In conformity to this plan, we shall briefly notice
their first establishment in Spain, as it was from the mines of this
country that they drew great wealth, and thus were enabled, not only to
equip formidable fleets and armies, but also to extend their traffic very
considerably.
The city of Cadiz, was founded by the Phoenicians, as well as Carthage; and
as there was a close connection between most of the Phoenician colonies, it
is probable that some time before the Carthaginians established themselves
in Spain, they traded with the people of Cadiz: at any rate it is certain,
that when the latter were hard pressed by the Spaniards, they applied to
the Carthaginians for assistance: this was readily given, and being
effectual, the Carthaginians embraced the opportunity, and the pretext thus
afforded for establishing themselves in the part of Spain adjoining Cadiz.
It is singular, however, that though the Carthaginians were in possession
of Majorca and Minorca from so remote an antiquity, "that their first
arrival there is prior to every thing related of them by any historian now
extant," yet they do not seem to have established themselves on the main
land of Spain till they assisted the people of Cadiz. With respect to the
other foreign possessions of the Carthaginians, we have already seen that,
at the period of their first treaty with the Romans, they occupied Sardinia
and part of Sicily; and there are several passages in the ancient
historians, particularly in Herodotus, which render it highly probable that
they had establishments in Corsica about the same time.
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