Carthaginian Peace is a term often used to describe the conditions of surrender imposed on the city of Carthage by the Roman Republic in 201 BCE. The spelling of the word "Carthaginian" is pronounced /kɑrθəˈdʒɪniən/, with the stress on the second syllable. The IPA phonetic transcription reveals the pronunciation of each letter and component of the word, including the soft "g" sound in the middle, the long "a" sound at the beginning, and the emphasis on the second syllable.
Carthaginian peace refers to a term used to define a peace settlement or treaty that is imposed on a defeated nation by the victors in a military conflict. The term originates from the historical context of the Punic Wars, specifically referring to the harsh peace conditions dictated by the Roman Republic upon the Carthaginian city-state after its defeat in the Second Punic War.
In a broader sense, Carthaginian peace embodies a punitive approach where the victor imposes severe terms on the vanquished, often intended to weaken or dismantle their political, economic, and military power. These terms typically involve the payment of massive reparations, the loss or surrender of territories, the disarmament of the defeated nation, and the imposition of harsh economic restrictions.
The concept of Carthaginian peace has persisted throughout history, often associated with wars and conflicts where the intent is to decisively defeat the enemy and render them incapable of future aggression. It reflects a mentality of domination and subjugation, where the victorious power seeks to secure its interests and ensure the defeated nation never poses a threat again.
However, the term can also be used pejoratively to criticize a peace settlement that is overly punitive, leading to long-term resentment and conflict, as it did in the case of Rome and Carthage. This highlights the dual nature of Carthaginian peace, representing both a strategy for ensuring security and a potential catalyst for future animosity.
The term "Carthaginian peace" is believed to originate from the conclusion of the Third Punic War between Rome and Carthage in 146 BCE. Following Rome's victory, the city of Carthage was completely destroyed, and its surviving inhabitants were either killed, enslaved, or driven into exile. This brutal and uncompromising approach towards the defeated enemy became known as a "Carthaginian peace" or "Carthaginian terms", implying a complete annihilation or total defeat without mercy or leniency. The term has since been used metaphorically to describe any excessively harsh or unforgiving peace settlement.