114 THE COLONIES OF CAETHAGE. 



on the locality in which they dwelt. Those who lived 

 in the Tell or region of the coast cultivated the soil 

 and lived in towns, some of which appear to have been 

 of considerable size. Those who inhabited the plateau 

 region led a free Bedouin life, wandering from place to 

 place with flocks and herds, camping under oblong 

 huts, which the Romans compared to boats turned 

 upside down. In holes and caverns of the mountains 

 dwelt a miserable black race, apparently the aborigines 

 of the country, and represented to this day by the Rock 

 Tibboos. They were also found on the outskirts of 

 the desert, and were hunted by the Berbers in four- 

 horse chariots, caught alive, and taken to the Carthage 

 market to be sold. 



The Phoenician settlements were at first independent 

 of one another ; but Carthage gradually obtained the 

 supremacy as Tyre had obtained it in Phoenicia. The 

 position of Utica towards Carthage was precisely that 

 of Sidon towards Tyre. It was the more ancient 

 city of the two, and it preserved a certain kind of 

 position without actual power. Carthage and Utica, 

 like Tyre and Sidon, were at one time always spoken 

 of together. 



The Carthaginians began by paying a quit-rent or 

 Custom to the natives, but that did not last very long ; 

 they made war, and exacted tribute from the original 

 possessors of the soil. When Carthage suffered from 

 over-population, colonies were despatched out west 

 along the coast, and down south into the interior. 

 These colonies were more on the Roman than the 

 Greek pattern ; the emigrants built cities and inter- 

 married freely with the Berbers ; for there was no 

 difference of colour between them and little difference 

 of race. In course of time the whole of the habitable 



