Scorched Earth: The Razing Of Carthage | The Roman Holocaust | Odyssey

Historian and archaeologist Dr Richard Miles explores why Rome's leaders were so intent on destroying the rival empire of Carthage. Miles visits key sites of the period to assess what made the exotic civilization such a threat, and reveals how the destruction of this largely forgotten culture has been called the Hiroshima of the classical world.
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[@jojor9766]

The Carthaginian religion was the same one practiced in ancient Canaan. The Hebrews claimed that the Canaanites sacrificed their own children. The Greeks claimed that the Carthaginians sacrificed their own children. Then the Romans made the same claim. While it is true that enemies will often assign any number of ill behaviors to their foes that are not necessarily true; sometimes they are true. Child sacrifice is a very particular accusation that is unlikely to have been come up with out of thin air. The Romans, Greeks and Hebrews all came into conflict with each other. Oddly enough they never accused each other of the practice. It was also, not an accusation that was not leveled generally against other enemies.

[@karnak327]

I think it was Tertullian, a Christian writer living in Roman Carthage (I could be mistaken about the author's name) who also stated that child sacrifices were still being performed illegally on his time.

[@virtualtitus]

Shoot I didn't scroll down, before making virtually the same comment

[@jojor9766]

@@virtualtitus Well great minds think alike. The other guy who commented pointed out that after New Carthage was built that a Christian chronicler recorded that people following the Punic religion would continue secretly practicing child sacrifice even after the Roman conquest. I have not checked it out but if true that would seem to be the nail in the coffin for the argument. The author of the documentary really has it in for the Romans.

[@h0rriphic]

What is the name of this religion that requires children to be sacrificed??

[@karnak327]

@@h0rriphic Cult of Moloch

[@claudiachurch4285]

This documentary was excellent ,I so enjoyed his passion and enthusiasm , he convinced me

[@nocount1]

Don't mess with Rome. Rome don't simp for no one.

[@iamnoone348]

Well it was war... had Carthage won, they wouldn't have shown mercy on Rome either.

[@helmuthjoachimhofer7550]

...still a current issue,that ;-)

[@Benmansouramine9153]

Rome is a trivial thing and they blow it up, but believe me, the facts will come out in the future and Rome will explode and reveal who is really the maker of civilization and who is not, civilization is not for the Colosseum cows the civilization for merchants

[@joselynmikolajczak8374]

Love your lover the way this man loves Carthage

[@jojor9766]

Like the Roman and Hellenic religions I have never heard a name given to it. I would presume it would be called the Phoenician or Punic religion. If by your question you mean to suggest that it is not the same one condemned by the Hebrews I would remind you that the people of Canaan were Phoenicians as were the Carthaginians. Baal worship was mentioned as integral part of the Carthaginian religion by the documentary and is mentioned by the Hebrews as part of the Canaanite religion that exalted in child sacrifice.

[@lempira1421]

So sad....why do you believe the Bible is a reliable source of information? It was written by anonymous writers nobody knows who tney were....how can we trust what it is written in the Bible.?

[@jojor9766]

You do not have to believe the Bible is the inerrant word of God to grant it some credibility. If we refuse to grant credence to any document that lacks corroborating documentation then we will have to throw out practically all documents found from the ancient time period. The Bible does have assertions that have been borne out. For instance the Hittite Empire was only relatively recently determined to have been in fact a powerful empire. It had been assumed contrary to the Bible that the Hittites had been some local tribe that tiny Israel imagined was a great empire. In any case the assertions align fully with both those of Greek and Roman writers which have fuller provenance.

[@aadityapratap007]

Far better than Netflix.

[@austins8533]

“Always side with your audience “. -the media

[@robertgreen9150]

I remember when taken Latin studying Karthag!! Quite crazy!

[@nasirmahmood2286]

You definitely produce marvelous work.

[@starkilr101]

Da Vinci’s Demons music. Nice

[@shadowmihaiu]

Yup, Carthage's history written by Rome. But then, mess with the best, die like the rest. It was an existential struggle, and Rome was correct about that. No point in feeling sorry for Carthage - they weren't happy to play nice at any particular time either.

[@ivandicivan4189]

I am just curious about something, what makes people of Anglo-Saxon origin (many people in the comments bellow) to side with the Romans? If we try to view Punic wars and compare them to modern day situation, Anglo-Saxon empire is basically Carthage, naval power that operates through complex network of alliances (NATO), financial trade power, while barring no similarity to Rome at all. Something closest to Rome in recent history was Germany before 1945. Today Russia as land power has some resemblance to Rome (although it is too disorganized to be properly comaparble), while Anglo Five-Eyes have zero.

