Romans and Carthaginians Cartagena

Romanos y Carthagineses Cartagena

 This festival is vibrant, colourful and extremely popular with both local residents and visitors to the region, filling the city with colour and movement for its duration.

The history behind the Romans and Carthaginians

In the UK, we learn about Henry VIII and his multiple wives, Boadicea, the Tudors and Stuarts, Canute turning back the sea and Alfred burning his cakes, but learn very little about Mediterranean history, so the acts which are being commemorated here are difficult to follow without a little background history .

Whilst theres a lot of dressing up and rather idealistic representations of the personalities involved, the Fiesta is based rather loosely around historical fact and the people known to have lived here who shaped the Cartagena which lies buried beneath the streets we walk on today.

What is now the Region of Murcia was an important link in the trading routes of the Phoenicians, a great trading nation who established business links throughout the Mediterranean, sailing along these coasts with cargos of raw materials and trade goods. Their presence is recorded by three boats which sank in the regions waters about 600 BC ( click for more info, Following the phoenicians in Murcia)  and it is likely that these people traded in what is now Cartagena, and we certainly know they were in Mazarron and Aguilas as well at this time

They originally came from what is now modern day Lebanon, but were driven out by invaders , and settled in many of their trading colonies, founding a great city called Carthage, on the African coast,  its population in time becoming known as the Carthaginians.                                                 

By 250 BC, the Romans had developed into a strong nation, set on becoming the most powerful nation in the known world, and embarked on a series of devastating wars, the Punic wars, in which the Romans attempted to take control of the trading routes and ports occupied by the Carthaginians.

 These wars eventually drove the Carthaginians down along the Spanish and African coast, to their trade settlements, one of which was occupied by a tribe called the Mastians, in a sheltered natural cove known as Mastia. ( Now Cartagena).

In 223BC, Hamilcar Barca, from the powerful  Carthaginian family, the Barcas, landed in Mastia with an army, proposing to the chief of the tribe that they " move in to the settlement and help to protect it against the roman armies," and, given that the army was considerably larger and better equipped than their own, the mastians conceded and accepted a peaceful takeover.

The Carthaginians decided new beginnings should have a new name, so re-named the settlement,  Kart-Hadath, Quart-Hadast, which later evolved to become Cartagena..

Now the Romans had plans for world domination, but even an empire as mighty as that of Rome has its limitations. The Romans occupied large tracts of Spain, which provided them with invaluable mineral exports, olive oil and esparto grass, so rather than spread their troops too thin across Europe, the Romans decided to negotiate a settlement with the Carthaginians that they would stay North of the River Ebro within their own settlement of Sagunto, further along the Spanish coast, and would not come down further south.

 The Carthaginians agreed and there was peace, for just a short time..

But humans will be humans, and in amongst the Carthaginians was a man named Hadrubal, a general who was the son in law of Hamilcar Barca, and who assumed command of the colony when Hamilcar died. His armies were commanded by a General called Hannibal, who could have been his son, although no-one is completely sure, a man who refused to hold treaty with the Romans and wanted to continue the fight.

So in 219 BC he marched right along the coast , attacked Sagunto,  and took the city from the Romans.

Hot on the trail of Roman blood, Hannibal then departed for Italy across the Alps in 217BC, with his infamous elephants , 100,000 infantry and 12,000 horsemen, and although he achieved one great victory, failed to take Rome, even though his campaign lasted for several years.

The Romans realised that his departure had left the city vulnerable, and short of troops, so in 210BC they attacked Quart Hadast( Cartagena.)

At this time, the settlement stood on a series of small hills, contained inside a city wall, surrounded by a shallow lagoon and the sea.

Roman invaders waded across and attacked front and back, the city fell, was looted, burnt, then rebuilt as a great and important Roman settlement, the Roman Theatre, the Casa de Fortuna and many other wonderfully preserved remains dating from this period of re-building. 

Cartago Nova, modern day Cartagena, emerged from the ashes of Hannibals thirst for roman blood as the city which we can now discover through its historical sites and this fiesta.

If you´d like a much more detailed account of the history of Cartagena, Click History of Cartagena

Each day, various parts of this history are played out - not necessarily in the right order, so well try and link you into the history above where we can.

 The acts take place in the actual city, in a variety of locations, although mainly centred around the waterfront, and in the fiesta encampment.

The fiesta encampment

The fiesta participants are based in an encampment on the grounds by the Cartagonova sports stadium, near to the Eroski supermarket. Here they have a wonderful encampment with artesans and handicrafts, each group building its own area where they can mix socially, eat, drink and enjoy themselves during the week. Some of the structures are remarkable, colossal statues towering over the encampment, with columns and pillars all over the place, atmospheric, and a must visit location for any trip to the Fiestas.

