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By h.b. - Sep 12, 2007 - 4:59 PM
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Los Mastienos - Photo www.carthaginesesyromanos.com
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This fiesta takes place in the second half of September and celebrations run for ten days
The city which is home to Spain’s main Mediterranean naval base, Cartagena, in the Murcia Region, was, as its name suggests, founded by the Carthaginians.
It was founded as Qart Hadasht (Punic for new city) by the Carthaginian general, Hasdrubal, in around 227, and soon became the Carthaginians’ main centre of operations in the Mediterranean.
Then came the Second Punic War and the Carthaginian commander, Hannibal, departed from Qart Hadasht in the Spring of 218 BC for his epic march over the Pyrenees and the Alps into northern Italy at the head of an army of thousands of troops, cavalry and war elephants.
Hannibal’s campaign against the Romans in Italy was to last for 16 years.
Rome was meanwhile concentrating its campaign outside Italy in Hannibal’s main source for fresh troops and supplies, Iberia. A heavy defeat at the Battle of the Upper Baetis in 211 BC wiped out almost the entire Roman army, and a new commander was sent to lead the Roman campaign in Spain.
Publius Cornelius Scipio, the man who would later defeat Hannibal in the Battle of Zama in 202, arrived in northern Spain in 210 BC, when all Spain South of the Ebro River was in Carthaginian control. He decided to make a daring assault on the Carthaginian capital in Hispania, and marched his troops from Tarragona to Qart Hadasht in the southeast in early Spring the following year, reaching the city in less than a week.
Hit by a joint attack from land and sea, Qart Hadasht was quickly taken and became Carthago Nova – New Carthage.
Today, the people of Cartagena celebrate that period of their rich history with the Cartagineses y Romanos festival, running for 10 days in the second half of September.
These relatively recent celebrations open on the penultimate Friday of the month with a call to the gods for the sacred fire to light the torch which will remain lit night and day throughout the festival. Later on that night, is the presentation of the Carthaginian troops and the Roman Legions, before they march to the festival’s military camp.
The following days see a living chess tournament, the wedding of Hannibal and Himilce, a Roman circus, and the Carthaginians disembarking in the port before a re-enactment of Hannibal’s departure from Qart Hadasht to Rome with 90,000 troops, 12,000 cavalry and 50 war elephants.
The next Friday sees the recreation of the sea battle which formed part of the Roman forces’ two-pronged attack on the city more than 2,000 years ago, followed that afternoon by the Legions disembarking to join their land troops before Qart Hadasht is taken for Rome.
The battle ends with the capitulation of the Carthaginian commander, and a victorious march through the streets of New Carthage by the Legions who took the city for Rome.
The final day sees a homage to the Roman soldiers who fell in the battle, and forces from both sides parade through the streets of Cartagena.
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Comments
perrito
16 Sep 2007, 15:34
16 Sep 2007, 15:34
Please is there anyone who knows the programme and dates for the various
events at the Roman and Carthaginian fiesta?
linda willsher
18 Sep 2007, 16:06
18 Sep 2007, 16:06
please does anyone know the exact programme for this festival for this year
perrito
18 Sep 2007, 16:24
18 Sep 2007, 16:24
I have now found programme for the above event.
Friday sept 21
Opening activities, 8 p.m. sacred fire lit by priestesses, vestal virgins, goddesses, princesses and ladies at the Parque Torres. 9 p.m. opening address at town hall, followed by march the the festival camp with opening ceremony scheduled for 10.45
Monday sept 23
wedding of Hannibal and Imilice 9 p.m. Parque Torres, Latin Fair in the Camp´s Roman street same time.
Tuesday 25 sept
day of the goddess and oracle, Tanit, 9 p.m. parque torres.
Wednesday sept 26.
grand roman circus, football stadium 9.15 p.m.
Thursday sept 27
dedicated to the carthaginian navy landing and start of hannibal´s march on Rome. 7 p.m. town hall, 8 p.m. carthaginian landing nearby, parade starts town hall 9 p.m.
