Phoenician chronology

The most crucial Phoenician date is that of the foundation of Carthage. The editor of this article has found four different dates in four books on the same bookshelf, in a library of a Brazilian university. They are ranging between 900 to 800 BCE, mainly round figures, indicating approximate dates. The alleged foundation of Carthage was 814 BCE. This may come from a misunderstanding, a relative date before Rome's foundation. This is the birthdate of Carthage's constitution, according to Cicero, The Republic, II, XVII-XXX.

Iulius Solinus, a Roman historian recorded that the destruction of Carthage in 146 BCE took place after 737 years of its existence, Carthago post annos 737 quam fuerat extructa exciditur. Also see Rees's Cyclopaedia under Carthage, or Rollin's Ancient History Volume I, Rollin's Roman History, Volumes III-V, or Ancient Universal History, Volumes XV-XVI. The date 146 BCE is not debated by any scholar. Therefore, reckoning with 737 full years, Carthage was founded in 883 or 884 BCE. Josephus Flavius Contra Apionem (Against Apion), Book I, 17-18 contains an important list of Phoenician rulers, including some high priests of Baal. One can read the complete text at the On-line Library of www.google.com as well.

Josephus Flavius tells that the whole time from the reign of Hirom (Hiram), till the building of Carthage, amounts to the sum of 155 years and 8 months. Since then the temple was built at Jerusalem in the twelfth year of the reign of Hirom, there were from the building of the temple, until the building of Carthage, one hundred forty-three years and eight months. The subtracting of Josephus works well, at least in this simple exercise. This sort of confirmation may indicate the possibility that he has got the total as a first-hand information, and the reader should not be bothered if other details of the list would not add up so perfectly. According to this, King Solomon started to build the temple in 1029 BCE, probably at the beginning of the 12th year after Hiram's accession. Hiram reigned 34 years (1040-1006 BCE), and died at the age of 53. Therefore, he was still alive twenty years after the beginning of Solomon's fourth year, and 1 Kings 9: 10-14 is right. The above list of Josephus confirms that Carthage was founded, or perhaps re-founded and enlarged, in 883 or 884 BCE. This took place in the seventh year after Pygmalion's accession, by his escaping sister Elissa, as Josephus tells. His father Mettinus (Matgenus or Mutgo, the priest of Baal, who is Mattan in 2 Kings 11: 18) and Queen Athaliah were slain in 891 or 890 BCE. Therefore, the Bible and the non-Christian Josephus who has cited these from Dius and Menander of Ephesus, agree accurately. Josephus, Wars VI, X.1 claims that David settled in Jerusalem 477 years and 6 months before its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar. The latter date is traditionally 587 BCE, therefore Josephus has placed that event at the beginning of 1064 BCE. It is well-known that, after this, David was king for 33 years in Jerusalem, till 1031. (Before his death, he appointed Solomon as king in 1032 BCE.)

A masterpiece entitled Ogygia of O'Flaherty (1685: 83-85) correctly lists several key dates of world history. From the Fall of Troy, or Troja excisae (2767 Anno Mundi) to the Milesian (Gaidelic) conquest (A.M. 2934) we can calculate 167 years of difference, so they correspond to 1183/2 and 1016/5 BCE, accordingly. From the latter he claims 133 years to Carthage's reconstruction, and 263 years to Varro's date for the foundation of Rome. Also, 1016 less 133 years yield 883 again, and 1016 minus 263 years give us the traditional 753 BCE. Considering all these, the foundation of Carthage can be placed in 883 BCE.

For more details in general, see Wikipedia's Phoenicians. For the detailed list of Phoenician kings refer to the Phoenician chronology of Josephus Flavius below. For the events related to their Jewish neighbors, refer to the chronology of Israel. It is necessary to add that many modern authorities do not accept any data that had originated from antique Jewish sources or historians regarding Old Testament times, claiming that all their records are unaccurate. The present editor believes that most of those Jewish historical information is true and correct.

List of Phoenician kings and high priests

10....-1040 Abibalus

1040-1006 Hirom or Hiram, his son, lived 53, reigned 34 years.

1006-...... Baleazarus, son of Hiram, lived 43, reigned 7 years.

......-...... Abdastartus, son of Baleazarus, lived 29, reigned 9 years.

......-...... Eldest son of his nurse, reigned 12 years.

......-...... Astartus, son of Deleastartus, lived 54, reigned 12 years.

......-...... Aserymus, brother of Astartus, lived 54, reigned 9 years.

......-...... Pheles, lived 50 years, reigned 8 months.

......-...... Ithobalus (Ethbaal), lived 68, reigned 32 years.

......-...... Badezorus, son of Ithobalus, lived 45, reigned 6 years.

899-890 Matgenus, son of Badezorus, lived 32, reigned 9 years.

890-843 Pygmalion. His sister Elissa fled in his 7th regnal year and founded Carthage in 883.

We have left some of the dates blank, because the regnal years do not add up perfectly. Theophylus, Menander, and other Greek historians give slightly different figures for some of the Phoenician reigns. Combined these with the regnal years given by Josephus, a more accurate Phoenician chronology can be established. For more information about these details, refer to a book written by (Dr.) N. Davis, Carthage and its remains that was published in the 1890's.