrant Dionysius I of Syracuse
Dionysius I of Syracuse
Dionysius I or Dionysius the Elder was a Greek tyrant of Syracuse, in what is now Sicily, southern Italy. He conquered several cities in Sicily and southern Italy, opposed Carthage's influence in Sicily and made Syracuse the most powerful of the Western Greek colonies...
until in 396 BC he was disastrously defeated, fleeing Sicily with Carthaginian refugees whilst abandoning his remaining mercenary troops to be slaughtered by the victorious Greeks.
Himilco later committed suicide.
Mago II
Mago II of Carthage
Mago the second was Shofet of Carthage from 396 to 375 BCE, and was a member of the Magonid dynasty. He became Shofet after the suicide of Himilco II in 396 BCE and was succeeded by Mago the third in 375....
, another member of this family inherited the title of leader at first. His first task was to try and quell a Libyan revolt which came close to overthrowing Carthaginian rule altogether. Thereafter he set out to Sicily again and later even to southern Italy, to occupy himself with Dionysius. What Mago II lacked in military ability he made up for with diplomatic skill. But finally he fell in the Battle of Cronion (378 BC) in southern Italy against the Syracusan army. Finally, Carthage and Syracuse agreed a peace.
In 480 BC, following Hamilcar I's death, the King lost most of his power to an aristocratic Council of Elders. In 308 BC, Hannonian Bomilcar attempted a coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
to restore the monarch to full power, but failed, which led to Carthage becoming in name as well as in fact a republic.
Timeline
550 BCE: Mago IMago I of Carthage
Mago I of Carthage was the king of the Ancient Carthage from 550 BCE to 530 BCE and the founding monarch of the Magonid dynasty of Carthage. Mago I was originally a general...
takes power.
540 BCE: A Carthaginian-Etruscan
Etruscan civilization
Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
alliance had expelled the Greeks from Corsica after the Battle of Alalia
Battle of Alalia
The naval Battle of Alalia took place between 540 BC and 535 BC off the coast of Corsica between Greeks and the allied Etruscans and Carthaginians...
.
530 BCE: Mago dies and Hasdrubal I
Hasdrubal I of Carthage
Hasdrubal I of Carthage was the Magonid king of Ancient Carthage, in present day Tunisia, from 530 to 510 BCE.-Rule:In the mid 520's, Hasdrubal, along with his brother Hamilcar I, launched an expedition against Sardinia....
takes power.
Mid 520s BCE: Hasdrubal, along with his brother Hamilcar I
Hamilcar I of Carthage
Hamilcar I of Carthage was a Magonid king of Carthage, in present day Tunisia, from 510 to 480 BCE.-Treaty with Rome:Carthage had concluded treaties with several powers, but the ones with Rome is the most famous. In 509 BC, a treaty was signed between Carthage and Rome indicating a division of...
, launches an expedition against Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
.
510 BCE: Hamilcar I takes power.
509 BC: Treaty was signed between Carthage and Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
indicating a division of influence and commercial activities. This is the first known source indicating that Carthage had gained control over Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, as well as Emporia and the area south of Cape Bon in Africa.
483 BCE: Carthage launches First Sicilian War against Greece in an attempt to gain control of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
480 BCE: Carthage suffers a disastrous loss at Battle of Himera
Battle of Himera (480 BC)
The Battle of Himera , supposedly fought on the same day as the more famous Battle of Salamis, or on the same day as the Battle of Thermopylae, saw the Greek forces of Gelon, King of Syracuse, and Theron, tyrant of Agrigentum, defeat the Carthaginian force of Hamilcar the Magonid, ending a...
in which Hamilcar is killed, ending the First Sicilian War
Sicilian Wars
The Greek-Punic wars or, less properly, Sicilian Wars, were a series of conflicts fought between Carthaginians and the Greeks headed by Syracusans, over control of Sicily and western Mediterranean between the years 600 to 265 BC....
. Hanno II, also known as Hanno the Navigator, takes power. The Tribunal of 104 is established, severely weakening the power of the Kings. Carthage becomes a republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
.
440 BCE: Hanno's reign ends, under whom a large part of Africa was added to Carthage's dominion and more of the Atlantic coast of Africa was explored and settled. Himilco I takes power.
410 BCE: Hannibal I takes power. The same year, he invades Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
.
409 BCE: Invasion of Sicily ends with destruction of the city of Selinus, ally of the powerful Greek city of Syracuse.
406 BCE: Himilco II
Himilco II of Carthage
Himilco was a member of the Magonids, a Carthaginian family of hereditary generals, and had command over the Carthaginian forces between 406 and 397 BCE. He is chiefly known for his war in Sicily against Dionysius I of Syracuse. The Magonid Family of Carthage played a central role between 550 –...
takes power after Hannibal dies of disease.
396 BCE: Himilco is disastrously defeated in Sicily by Dionysius I of Syracuse
Dionysius I of Syracuse
Dionysius I or Dionysius the Elder was a Greek tyrant of Syracuse, in what is now Sicily, southern Italy. He conquered several cities in Sicily and southern Italy, opposed Carthage's influence in Sicily and made Syracuse the most powerful of the Western Greek colonies...
and commits suicide. Mago II
Mago II of Carthage
Mago the second was Shofet of Carthage from 396 to 375 BCE, and was a member of the Magonid dynasty. He became Shofet after the suicide of Himilco II in 396 BCE and was succeeded by Mago the third in 375....
takes power.
392 BCE: After crushing Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n revolt, Mago ends war with Dionysus in Sicily.
378 BCE: Mago defeated at Battle of Cronion in southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
by the Syracusan army. Syracuse and Carthage make peace.
375 BCE: Mago II dies and Mago III takes power.
348 BCE: Second treaty signed with Rome, now a significant power in Italy.
344 BCE: Mago III dies. Hanno III takes power.
340 BCE: Hanno III attempts a coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
against the Council of Elders to restore full monarchial power, but he fails, and is executed.