Friday sept 28
commemorates the roman victory. naval battle 11 a.m. waterfront, parachute display 12.15, roman army lands 5.30 p.m. march along waterfront to cuesta del batel where big bttle with carthaginians will take place. 8.30 p.m. grand roman victory parade.
Saturday sept 29th
homage to the romans who fell in combat takes place at the ancient roman monument. 7 p.m. grand parade of troops and legions alone calle españa etc
Sunday sept 30th
end of the festival with the putting out of the sacred fire at 11 p.m. outside football stadium followed by big firework display at midnight.
I hope you find this useful. Information is from Freetime paper.
Friday sept 21
Opening activities, 8 p.m. sacred fire lit by priestesses, vestal virgins, goddesses, princesses and ladies at the Parque Torres. 9 p.m. opening address at town hall, followed by march the the festival camp with opening ceremony scheduled for 10.45
Monday sept 23
wedding of Hannibal and Imilice 9 p.m. Parque Torres, Latin Fair in the Camp´s Roman street same time.
Tuesday 25 sept
day of the goddess and oracle, Tanit, 9 p.m. parque torres.
Wednesday sept 26.
grand roman circus, football stadium 9.15 p.m.
Thursday sept 27
dedicated to the carthaginian navy landing and start of hannibal´s march on Rome. 7 p.m. town hall, 8 p.m. carthaginian landing nearby, parade starts town hall 9 p.m.
Friday sept 28
commemorates the roman victory. naval battle 11 a.m. waterfront, parachute display 12.15, roman army lands 5.30 p.m. march along waterfront to cuesta del batel where big bttle with carthaginians will take place. 8.30 p.m. grand roman victory parade.
Saturday sept 29th
homage to the romans who fell in combat takes place at the ancient roman monument. 7 p.m. grand parade of troops and legions alone calle españa etc
Sunday sept 30th
end of the festival with the putting out of the sacred fire at 11 p.m. outside football stadium followed by big firework display at midnight.
I hope you find this useful. Information is from Freetime paper.
John
25 Sep 2007, 16:44
25 Sep 2007, 16:44
Thanks very much perrito. why is it so difficult to find information about
this event on the internet?!
perrito
25 Sep 2007, 19:35
25 Sep 2007, 19:35
welcome John, you might want to save this link
http://www.cartaginesesyromanos.es/index.php?p=contenidos&idx=6&bloque=2a&l =es
However I have to admit that I couldn´t get the 2007 programme to open for me.
http://www.cartaginesesyromanos.es/index.php?p=contenidos&idx=6&bloque=2a&l =es
However I have to admit that I couldn´t get the 2007 programme to open for me.
barbara duffy
01 Oct 2007, 19:17
01 Oct 2007, 19:17
myself and 3 friends have just arrived back from murcia having enjoyed a
relaxing short break. last year we visited cartagena and enjoyed the
beautifuly city. two of our friends had not been to cartagena so we took
them there on september 27th (2007). imagine our delight when we came upon
the festival. what a wonderful evening we had. none of our party had ever
been to the festival before and we marvelled at the event. congratulations
to all who took part and entertained us. we will definitely be going back
next year. Barbara, England
Peter
23 Mar 2008, 17:26
23 Mar 2008, 17:26
Can anyone tell me the dates when the 2008 Carthagians and Roman Fiesta
will be held?
Peter
Peter
Perrito
23 Mar 2008, 17:42
23 Mar 2008, 17:42
hola Peter
I haven´t seen any specific dates as yet but this might help for now.....
This fiesta takes place in the second half of September and celebrations run for ten days
I haven´t seen any specific dates as yet but this might help for now.....
This fiesta takes place in the second half of September and celebrations run for ten days
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Por favor, céntrate en el tema. Son las opiniones de los internautas, y no las de Typically Spanish. No está permitido verter comentarios contrarios a las leyes españolas o injuriantes. Reservado el derecho a eliminar los comentarios que consideremos fuera de tema.
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