C A R T I! A O E. 



57V 



; and the military skill of Scipio ./Emilianus was 

 ,1 upon to effect that destruction, which the a- 

 .ihition of tin- elder Cato had n-solved upon. 

 Tin- conduct of the Roman people towards the Car- 

 thaginians, (as will be shewn when we come to treat 



: heir history,) was stained with cruelty, perjury, 

 ;.nd injustice. It was necessary, for the aggrandise- 

 ment of their city, that Carthage should be destroy- 

 ed, and they cared little what means were used to ac- 

 complish its destruction. This event took place in 

 the year of Rome (JOS, about 116 years before the 

 commencement of the Christian sera. 



Such was the fate of Carthage. Its decay and fi- 

 nal destruction ought to be attributed to the intrigues 

 and misconduct or its factious citizens, rather than 

 to the actual power of its rival, however formidable 

 it might appear. The treasure carried off by JEmi- 

 lianus, even after the city had been delivered up to 

 the soldiers to be plundered, was immense. The de- 

 struction was complete ; and the senate issued a de- 

 cree, enjoining, that it should never again be inhabi- 

 ted, and denouncing the most dreadful imprecations 

 against those who should attempt to rebuild any part 

 of it. However, all persons who desired, were ad- 

 mitted to see Carthage ; nothing affording to ./Emili- 

 anus greater pleasure, than to make as it were a tri- 

 umphal show of the ruins of his country's rival. 

 " Thus," says Paterculus, " does hatred survive the 

 very fear which gave it birth ; a rival ceases not to 

 be an object of detestation till it has ceased to exist." 

 count of Notwithstanding the denunciations of the senate 

 against all who should attempt to rebuild Carthage, they 

 u were induced in a very short period themselves to sane 

 tion the undertaking. Twenty- four years after the vic- 

 tory of .flLmilianus, ( B. C. 142.) the sedition of Tibe- 

 rius Gracchus began to be formidable to the patricians, 

 since he was supported by the great body of the peo- 

 ple, in his endeavours to pass an Agrarian law. Grac- 

 chus finding himself unable to accomplish his pur- 

 pose, was probably not unwilling to accept the offer 

 made him by the senate, of becoming the leader of 

 6000 citizens to the site of Carthage, for the purpose 

 of its restoration. (Appian in fin. lib. Punic.) Grac- 

 chus was terrified by prodigies from proceeding in 

 his purpose. It seems probable, however, that a few 

 buildings began to spring up among the ruins ; and 

 we have reason to conclude, that, from this time for 

 many centuries, they increased in number, beauty, and 

 convenience. Compared with its former glory, the 

 city was long considered as in ruins. When Marius 

 took refuge there, outcast and deserted, he is said to 

 have dwelt in a hovel amidst the ruins of Carthage ; 

 and Sulpicius addressing Cicero, speaks of it as razed 

 to the foundation. ( Veil. Pater, lib. ii. c. 19. Ser. 

 Sid. ad Cic. lib. iv. p. 5.) Julius Caesar, too, when 

 in Egypt, in consequence of a dream, in which he 

 beheld a numerous army weeping, determined to re- 

 build Corinth and Carthage. His death prevented 

 the execution of his purpose. Augustus, finding a 

 record of his intention among his papers, piously ful- 

 filled it, and sent 3000 Romans thither, who were 

 joined by the inhabitants of the neighbouring coun- 

 try. These established a colony adjacent to the an- 

 cient city, but not upon the very spot, lest they 

 should be obnoxious to the curse invoked by the se- 



VOL. V. PART II. 



> the 

 man 

 iquest. 



C. 142. 



natc. (App. ubi inp.) Such at least it the account 

 of Appian : yet Strabo speaks of Carthage at the 

 second city in the Roman empire for wealth and 

 power, and he wrote in the reign of Tiberius. ThU 

 time is scarcely sufficient for 10 great an advance to 

 be made towards its former magnificence. Perhaps 

 we shall form a juit notion of the fact, if we conceive, 

 that Appian has lessened, and Strabo has exagger- 

 ated, its importance. Pliny mentions it at a very 

 considerable colony ; and it was soon after the com- 

 mencement of the Christian xra regarded as the me- 

 tropolis of Africa. 



The precise period of the introduction of Christia- 

 nity we are unable to ascertain, but it is evident that tioo of 

 it should be fixed very early. For in the middle of Chrwda- 

 the second century, arose Tertullian, the first Latin mt ?' 

 father of the church with whose writings we are ac- 

 quainted, and he speaks, as of a notorious fact, of the 

 wide extent of Christianity in Africa. Hie words 

 are, " Were we disposed to act the part of enemies, 

 should we want forces or numbers ? Are there not 

 multitudes of us in every part of the world ? It is 

 true we are but of yesterday, and yet we hare filled 

 all your towns, cities, islands, castles, camps, courts, 

 palaces, senate, forum : we leave you only your 

 temples." Gibbon, with his usual unfairness where- 

 ever Christianity is the subject, affects to understand 

 an expression of Tertullian (ad scapitlam) to mean, 

 that a tenth of Carthage alone was converted. That 

 father says, if you would punish the Christians, you 

 must decimate Carthage, that is, you must imitate 

 the Romans when the whole army is equally guilty ; 

 you must put to death every tenth man. In the year 

 311 arose the schism of the Donatists. Cscilianus Of the 

 had been chosen bishop of Carthage, without the Donation, 

 participation of the Numidian bishops in his election; 

 and upon his refusing to submit to their cognizance, 

 they appointed Majorinus in his place. Mutual re- 

 sentment, and all the bad passions which necessarily 

 mingle in controversy, inflamed the partizans of each 

 faction to the highest pitch of rancour. In 316, 

 Constantine himself heard the cause, and decided in 

 favour of Caecilianus. The Donatists were support- 

 ed by a band of ruffians, who called themselves Cir- 

 cumcelliones, and who had recourse to fire and sword 

 as the means of success. Hence all Africa was filled 

 with murder and rapine. Constantine having tried 

 every other method of accommodation, at last had re- 

 course to that which usually has allayed the fury and 

 fanaticism of sectaries, a full permission to the people 

 to follow the tenets of which they approved ; but 

 here without effect. And it was only alter their de- 

 feat at Bagnia by Macarius, the lieutenant of Con- 

 stans the son of Constantine, that the Donatists were 

 repressed. (Mos/ieim, cent. IV. pt. ii. chap. 5.) 



The emperor Julian revived the failing sect, which 

 found a strong and active enemy in St Augustine. 

 The bitter hatred of these schismatics, and the revolt 

 of Count Boniface, governor of Carthage, (A. D. Invarionef 

 4-31.) paved the way for the invasion of Genseric, V? j 

 king of the Vandals. He had landed from Spain at final* cle- 

 the desire of Boniface, who too late found his error M ruction 

 in employing a foreign and barbarous force to do * Car. 

 right to an injured subject. He opposed him on his 

 entrance into Africa, and though worsted in several 



4D 



