The ruins of Carthage, the greatest city of the Ancient world, are in Tunisia. So far not revealed the secrets of his, and perhaps they will go into oblivion - modern villas of the rich Tunisians already came close to the ruins of the former capital of the world".

Romans and Greeks had always treated Carthage with hatred and disgust. And it's not just that it was a direct competitor to these Nations in trade.

Volokh, Baal (Beelzebub), Melkart and Tanit - these are the main gods of Carthage Pantheon. Human victims (especially children) was considered to be a usual thing that, of course, was angered more civilized Greeks and Romans. Every year in city temples flashed sacrificial fire. Around the campfires was going crowds of men and women, many of them held their first-born. In sign of the priests mother threw children into a raging fire, and the men fell on their knees and prayed bloody idols for sending good luck in trade and rich harvests.

Carthage manners striking modern scholars for his cruelty. For example, the famous seafarer Gannon, who decided to seize power in the city were executed, as believed by the citizens, the "very easily and without much pain." It's "only" sec beaten until then, until the skin came down with his stripes, then tore out his eyes, cut off the hands and feet, and then killed.

And, of course, Carthage had all the surrounding Nations envy. Indeed, he had an extensive colonies, the rich silver mines in Spain. Carthage owned Sicily, Corsica and a number of other Islands. The income of the town was so great, that even in peacetime, on its territory there were 400 elephants, 4 thousand horses and weapons with armor enough to fully equip 200 thousand soldiers. Carthage was filled tribute to all the neighboring peoples, who could - paid specie, the rest were sent young women and men, as well as products.

The image of Carthage of the goddess Tanit

In Carthage lived about 700 thousand people, but at night it was impossible to see from the sea - the city was surrounded by a triple ring of walls. The Carthaginians were decorated their walls with giant stone slabs bonded with lead brackets. Such plates were paved and wide pavements.

Every 56 meters of the wall were built a giant tower with the loopholes for the archers and facilities for slingers. Thus, literally every inch of space in front of the fortifications was pressrelealse. The service in the Carthage was invited to the most accurate in the world the Balearic slingers. As the historians say, the sight of a flock of flying ducks, these snipers agreed, some kind of a bird is going to shoot, and every mistake met a thunderous laughter of the rest, for inaccurate shot was considered a disgrace.

Was in Carthage and inner Harbor, connected with the sea by a wide channel.

The bottom of the channel, and the harbour was laid with the same huge plates that were used in the construction of walls. Inside the city could accommodate 220 combat ships. All merchant ships of foreign States were obliged to stay at the roadstead at gunpoint powerful city kamnenosov.

A special source of income of the Carthaginians was trading information. Carthage knew all! Some scientists believe that seafarers of this metropolis even know about the existence of America. It was ruled in the city Council of elders, which had up to 300 permanent members. The highest Executive power belonged to two selected people to Supetar. So the possibility of dictatorship was excluded, these were chosen from the warring clans. However, even the most high positions were not particularly favourable in material terms - none "servant of the people" did not receive from the Treasury of the city penny. Remained bribes, but for them ruthlessly executed. Therefore, the public service were the largest owners hungry for fame. By the way, they like the most ordinary citizens, were obliged to sacrifice bloody gods of their firstborn.

To 264 BC interests of Carthage and Rome do not overlap. But then two "superpowers of the ancient world" grappled because of Sicily. The result of the Punic wars known to all. Carthage lost the war (often winning during the course) and was destroyed. Numerous colonies were conquered by Rome or looted local savages who no longer feared retribution iron hands "main town".

The first excavations of Carthage were undertaken by the Roman Emperor Nero. In the year 63 in his Palace has got some kind of Ceili the bass. He said that he found near Carthage cave tremendous depth where the walls are completely made of gold, and to the ceiling it's Packed with treasures Nero, without checking it, made at the expense of future mining Grand game of gladiators who had swept his Treasury. And then the Emperor was disappointing: arrived on the scene squad Praetorian dug all the places Stiliem, but found nothing. The bass referred to witchcraft, he was cast into prison, but later admitted crazy and released, and confiscated all the property.

Despite this, the existence of the treasures of Carthage no doubt. General Duval, who examined in 1949 from the plane, the place where he was Carthage, was one of the first archaeologists present, disturbing shadows cursed by the Romans in the city. First, he dug a channel that connected the inner Harbor to the sea, then the stone fragments temples bloodthirsty gods. And then he found clay tablets that scientists have been able to decipher only recently. It turns out that the richest rulers of the city, having a presentiment of near its fall (Scipio was already under the walls of Carthage), puts the entire city Treasury. Unfortunately, the exact place of burial of the hoard is unknown, it is clear only that it is located near the city. Even by today's standards it is a multibillion-dollar fortune.

Now in Tunisia, where are the ruins of Carthage, work and archaeologists, and "black Rangers". Some are already presented on this, robbing the rich burial of Carthage citizens. Open ruins of the city walls, the Acropolis, temples, cleared and straight as arrows street. Now Carthage - monument under the open sky, but his gold, treasures bloody priests and the city fathers are still waiting for its owner.