[@sincitycapital]

Do Russians take Carthage's side?

[@dimitarmitev7176]

The people(s), the common folk are always feeling closer to the continental, land civilization and cultural model. The elites are those, who are the maritime/pirating/colonizing/financial/war proponents... That may explain your and mine amuzilement of this :)

[@lucbreau3047]

Very well done :-)

[@oviliatam7540]

謝謝~♡♡♡

[@DMBall]

Talk about hyperbole: Hiroshima, Holocaust, annihilation, massacred, scorched earth, wasteland. Couldn't the producer bring himself to say "You're a little over the top, there, Miles?"

[@TomasBradvica]

this guy hates romans,thats 4 sure

[@jaekn]

How did this guy steal Jemaine Clement's voice?

[@jackieviolet3375]

Loved the documentary,but I question the sacrifices of babies and children,it will take a few more years of studt before the assumption of sacrifice or natural death occured. Very interesting because one scholar against the other until proof is given. will be eating humble pie......lol I could be totally wrong as well.

[@robertgreen9150]

At 22:00 shows this to be true survival rate quite low!

[@ChrisTenalach77777]

Mis information channel. The Etruscan have bath 500years for Carthage even exist. Etruscan living in today Toscany north of Carthage and near of Rome

[@PreyingWolf1]

It seems to me the Romans could have gotten a lot of what you say in your conclusion from the Greek empire ....

[@johndole9810]

Ceterum censeo Cathagenim esse delendam.

[@francesbernard2445]

During any war people who survive as enemies the whole time are taking notes on how to win a war. Then if those survivors don't focus more on being thankful for being alive while forgiving but not forgetting then while they are often ruminating about their losses the chances that another war will break out against the innocent descendants of the other side involved some of whom may be unborn. Because of that wars over human history time became more and more bloodthirsty for human flesh and damaging to mother nature too. Our Lord along with whoever obeys him are hoping to help end all of that.

[@maapaa2010]

Lets be real Roman culture was actually mostly Etruscan. The Etruscans too have almost nothing surviving after Rome conquered it..

[@straytarnish9443]

Mean people suck

[@andreasleonardo6793]

Nice video showing Carthagen rising up and there holocaust by Roman victory invading authority and after Carthagen defeated ...in simple thinks ( if you holds civilisation with right hand its necessary or must be holding superiority defense powers in left hand)

[@juliusschwencke142]

..annoying having to listen to the tyranny of Rome in appropriating what the Carthagians had established, and then having to believe that conquest by shopping was a more appropriate way to establish an empire. The Carthaginians were wiped out by a superior force, and if you wish to protect your empire, then militarily, the price of strategic and tactical prowess is essential. It wasn't an overnight victory but the Roman's achieved it comprehensively. SPQR.

[@TomasBradvica]

i aint watching this shit

[@josiecamilo7098]

The Greek city was burned by the Romans because of religion. The royalty wanted all to be Catholic. So sad!

[@susanlablanc3699]

rome copied almost everything from carthage.

[@nate4003]

The Hiroshima of the classical world!?!? So many things wrong and stupid about this comment and how they view this entire subject...

[@jjt1881]

Sorry, but after reading all the evidence in favor, and against human sacrifices in Carthage, the principle of Occam’s Razor indicates that child sacrifices did occur.

[@kw19193]

Throughout his career Miles has dithered regarding Punic infanticide. The feeling amongst a majority of Punic scholars, archaeologists, and researchers is that the Carthaginians did indeed sacrifice their children in periods of great peril. Whether Miles is simply being contrarian or truly believes that babies were not sacrificed at the Tophet only he knows. He used to believe that they did, now he does not. Give him time, he may change his mind yet again. Cheers!

[@maryann4827]

More facts and less dramatic music, please?

[@Mark1JT]

So the part about child sacrifice by burning alive... conclusion was that they were cremated which seems plausible, but what did the adult Carthaginians do with their dead? Cremation, burial, etc? If it wasn't cremation then why the difference between children and adults?

[@graceamerican3558]

I’m sure that history of Carthage was written by a Roman. To the victor goes the spoils.

[@tst4783]

Also, the urns that contained the burnt remains of birds and animals. I doubt they were cremated and buried with honour.

[@aa-zz6328]

Maybe because of space!

[@graceamerican3558]

@@seankrezanoski6840 That can be true. I have just not seen all of the evidence. And yes I was going by generalization over a long period of time.

[@farinden]

The difference is not altogether odd or implausible either. Babies often received different rites or places of burial than older children and adults. There have been found hearth burials of babies in ancient Greece, for example, instead of them having been interred in a cemetery.

