Did the Ancient City of Carthage Have a Name in Hebrew?

Carthage, now an archaeological site and city of North Africa, had its original name in Phoenician/Punic, which was Qart-ados, meaning "New Town." This name is of great interest to scholars and people curious about the history and linguistic connections between the Phoenicians and the Hebrew-speaking peoples of ancient Israel.

The Phoenician/Punic Connection to Hebrew

Phoenician was a language very similar to Hebrew, belonging to the greater Canaanite family. Given this linguistic closeness, it is not surprising that elements of the Phoenician/Punic name Qart-ados can be found in Hebrew with almost identical forms. The question arises: did the ancient city of Carthage have a name in Hebrew?

Evidence from Historical Texts

While the name of Carthage is not explicitly mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) or any other Hebrew documents from Antiquity, there is strong evidence to suggest that it was known to cultured Israelites in its Hebrew form. Scholars argue that the likely Hebrew equivalent would have been Qeret adaa, a form that aligns with ancient Hebrew linguistic patterns.

It is worth noting that subsequent mentions of Carthage in Hebrew literature often come in the form of Talmudic texts. For instance, Carthage is mentioned in the Talmud under the Aramaic name Qarta adta. However, it's important to emphasize that Aramaic is not Hebrew. The Aramaic name indicates the city was known in the Aramaic-speaking world, but in the context of the Talmud, it is mentioned in antiquity, well after the heyday of Carthage.

Phonetic and Linguistic Analysis

Phoenician/Punic was written in a defective consonants-only script, moving from right to left. Therefore, the name Qart-ados could also be transliterated as Qrt-dt. Yet, thanks to the overwhelming evidence from comparative Semitic linguistics, we can be reasonably certain that the Qrt-dt form is accurate.

Phoenician/Punic scripts, like Old Hebrew and other Semitic languages, share common features and structures. By comparing the names and linguistic patterns, experts can trace the evolving phonetics and grammatical constructions. This comparison helps in understanding the phonetic evolution over time and provides insights into the names of places and concepts in different Semitic languages.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Carthage, an ancient Phoenician city, does not have a direct mention in Hebrew historical texts, its name likely existed in Hebrew through the form Qeret adaa. The connections between Phoenician/Punic and Hebrew demonstrate the rich interplay of languages in the ancient Near East, illustrating the complex linguistic and cultural exchanges between different civilizations.

This exploration of Carthage's name in Hebrew not only deepens our understanding of the linguistic relationships of the ancient world but also highlights the enduring importance of historical and linguistic research in uncovering the past.