Saturday, May 10, 2025

11.08.25: H & B; level 2; reading; The First Punic War (264-241 B.C.)

Tyriī ōlim in Āfricā haud procul ab Hispāniā colōniam collocāverant magnamque urbem, Carthāginem nōmine, aedificāverant: huius urbis incolae Poenī vocābantur. Hī per mercātūram magnās dīvitiās comparāvērunt fīnitimōsque populōs imperiō suō adiūnxērunt: urbem ingentibus mūrīs mūnīverant templīsque pulcherrimīs ōrnāverant. Multa in historiā dē illīus gentis crūdēlitāte nārrantur: ducēs, sī in bellō vīctī erant, sine misericordiā occīdēbant; īnfantēs suōs dīs immolābant. Omnium iam populōrum Rōmānī et Poenī potentissimī erant: inter aemulās gentēs causa bellī mox invenītur. In Siciliā Hierō, rēx Syrācūsārum, Māmertīnōs obsīdēbat: Rōmānī ad Māmertīnōs, Poenī ad Hierōnem auxilium mīsērunt. Tum Hierō pācem amīcitiamque cum Rōmānīs cōnfirmāvit, Poenī sōlī cum Rōmānīs bellum gerēbant ōramque Ītaliae nāvibus vastābant.

adiungō, -ere, adiunxī, adiunctus [3]: add, join [+ dative]: populōs imperiō suō adiūnxērunt

Mamertīnī: Mamertines

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamertines

Tyrius, -a, -um: Tyrian; of Tyre

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyre,_Lebanon

[1] Lines 1 – 4; translate into English (13)*

Tyriī ōlim in Āfricā haud procul ab Hispāniā colōniam collocāverant magnamque urbem, Carthāginem nōmine, aedificāverant: huius urbis incolae Poenī vocābantur. Hī per mercātūram magnās dīvitiās comparāvērunt fīnitimōsque populōs imperiō suō adiūnxērunt: urbem ingentibus mūrīs mūnīverant templīsque pulcherrimīs ōrnāverant.

[2] Lines 5 – 6 (ducēs … immolābant) How did the Carthaginians treat [i] conquered leaders, and [ii] the children? (4)

[3] Lines 6 – 7: Omnium iam populōrum Rōmānī et Poenī potentissimī erant.

Identify the case and number of the words in bold and explain why it is being used. (2)

[4] Lines 7 – end (inter aemulās … vastābant)

Which of the following statements are true?

Neighbouring nations were already at war.

Rivalry was the reason for war.

Hiero was the king of Syracuse.

Hiero was the king of the Mamertines.

The Mamertines beseiged the Romans.

Hiero besieged the Mamertines.

The Romans sent help to Hiero.

The Romans sent help to the Mamertines.

The Carthaginians sent help to Hiero.

Hiero and the Carthaginians made peace with the Romans.

Hiero made peace with the Romans.

Only the Carthaginians made peace with the Romans.

The Carthaginians waged war with the Romans.

The Carthaginian infantry attacked the Romans.

Roman cities were laid waste.

The Carthaginian fleet destroyed the Italian coast.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Punic_War

An aerial photograph of the remains of the naval base of the city of Carthage. The remains of the mercantile harbour are in the centre and those of the military harbour are bottom right. Before the war Carthage had the most powerful navy in the western Mediterranean. (The Oxford History of the Classical World, 1986)

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*[i] At one time, [ii] the Tyrians had placed a colony in Africa [iii] far from Spain and [iv] had built a great city [v] by the name of Carthage, and [vi] the inhabitants of this city were called Carthaginians. [vii] They / these people obtained great wealth / riches [viii] through trade / commerce and [ix] joined the neighbouring nations to their own empire: [x] they fortified the city [xi] with huge walls and [xii] decorated (it) [xiii] with very beautiful temples.

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