A documentary on the Carthaginian Navy and its warships! Click the link https://www.blinkist.com/invicta to start your free 7 day trial with Blinkist and get 25% off of a Premium membership.

Carthage is primarily remembered through its conflict with Rome over the course of the Punic Wars. However its history stretches far beyond this brief window and includes a long naval history worth discussing. In this video we seek to trace the long history of their exploits at sea starting from the rise of Carthage to the eventual fall of Carthage.

We begin by looking at the Phoenician ancestry of the Carthaginians. It was these people who had pioneered many early methods of ship construction and navigation which allowed them to become a formidable trading power over the course of the Bronze Age. When Carthage was founded by the city of Tyre, it would soon take up the mantle of these naval traditions and use them to gain control of the western Mediterranean. We take a look at the types of warships fielded by the Punic Navy ranging from the humble monoreme to the trireme and the hulking quinquereme. The documentary discusses the ship construction, staffing, and training necessary to keep such a massive fleet in operation. When it comes to warfare we discuss the many naval tactics used by ancient navies and some of the specific stratagems of the Carthaginians.

Finally we turn to our coverage of the service history of the Carthaginian navy which stretches over its entire history. We discuss the the clashes with the Greeks at the Battle of Alalia and the many Sicilian wars fought along this important island. We then cover the climactic Punic Wars against Rome with a special focus on the First Punic War. It was this conflict which saw some of the largest naval battles of its era including the titanic Battle of Ecnomus and the Battle of the Aegates Islands. And finally we cover the siege of Carthage in the Third Punic War.

What Units of History should we cover next? You can learn more about the forces of other civilizations here :

THE AFRICANS
Nubian Archers : https://youtu.be/qvO3_kYRRw8
The Sacred Band of Carthage : https://youtu.be/oX3y1GYcCEY
Carthaginian War Elephants : https://youtu.be/hDSRHGFCWEo
The Numidian Cavalry : https://youtu.be/3tv7EbkrX38

THE NEAR EAST
The 10,000 Immortals : https://youtu.be/Rg1WpzDfyNM
Sassanid Horse Archers: https://youtu.be/StYxs7JHHeE

THE BYZANTINES
Byzantine Flamethrowers and Grenadiers : https://youtu.be/Q40yMWRYt7U
The Varangian Guard : https://youtu.be/0H2Gs87dTfU

THE HELLENISTIC WORLD
Macedonian Silver Shields : https://youtu.be/csw9uSRjUz8
Macedonian Companion Cavalry : https://youtu.be/bbLnrGGqyWY
The Spartan Skiritai : https://youtu.be/MSsUYZBd414
The Spartan Royal Guard : https://youtu.be/pSIh_mTEy_o
The Sacred Band of Thebes : https://youtu.be/xWsZwlN1j3c
Mycenaean Chariots : https://youtu.be/-TyVh8PlnS4
Balearic Slingers : https://youtu.be/3uDtrwNY0Zk

THE ROMANS
Roman Cataphracts : https://youtu.be/NPdxGwyfy_Q
Roman Army Spies : https://youtu.be/xpPY5yU9w7I
Roman Army Scouts : https://youtu.be/EQIT0vP5pBg

THE NORTHMEN
The Jomsvikings Mercenaries : https://youtu.be/ry_J2IPAZoE
Viking Berserkers : https://youtu.be/lVbjaoFDiFk
Early Germanic Warriors : https://youtu.be/DK1c4Bz01MU

THE EASTERN EUROPEANS
The Druzhina : https://youtu.be/6Yp5-0mX6PI

Sources and Suggested Reading:
"The Carthaginians" by Dexter Hoyos
"Carthage's Other Wars" by Dexter Hoyos
"The Fall of Carthage" by Adrian Goldsworthy
"Carthage Must be Destroyed" by Richard Miles

#history
#documentary
#army