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 Town history |
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As its name suggests, the primeval city of Cartagena was founded by the Carthaginians in the year 227 BC. This enclave has been a significant commercial and marine harbor of Spain for as long as history can remember. The township was formerly called Cartago Nova (new Carthage), and is almost synonymous to Hannibal Barca, the renowned General of Carthage (today a suburb of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia) who crossed the Alps with his elephants to fight the Romans during the second Punic War. The term "Punic Wars" refers to the chain of wars between Rome and Carthage during the third and second centuries BC. Hannibal Barca would spend the next years of his life spearheading battles, all in the name of conquering southeastern Spain in the 220s BCE.
After many years of war efforts, Hannibal was overpowered by the Romans, and the defeat led him to lose control of Spain. Naturally, the Carthaginians were barred from Spain in 206 BC and Cartagena was therefore colonized by the Romans. The political turnover to the Romans gave birth to several progressions to an already great city, with developments like thoroughfares, bridges, and other infrastructures proliferating throughout the city. Considering the fact that Cartagena has undergone numerous unrest even to the point of destruction, the Roman empire had in turn brought harmony and opulence to the city for several centuries.
Eventually, the Roman kingdom also met its fall. The authority was then handed over to the Visigoths, a rough German tribe and a division of the Goths. Nonetheless, the Visigoth kingdom in Cartagena was thinned out due to the constant disagreements amongst the nobles. This led to the triumph of the Moors (Arabs) when they arrived to take control of Cartagena and other parts of Spain in the year 711. Then, civil conflict rose during the 11th century, and the Moorish Emir was dethroned by resident Spaniards, paving the way for a sovereign territory, including the modern provinces of Alicante and Almeria.
In the year 1243, Cartagena and its neighboring provinces were fought for and taken by King Alfonso X of Castille and Leon. This leadership transition made Murcia the provincial capital, and remains as so today.
Cartagena has always kept its importance as the official nautical center of operations for Spain. Over the centuries, it has also remained as a major trading harbor for the country, along with the 20th century rival ports of Barcelona, Valencia and Malaga.
Nowadays, the city of Cartagena is more than just a chief seaport. Its colorful history alone, made evident by its outstanding edifices, will surely offer tourists a host of interesting places to visit. Moreover, industrial progress is visibly manifest in this beautiful city.
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