Carthage: A New History by Richard Miles is a fresh, authoritative single-volume history of one of the ancient world’s most remarkable civilizations. Published in early 2026 by Allen Lane (UK) / Basic Books (US), the book draws on the latest archaeological discoveries, epigraphic evidence, and re-evaluations of Greek and Roman sources to present Carthage not as Rome’s doomed foil, but as a dynamic, innovative Mediterranean power that shaped the ancient world for centuries.
Plot Overview
Miles structures the narrative chronologically, from Carthage’s founding in the late 9th century BCE to its final destruction in 146 BCE, with a brief epilogue on the Roman refounding and the city’s afterlife.
- Origins and Ascendancy (c. 814–500 BCE)
The book opens with the traditional founding legend—Queen Dido (Elissa) fleeing Tyre and establishing Qart-hadasht (“New City”) on the Bay of Tunis. Miles treats the story critically but accepts a Phoenician colony around 814–800 BCE. He emphasizes Carthage’s rapid transformation from trading post to imperial power: control of western Mediterranean trade routes, silver and tin from Iberia, grain and ivory from North Africa, and strategic alliances with Etruscans and Greeks. By the 6th century, Carthage dominated the western Phoenician network after Tyre’s decline. - The Age of the Magonids and Barcids (c. 550–218 BCE)
Miles rehabilitates the much-maligned Magonid dynasty and the Barcid family. He shows how Carthage developed sophisticated institutions: a citizen assembly, powerful merchant aristocracy, elected suffetes (chief magistrates), and a navy that rivaled any in the Mediterranean. The city’s wealth funded monumental architecture (the circular military harbor, the Tophet sanctuary) and a diverse population of Phoenicians, Libyans, Greeks, Iberians, and Numidians. Carthage’s empire was commercial rather than territorial—focused on ports, mines, and tribute rather than direct rule. - The Punic Wars and the Road to Destruction (264–146 BCE)
The three Punic Wars occupy the central chapters. Miles challenges older Roman-centric views:- The First Punic War (264–241) was not purely Roman aggression; Carthage defended long-held Sicilian interests.
- The Second Punic War (218–201) is reframed around Hannibal’s strategic brilliance and Rome’s adaptability. Miles uses recent finds (e.g., the Mahdia shipwreck, Iberian silver hoards) to illustrate Barcid economic power in Spain.
- The Third Punic War (149–146) is portrayed as a cold, calculated Roman act of annihilation. Carthage had complied with peace terms for fifty years; Cato’s “Carthago delenda est” reflected Roman fear of a commercial rival, not genuine threat.
The final siege and destruction are described in harrowing detail, drawing on Polybius, Appian, and recent excavations of the city’s fall layers (mass graves, burned quarters).
- Afterlife
Miles closes with Roman Carthage—rebuilt as Colonia Iulia Karthago under Augustus—and its role as one of the empire’s richest provinces. He notes how Punic language, religion (Tanit worship), and cultural memory survived under Roman rule.
Character Dynamics and Development
Miles gives agency to Carthaginian leaders long reduced to stereotypes:
- Hanno the Navigator — explorer of West Africa.
- Hamilcar Barca — brilliant general who rebuilt Carthaginian power in Spain.
- Hannibal Barca — strategic genius whose gamble nearly broke Rome.
- Hasdrubal and Mago — capable but overshadowed brothers.
He also highlights ordinary Carthaginians: merchants who built a cosmopolitan society, artisans who crafted exquisite jewelry and ivory, and citizens who defended their city in 146 BCE with desperate courage.
Key Themes
- Carthage was not a “merchant republic” lacking martial spirit; it fielded large citizen armies and citizen navies.
- Its political system was more participatory than Roman propaganda claimed.
- The Punic Wars were not inevitable clashes of civilization; they were contests over resources and spheres of influence.
- Carthage’s destruction was a deliberate act of cultural erasure; Rome feared a rival model of empire.
The tone is measured and evidence-driven. Miles avoids romanticizing Carthage or demonizing Rome. He uses recent finds (the Punic harbor excavations, Iberian lead sling-bullets inscribed with insults, Carthaginian coin hoards) to ground every major claim.
In short, this is the best modern one-volume history of Carthage. It rescues the city from centuries of Roman propaganda and presents it as a sophisticated, resilient civilization that came closer to dominating the Mediterranean than any power before Rome. Clear, compelling, and up-to-date, it is essential for anyone interested in ancient history, Phoenician civilization, or the roots of Rome’s imperial success.