Its a great place to visit. Many acts actually take place here, and there is a stage set up in the middle for the theatrical representations, as well as lots of opportunities to eat, drink and make merry

There is also a large fairground at this location, so thousands go along here to enjoy themselves.

Look at the map on the link. Use the guiding arrows and just move the page up slightly and you can see a yellow marker on the eroski supermarket, which is a good landmark for many. There are several ways to get to the stadium which is on a large piece of open ground in the Rambla area. Click for map, Estadio Cartagonova.

There is plenty of parking near to the stadium.

We have prepared a list of carparks for you, and our recommendations if you are coming into any of the acts within the city is to park in the port carpark, or the two carparks in Calle Real, which are the nearest. The processions take a route towards the encampment, in which case you could park in the Plaza de Espana carpark and watch it pass along that route. Click for Cartagena carparking.

Programme. for 2011.

(NB As of August 2012, no details have been released about this years programme, and are unlikely to be confirmed until early September 2012. The basic pattern will remain the same, although the federation have indicated that the events will take place mainly in the port area this year and the battle will return to an early evening slot. The dates for 2012 are September 21st to 30th.)

Friday 16^th September

8pm. Plaza Heroes Cavite- in the port area. Click for map

Lighting the sacred fire.

Priestesses, Vestal virgins and the ladies of the city invoke the gods to bring down fire and bless the city through the fiestas. From here, the flame will be carried to the encampment, where it will burn throughout the fiestas.

From 8pm, processions of troops will be marching through the old quarter of town

9pm. Plaza del Ayuntamiento/Palacio Consistorial( by port)

Pregon. Opening speeches to the assembled participants of the fiesta (2000 approx- all costumed)

10pm. March towards the fiesta encampment, which will be open all week.( informal parade)

Itinery: Plaza del Ayuntamiento, Calle  Mayor, Puerta de Murcia, Calle Carmen, Plaza de España, Alameda de San Antón, Soldado Rosique, and into the encampment. 

10.45pm. Official opening of the fiesta encampment. Carousing ` most of the night.

Saturday 17^th September

The Founding of Quart Hadast. This is a 3 part theatrical representation, taking place around the city in various places, commemorating the Carthaginian settlement of Mastia and renaming of  Quart-Hadast. The acts take place in three locations

7.45pm. Port area Click for map

First Act. Death of  Hamílcar Barca and naming of Hasdrúbal as general and heir.The Carthaginian army waiting at the gates of Mastia.  Discontented, complaining amongst themselves, unsure whether they will enter the gates or not.

8.45pm Plaza de Juan XXIII

Second act. Hasdrúbal in the encampment. Mastia decides to accept the Carthaginian army and the protection it offers. Hasdrubal is named the protector of the city. 

9.45pm. Parque de Los Juncos/plaza central

3^rd Act: The birth of  Quart-Hadast. The renaming of the city from Mastia to Quart Hadast. 

Sunday 18^th September

11 .30 Midday.-  Port area

The City of Rome against Carthago, the destruction of the City of Sagunto.

12.30pm FIESTA INFANTIL - NASCITURUS

In this part of the fiesta, baptisms are carried out of the youngest participants in the fiesta. There are lots of children dressed in costume, and things for the children to do. Its a lovely, family occasion, in which the youngest and newest members are welcomed into their festival family.

Click Nasciturus to read last years report following the event.

6.30pm.Comicios Centuriados, Both this and the plenary session which follows take place in the Port area.

Both of these sessions are not the best for non-spanish speakers.

The senators speak, and much of the content is about the state of the city, so mocks politicians and current affairs, vey funny if you speak Spanish and understand the local politics, but not a good one to go to if you dont.

At 7.15pm this is followed by the Plenary session of the Roman forum. The romans are concerned about the activities of Hannibal, who has attacked Sagunto and is now threatening to move to Italy across the alps and attack Rome itself. "Hannibal Ad Portus", Hannibal is at the gates, the fear of every Roman that the army is dispersed across its enormous empire and the city is at risk. The senate decide to send an army led by Cornelius Scipio to stop Hannibal before he can reach Rome 

8.30pm Port area, Living game of chess, this is chess, but not as you´ve seen it before.....

Monday 19th September

9pm.: Port area Click for map

Wedding of Hannibal and Himlice. This is about an hour and a half long. Its quite interesting to watch, lots of special effects etc. Better if you have some understanding of Spanish.

Hannibal is used as a political pawn in an alliance forged with the Iberic tribes who occupied lands around Jaen and were powerful allies for the Carthaginians. Hannibal is betrothed to a girl he has never met, a marriage of convenience, the Princess Himlice, daughter of the great Iberic king, Mucro. In this version, they meet and although attraction is not immediate, grow to love each other and celebrate the wedding.Aaaah.

( The real version is they met at the wedding, got married, and he disappeared off to kill romans, dragged across the alps and spent his life fighting, and never saw her, so it wasnt quite so idealistic.)

