Remembering Carthage

Dalu Jones traces the history of the great Phoenician city, the home of Hamilcar and Hannibal, condemned by Cato, conquered by Scipio Africanus, commemorated in Dido’s heart-rending lament and currently celebrated in an exhibition at the Colosseum in Rome

- Dalu Jones

The first film ever shown at the White House in Washington was an epic silent movie produced and directed by Giovanni Pastrone (1882–1959). The year was 1914 and the title of the film was Cabiria, visione storica del terzo secolo AC (Cabiria, a 3rd-century BC vision of history). A technical masterpiece, it was the precursor of future epic movies by directors, such as those by DW Griffith (1875–1948) and Fritz Lang (1890–1976) who tried to emulate it. Lasting for more than three hours, the film was shot in North Africa and Italy, where crucial battles of the 1st Punic War (264–241 BC) and 2nd Punic War (218–201 BC) were fought between the Carthaginian and Roman armies (these wars were the historical inspiration for the film). The word ‘Punic’ comes from the Latin Punicus (meaning ‘Phoenician’) to indicate the Carthaginian dominion.

The film’s narrative was written by the celebrated Italian poet, journalist and playwright Gabriele D’Annunzio (1863–1938) and its music was specially composed by two distinguished musicians Ildebrando Pizzetti (1880–1968) and Manlio Mazza (1888–1937).

The script for Cabiria was loosely based on Salammbo, a historical novel by Gustave Flaubert (18211880) published in 1862, and set in 3rd century BC Carthage before and during the mercenary revolt (240–238 BC) that took place in the city after the first Punic war was lost to Rome.