Vivir en el Extremo Occidente

Abstract

The Carthaginian conquest of Iberia, commenced by Hamilcar Barca in 237 BCE, and later the Second Punic War, wrought significant and lasting changes in the politics, economy and society of all the towns and cities affected by them. This paper draws on classical sources to throw light on the social structure of the Iberian dominions of the Carthaginian Empire and the social policy pursued by Barcid strategists. The paper analyses the information available on each of the socio-economic groups comprising society in Iberia under the Carthaginian Empire—from aristocrats to slaves, including allies, subjects, soldiers, metoikoi and freedmen—in order to define their essential characteristics and their relations with Carthage.

Keywords

• Carthaginian Empire
• classical sources
• colonisation
• end 3rd Century BCE
• Iberia
• society