[@josh656]

"Perverted practices?" ...I'm listening.

[@robertalpy9422]

The Cananites who were the ancestors were hated and wiped out of Judea by The Hebrews for sacrificing people to Baal. So the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians were not the only ones who hated the Phoenicians for human sacrifice. When all the ancient world says they did it than why doubt the accounts of so many cultures.

[@robertalpy9422]

@@jonathanroark7114 The passion,Death,Resurrection and transubstantiation are not a human sacrifice in the way you mean it. Though it may appear that way to a pagan. That thought led to the deaths of many Christians and in time the deaths of many pagans who saw it as only that. Much blood was spilt for that mistaken path of thought. What's done is done though. No use crying over spilt milk.

[@celebrityrog]

@@jonathanroark7114 Except religion and its followings are all made up. There isn't a God there wasn't an immaculate conception but there was a lot of miseducation, less understanding of life, earth and space let alone about viruses and bacteria... for all we know mass hysteria from some bad crops or a brain prion that's caused people unknowingly to associate what they think of as miracles really just brain rot.

[@emilnarud5955]

The Hebrews were Canaanites themselves. Rome hated Carthage bc it was their only serious rival for control of the Mediterranean. Anyway, human sacrifice (if it indeed took place) would not have tugged on the conscience of the Romans considering they utterly destroyed a city of >500,000 including women, children, elderly, etc. and showed similar ruthlessness against Gauls, Iberians, Britons, etc. Something like one million Gauls perished in Caesar's conquest with many more enslaved.

[@lempira1421]

Judea? Have you seen in a map? What greatness did Israel or Judea have in the ancient world? Today, we are discovering that David was at best a chieftain not a king like the Bible claims....the Bible is not a reliable source of information and archeology is showing us how inaccurate the Bible is

[@robertalpy9422]

@@ian6796 both the canaanites and the cartheginians are of Phoenician decent. If you find Baal worshipers you can be guaranteed they are decended from Phoenicians.

[@clarkstartrek]

And Gaius Julius Caesar rebuilt it as a Roman Military Colony for his Veterans to settle on. And the German Tribe of Vandals made it their Capital.

[@MohamedAliBelhaj]

Thanks for your courage to question the mainstream narrative. Chances are high that Conflicts of interests affected the results of the archaeological researches about child sacrifices. I wish you make an episode about the Carthaginian heritage in the American continent.

[@deepvalley6698]

All the same shit since more than 2800 years. Gosh.

[@jl696]

The Carthaginians did practice child sacrifice. This has been confirmed by archaeologists and academics..... Hannibal did such a good job of killing Romans that the only way the Romans could exorcise the terror they felt was to was to annihilate Carthage and remove that fear forever. I'm not saying that the Romans were justified in what they did but, after learning all they went through in the 2nd Punic war, I understand why they did it.

[@graceamerican3558]

What you said “what Rome does as a group; Carthage does individually.” That’s quite profound- my thoughts anyway.

[@helmuthjoachimhofer7550]

It seems to me the creator of this story might'vee been reincarnated as a Carthaginian at say Hamilkar Barkas' time right then and there ? !! So hey! Been there done that too ) just a gen.earlier say... No joke,i mean it.

[@davidleebls1874]

Cato : Carthage must be destroyed

[@irobott3713]

I commend you on such a profesional job well done

[@wesssalter622]

“Good artists borrow, great artists steal.” -Picasso. Rome was a master ‘artist.’

[@lf1496]

Another way of saying it is, "They were THIEVES"🙄

[@FAMA-18]

@@lf1496 What are you saying they were thieves, do you know the definition of war what it means..? One must loose in order for the other to survive. Rome gave Carthage later on infrastructure .

[@davesbainrps6909]

Like China steals today

[@pocketstring3634]

The Romans were too noble for human sacrifice, so they renamed it “ritual killing”. The Greeks had their dark practices to Zeus on mount lykaion and then there’s Agamemnon’s daughter Iphigenia, sacrificed in order to conquer Troy. The Egyptians had no problem taking their servants with them into the afterlife, the Chinese emperors had similar burial practices with many concubines and servants. Human sacrifice was all over the ancient world, including Abraham, but context is everything.

