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where the civilisation of old Egypt and Asia was transfigured
（that is a big word； but you can ‘‘figure out'' what it means）
into something quite new； something that was much nobler and
finer than anything that had gone before。
When you look at the map you will see how by this time
civilisation has described a semi…circle。 It begins in Egypt；
and by way of Mesopotamia and the AEgean Islands it moves
westward until it reaches the European continent。 The first
four thousand years； Egyptians and Babylonians and Phoenicians
and a large number of Semitic tribes （please remember
that the Jews were but one of a large number of Semitic peoples）
have carried the torch that was to illuminate the world。
They now hand it over to the Indo…European Greeks； who become
the teachers of another Indo…European tribe； called the
Romans。 But meanwhile the Semites have pushed westward
along the northern coast of Africa and have made themselves
the rulers of the western half of the Mediterranean just when
the eastern half has become a Greek （or Indo…European） possession。
This； as you shall see in a moment； leads to a terrible conflict
between the two rival races； and out of their struggle arises
the victorious Roman Empire； which is to take this Egyptian…
Mesopotamian…Greek civilisation to the furthermost corners of
the European continent； where it serves as the foundation upon
which our modern society is based。
I know all this sounds very complicated； but if you get hold
of these few principles； the rest of our history will become a
great deal simpler。 The maps will make clear what the words
fail to tell。 And after this short intermission； we go back to
our story and give you an account of the famous war between
Carthage and Rome。
ROME AND CARTHAGE
THE SEMITIC COLONY OF CARTHAGE ON THE
NORTHERN COAST OF AFRICA AND THE
INDO…EUROPEAN CITY OF ROME ON THE
WEST COAST OF ITALY FOUGHT EACH
OTHER FOR THE POSSESSION OF THE
WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN AND CARTHAGE
WAS DESTROYED
THE little Phoenician trading post of Kart…hadshat stood
on a low hill which overlooked the African Sea； a stretch of
water ninety miles wide which separates Africa from Europe。
It was an ideal spot for a commercial centre。 Almost too ideal。
It grew too fast and became too rich。 When in the sixth century
before our era； Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon destroyed
Tyre； Carthage broke off all further relations with the Mother
Country and became an independent statethe great western
advance…post of the Semitic races。
Unfortunately the city had inherited many of the traits
which for a thousand years had been characteristic of the
Phoenicians。 It was a vast business…house； protected by a
strong navy； indifferent to most of the finer aspects of life。
The city and the surrounding country and the distant colonies
were all ruled by a small but exceedingly powerful group of
rich men； The Greek word for rich is ‘‘ploutos'' and the Greeks
called such a government by ‘‘rich men'' a ‘‘Plutocracy。'' Carthage
was a plutocracy and the real power of the state lay in
the hands of a dozen big ship…owners and mine…owners and
merchants who met in the back room of an office and regarded
their common Fatherland as a business enterprise which ought
to yield them a decent profit。 They were however wide awake
and full of energy and worked very hard。
As the years went by the influence of Carthage upon her
neighbours increased until the greater part of the African
coast； Spain and certain regions of France were Carthaginian
possessions； and paid tribute； taxes and dividends to the mighty
city on the African Sea。
Of course； such a ‘‘plutocracy'' was forever at the mercy of
the crowd。 As long as there was plenty of work and wages
were high； the majority of the citizens were quite contented；
allowed their ‘‘betters'' to rule them and asked no embarrassing
questions。 But when no ships left the harbor； when no ore
was brought to the smelting…ovens； when dockworkers and
stevedores were thrown out of employment； then there were
grumblings and there was a demand that the popular assembly
be called together as in the olden days when Carthage had
been a self…governing republic。
To prevent such an occurrence the plutocracy was obliged
to keep the business of the town going at full speed。 They
had managed to do this very successfully for almost five hun…
dred years when they were greatly disturbed by certain rumors
which reached them from the western coast of Italy。 It was
said that a little village on the banks of the Tiber had suddenly
risen to great power and was making itself the acknowledged
leader of all the Latin tribes who inhabited central Italy。
It was also said that this village； which by the way was called
Rome； intended to build ships and go after the commerce of
Sicily and the southern coast of France。
Carthage could not possibly tolerate such competition。 The
young rival must be destroyed lest the Carthaginian rulers
lose their prestige as the absolute rulers of the western
Mediterranean。 The rumors were duly investigated and in a
general way these were the facts that came to light。
The west coast of Italy had long been neglected by civilisation。
Whereas in Greece all the good harbours faced eastward
and enjoyed a full view of the busy islands of the AEgean；
the west coast of Italy contemplated nothing more exciting
than the desolate waves of the Mediterranean。 The country
was poor。 It was therefore rarely visited by foreign merchants
and the natives were allowed to live in undisturbed possession
of their hills and their marshy plains。
The first serious invasion of this land came from the north。
At an unknown date certain Indo…European tribes had managed
to find their way through the passes of the Alps and had
pushed southward until they had filled the heel and the toe of
the famous Italian boot with their villages and their flocks。
Of these early conquerors we know nothing。 No Homer sang
their glory。 Their own accounts of the foundation of Rome
（written eight hundred years later when the little city had become
the centre of an Empire） are fairy stories and do not belong
in a history。 Romulus and Remus jumping across each
other's walls （I always forget who jumped across whose wall）
make entertaining reading； but the foundation of the City of
Rome was a much more prosaic affair。 Rome began as a thousand
American cities have done； by being a convenient place
for barter and horse…trading。 It lay in the heart of the plains
of central Italy The Tiber provided direct access to the sea。
The land…road from north to south found here a convenient
ford which could be used all the year around。 And seven little
hills along the banks of the river offered the inhabitants a safe
shelter against their enemies who lived in the mountains and
those who lived beyond the horizon of the nearby sea。
The mountaineers were calle