the Romans redefined the European continent the spread of the Empire brought Roman civilization government in structure to lands which would one day have their own empires it’s difficult to imagine that it could have been entirely different before Rome ruled over the Mediterranean world it had a rival an equally powerful people across in North Africa Carthage Carthage ruled over the sea with their trade and wealth spreading their forces throughout Sicily North Africa and Spain with the growing Roman Republic tension developed between the two the Carthaginians and Romans eventually fought three wars against one another known as the Punic Wars Rome won all three conflicts and in the final war invaded Carthage itself which was sacked and destroyed the defeat against Carthage brought on centuries of Roman rule across Europe North Africa and the Middle East the defeat against Carthage brought on centuries of Roman rule but what if instead of Carthage being destroyed it defeated Rome during the Punic Wars say somehow the Carthaginians defeated the Romans and changed Western history what could this alternate timeline look like before we discuss the scenario we need to focus on some brief history what was Carthage the Carthaginians descended from Phoenicians who lived in present day Lebanon the city was founded on the Fertile coast of North Africa with nowhere else to turn its people went to the sea to make their fortune quickly the city-state created a vast trade network across the Mediterranean it’s gold and economy beckoned to the people of the time oversimplifying for the sake of time the First Punic War was mainly naval Rome was able to adapt Carthage technology and create their own formidable Navy Carthage lost this war and fell into disorder as they couldn’t pay their own mercenaries Carthage was weakened but was still a strong opponent after years of peace Rome and Carthage fought again in the second Punic War this was the one with Hannibal crossing the Alps with war elephants this war also lasting another 20 years Hannibal certainly deserves to be focused on much more but due to time I have to overgeneralize a lot of stuff about him Hannibal’s military genius led him to success after success against the Romans Hannibal’s army marched from Iberia toward the Italian peninsula his army barely holding on was able to cross into northern Italy catching the Romans completely surprise Hannibal rampage through Roman Italy for over 15 years hoping to bring a Roman surrender but without reinforcements Hannibal never went for Rome this decision to sacrum could have changed the entire history of Western civilization instead in our timeline Hannibal was recalled to help defend Carthage against the Romans in Africa keep in mind this is very much overgeneralizing by the end of the war Carthage’s empire was reduced to Tunisia Roman power was now unquestioned throughout the entire Mediterranean the third Punic War was basically Rome finishing off a Carthage that was already a shadow of its former self in just three years the Romans were able to sack Carthage itself slaughter the population burn down the city and sell the survivors into slavery Carthage’s history ended there in much of the documents kept about the city were destroyed by the Romans what if in this alternate timeline Rome is somehow defeated by Carthage Rome fades away and Carthage replaces it what if Carthage becomes the dominant power instead of Rome well here’s one scenario Carthage when it just swap places with the Romans Carthage and Rome were not similar civilizations they were both powerful rivals but accomplish their objectives by different means Rome was a militaristic society built by combat in his rulers shaped by war elite infantry were used to expand its borders which allowed the city-state to take over the entire Italian peninsula their power came through their strength Carthage was an economic society one that preferred trade and money over fighting and conquering their enemies while Rome had legions made up of its own citizens Carthage paid mercenaries to do their fighting what does this mean if Carthage was somehow able to bring down the Romans it’s unlikely they would have gone to conquer the vast territory Rome did the way Carthage could replace Roman influence is through trade routes and monetary assets with allies in this alternate timeline while still a powerful Empire and the Mediterranean it would be smaller less United but conquer the sea instead of mainly land now just replacing Rome in this alternate timeline would be drastic without the Roman Empire this region would be practically unrecognizable Europe’s entire identity would be changed Carthage never would be a unifying force like Rome was and while Rome held ideas of democracy see and belief seen throughout the West today its conquests indirectly led to the spread of the biggest belief that most changed Europe Christianity if Rome lost to Carthage Christianity never would have converted the Europeans won because without a safe unifying network from Italy Greece and Palestine to pass ideas the faith one it has spread so quickly and two without Roman adoption the faith wouldn’t have been legitimized Rome’s Empire was essential for the survival of Christianity and this alternate timeline Carthage doesn’t create the safe passage for religious ideas to spread at least not on land and there isn’t an empire to legitimize Christianity so Europe is never converted in this alternate timeline Europe is pagan and the North split among tribes Carthage would be the economic center of the Mediterranean world but it isn’t strong enough to conquer the Greeks Egyptians and other people like Rome had it had to pay mercenaries to do its fighting without the Romans and Byzantines the tribes of Central and North Europe basically do their own thing civilization remains across the Mediterranean which creates a split between the people of Greece and Italy with the Barbarian peoples of Germany in Britain with Carthage as an economic power perception of the West is shifted southern Europe North Africa and the Middle East would share a much more common identity than in our timeline with the barbarians being seen as other there’s a lot more to go into detail within a second part so that will be out at a later date what do you think this timeline would be like if Carthage replaced Rome say in the comments like on Facebook and subscribe if you have not done so this is Cody from the alternate history hub Video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzdC6EX6WSs