Tuesday 20th September. 

9pm ORÁCULO DE LA DIOSA TANIT, taking place in the port area Click for map

This is a melodramatic and spectacular version of the visit by Himlice to the oracle to ask about the future of her husbands campaign against the romans.

It was quite common in these days to pay a visit to the oracle, who would see into the future and advise on business enterprises, wars, family undertakings and unions, and in this case the oracle foresaw woe, woe, woe. 

Wednesday 21st September.

6.30pm In the Fiesta encampment, Pruebas de Aspar.

7pm Inauguration of the Roman artesan market and food booths. Parque Municipal Vallejo Alberola( alongside the encampment)

9pm. Act in honour of Emilia Paula.

Fiesta encampment.This is a new spectacular, honouring Roman women. In it, the wife of the commander asks the gods for their intervention and the outcome of the battle for her husband. She makes an offering to the gods, and they reply with good news, the romans will win, but the price for the victory is her husbands life. 11.30pm Festival encampment, FERIAE LATINO.

This is focused on the celebrations of the festival of Jupiter which would have lasted three days in the roman world. In this act, the legionnaires offer hospitality to those visiting their encampment, so there will be lots of different bits of entertainment, music and free bits and bobs of food on offer all over the fiesta encampment The aim of the evening is just to enjoy yourself.

Thursday 22nd September

The main events today commemorate Hannibals march on Rome with an enormous army and his elephants. Troops land in the port area, Hannibal contracts the mercenaries and the new army march through the streets. This army actually comprised over 100,000 infantry, 12,000 horsemen and 37 elephants. The reality is that it would have also been accompanied by a large entourage of wagons and camp followers - feeding and caring for an army of that size, travelling by foot would have been an enormous logistical nightmare. 

8.30pm  The Carthaginian army land in the port, and contract mercenaries from across Spain. 

9pm. Grand parade of Hannibal and his troops , heading for Rome.

Plaza del Ayuntamiento, Mayor, Puerta de Murcia, Carmen, Plaza de España, Alameda de San Antón, Soldado Rosique, crossing the bridge over to the fiesta encampment.

12 Midnight, in the festival encampment, El Designio de los Dioses 

This is a 20 minute long theatrical representation. It is set on the night before the battle, and the women of the town make offerings to the goddess Bellona, seeking her intervention for the following day. The goddess accepts the offerings and appears, announcing that the romans will win, but the price for the victory will be the sacrifice of the life of the commander, Escipion.

Mediaeval market open in the evening. In the encampment.

Friday 23rd September

Today is the day of the big battle. Today the romans land and take the city for themselves. Hannibal is away with the army, the city is vulnerable and the romans attack. By the end of the day, they have taken the city, they march in triumph and the city of Quart Hadast no longer exists, it is now Carthago Nova, a roman city, and remains so for several hundred years to come. 

A lot of visitors say that this is their favourite part of the fiesta. Theres a big mock battle, smoke,  fire, writhing bodies and lots of shouting and running around. This year, more money is being spent on this part of the fiestas, so there will be extra cavalry and special effects.

11am.Port area. Maritime battle. This is really a rowing competition between the various legions, rather than an all out sea battle. At the end of it, all the participants, and a lot more people besides, end up in the water.  Click for map

7.15pm. Disembarcation of the roman legions in the port , along the waterfront. The troops then march down to the Cuesta for the battle.

7.45pm.- Cuesta del Batel(The green patch of land running around the base of the city walls) You can watch the battle from above, along the walls, or from the cuesta below. Personally, we like the battle from below, there is a stand for the dignitaries and if you can get a patch of grass there, youll see everything really well, any further up and its not so good,  although you can see everything actually happening from above really well. Its up to you.

Great battle for Quart Hadast.

Raising of the roman standard.

Release of hostages

Proclamation of the new city of Carthago Nova. 

9.15pm. Grand victory parade. Plaza del Ayuntamiento, Mayor, Puerta de Murcia, Carmen, Plaza de España, Alameda de San Antón, Soldado Rosique, then across the bridge into the encampment. 

 Evening, Mediaeval market open in the encampment.

Saturday 24^th September

 1.30pm At the Torreciega monument

Homage to the soldiers fallen in battle. 

6.30pm.The last grand parade of all the troops and legionnaires.. This year, this will be the big parade. Money has gone into making this a better parade, so there will be more floats, and more special effects such as fireeaters . if you only want to see one parade, come to this one.

 Calle Esparta, Paseo Alfonso XIII, Plaza de España, Alameda de San Antón, Soldado Rosique, Across the bridge to the festival encampment.. 

Mediaeval market open in the evening, in the encampment

Sunday 25^th September

11pm. Fiesta encampment. Extinguishing of the sacred flame.

 12 midnight Spectacular firework display to close the fiesta.

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