Carthage, 450–350 BCE
Hybrid Regime · Republic · Mediterranean · Classical Antiquity era
The mature Carthaginian republic, an oligarchic mercantile power dominating the western Mediterranean through trade and Sicilian wars.
By the classical period Carthage was an oligarchic republic in which suffete magistrates, a senate and powerful mercantile families governed a maritime empire of colonies and trading posts across the western Mediterranean. Its wealth rested on trade and tribute, and its wars were fought largely by mercenary armies. Recurrent conflict with the Greek cities of Sicily, especially Syracuse, defined its external politics.
Dominant patterns
- External Expansion
- Militarization
- Democratization
- Great-Power Rivalry
Political-science factor profile
Each factor 0–100; higher = stronger authoritarian / crisis pole (except institutional stability, where higher = stronger institutions).
| Centralization of Power | 55 |
| Media Control | 45 |
| Repression | 42 |
| Nationalism | 52 |
| Militarization | 62 |
| Economic Stress | 35 |
| External Conflict | 68 |
| Cult of Personality | 45 |
| Elite Fragmentation | 55 |
| Institutions | 62 |
| Social Polarization | 45 |
| Corruption & Patrimonialism | 50 |
| Ideological Mobilization | 48 |
| External Sovereignty | 90 |
Economy & society
| GDP per capita | $900 (intl-$) |
| Population | 2.5M people |
| Share of world population | 1.6% |
| Territory | ~250k km² |
| Capital population | ~150k |
Closest historical twins
The country-eras whose structural profile most resembles Carthage 450–350 BCE, by similarity score (0–100).
- France, 1946–1968 – similarity 95/100 · shared: External Expansion, Militarization, Democratization, Great-Power Rivalry
- Habsburg Monarchy, 1740–1780 CE – similarity 91/100 · shared: External Expansion, Militarization, Democratization, Great-Power Rivalry
- France, 1900–1914 – similarity 91/100 · shared: External Expansion, Militarization, Democratization, Great-Power Rivalry
- Roman Republic, 450–390 BCE – similarity 88/100 · shared: External Expansion, Militarization, Democratization, Great-Power Rivalry
- Great Britain, 1688–1727 CE – similarity 87/100 · shared: External Expansion, Militarization, Democratization, Great-Power Rivalry
- Great Britain, 1727–1760 CE – similarity 87/100 · shared: External Expansion, Militarization, Democratization, Great-Power Rivalry
- United States, 1945–1968 – similarity 87/100 · shared: External Expansion, Militarization, Democratization, Great-Power Rivalry
- France, 1870–1900 – similarity 86/100 · shared: External Expansion, Militarization, Democratization, Great-Power Rivalry
What followed
- A commercial empire across the western Mediterranean.
- Long wars with the Greek cities of Sicily.