[@ronmaximilian6953]

Carthago est delenda

[@Benmansouramine9153]

You say this because you know that the civilization of Carthage is more beautiful and Rome you know that it is a trivial city that has no civilization Say it and promise it. This word did not scare us, but you are the ones who kept dreaming of a nightmare named Hannibal, as if an angry god would destroy you at any moment You frighten your children with it to sleep, but no matter how hard you try, as you turn the pages of your bloody history, the Colosseum cows, you will find a breaker of your prestige, like a face without a nose. Commenting on the aftermath of the battle, Titus Livius is as follows: Battle of Cannae Rome was terrified, for Rome had never suffered such a wound. two armies and two consuls were lost, there was no more Roman camp, no general, no single soldier; Almost all of Italy came under Hannibal's feet. Certainly, there is no other country that will not surrender after such a catastrophe How to open your mouth and speak with rudeness and prestige You know what the results of the Punic wars taught us who is the honourable And not honor with your complete collapse, we did not enter Rome and we did not kill a single innocent person, although I am angry with Hannibal, why did he not end you, but the problem is that we are honourable and we will remain so, broken prestige Civilization collapses and we remain honourable heroes. History reminds us that we have dignity and pride Honor, then honor, then honor, and nothing but honor

[@wisemansocrates]

@@Benmansouramine9153 whatever barbarian. Romā Vīctrīx!

[@andrenewcomb3708]

Carthage had religious practices of infantile extermination.

[@theoneandonlycharliechill363]

Love your Channel.

[@yahwehforchristians]

Must have looked like an apocalypse. Amazing. שלם

[@robertgreen9150]

Survival of the young was never a good rate so one could deduce why finding young bones!

[@riverlady982]

It's not like there hasn't been plenty of cultures over the years that sacrificed babies, children, young virgins, and captives. I don't see why it's that difficult to believe it happened at times. Even Troy and Rome if I remember correctly threw imperfect children to their deaths 😔. It's beginning to happen today in a way with undesired children after all.

[@dimitarmitev7176]

Sparta.

[@maapaa2010]

You make too many assumptions more facts and less opinions

[@manarennasri4776]

If only Hannibal was not merciful 😢

[@Hborn]

How much were the mercenaries paid

[@dimitarmitev7176]

Wallstreet must fall! 😁

[@Fush1234]

Sounds to me like chinas attitude today

[@zootallure4819]

Carthaginians worshiped Nimrod. So do Christians today. Traditions of men make void the word of GOD.

[@tinyGrim1]

Thank you

[@Sonofagreatdad]

So boring. On and on about burning kid offerings .

[@cyan1616]

Replace the word "Rome" with the word "Corporation" and you have the modern world of American business.

[@cherifbessaoud5348]

Carthage got what it deserved,HANNIBAL occupied the Italian peninsula for at least 15 years , he never lost a battle,and killed no less then 600.000 Roman soldiers , consuls and innocent people ... And yet Carthage did not come to support his brillient campain, that fact was the beginning of the end of the corrupt Carthaginian gov and beginning the genocide committed by Rome. It is a fact that history is written by the victors, killers that dropped napalm bombs in Vietnam, mesopotamia distroyed by Bush Jr etc are presented as campains for democracy.....But no denial HANNIBAL is still considered a gread leader and military commander second to none , exept for Alexander of Macedon.

[@jimmyandersson9938]

Carthage did try to support Hannibal, but the problem was Rome managed to defeat those new armies before they could reach him

[@cherifbessaoud5348]

@@jimmyandersson9938 weak govs always go under, carthage was destroyed forever thanks to its own politicians personal gains and that reduced them to be slaves and erradicated and their 800 year history erased....

[@crushinglove7087]

Daddy 💋 lol

[@paulscottfilms]

Completely excellent. It made me sad to think what the Romans did . Hannibal's conquest reaped terrible rewards

[@helmuthjoachimhofer7550]

Great logic ! Now add the Etrurians, go see Tyros nd Baalbeck nd follow arks in that vain . all the way back to Aeneas at he night he left his wife and child in Troy burning in their very own bonfire. Wow. Left Dido in Carthage 2. went to Italy . Bingo . It seems to me all Roma added 're : a 25 687 'm. of roads and 16 legions to spill a mere 10 000 hekatombs of human blood over 1110 yrs. of prominence and on to another 2k years of a Pope in Rome. I am not impressed. Rome was built on the slave cultures she made just as she was built on the Gold of Erez. Jerusalem 70 A.D. Rome was is ... A parasitic sovereign nothing more. I love Carthage

[@wisemansocrates]

At least we don't sacrifice infants. Carthago delenda est. Romā Vīctrīx!

[@richarde.martinez684]

Their are many tales to be told about my life! I can not explain to you all everything right now but I will!

[@richarde.martinez684]

I have always done things by my self! I lost my dad at age six! Yes at age 19 teen I have done things all alone with help from good people in my life!