See the ships of war; and though the admiral, from his
palace, could perceive whatever was doing at sea, it was impossible that
from the sea any thing in the inward harbour could be perceived.
Nor were these advantages, though numerous and great, the only ones which
Carthage enjoyed as a maritime city; for its situation was so admirably
chosen, and that situation so skilfully rendered subservient to the grand
object of the government and citizens, that even in case the accidents of
war should destroy or dispossess them of one of their harbours, they had it
in their power, in a great measure, to replace the loss. This was
exemplified in a striking and effective manner at the time when Scipio
blocked up the old port; for the Carthaginians, in a very short time, built
a new one, the traces and remains of which were plainly visible so late as
the period when Dr. Shaw visited this part of Africa.
Carthage, at a comparatively early period of its history, possessed a very
large extent of sea coast, though in it there were but few harbours fitted
for commerce. The boundaries of the Carthaginian dominions on the west were
the Philaenorum Arae, so called from two brothers of this name, who were
buried in the sand at this place, in consequence of a dispute between the
Carthaginians and the Cyreneans, respecting the boundaries of their
respective countries.
