ARCHIVED - September 16 to 25 Fiestas de Cartagineses y Romanos Cartagena 2022

The celebration of the Carthaginians and Romans in Cartagena is one of the biggest fiestas in the Region of Murcia

This colourful and enjoyable festival is a relatively new addition to the fiestas calendar of the Region of Murcia, having been celebrated only since 1990, but it has rapidly become one of the largest and was awarded International Tourist Interest status in 2017.

The fiestas are rooted in the ancient history of Cartagena, and particularly in the foundation of the city of Qart Hadasht by the Carthaginian general Hasdrubal in 227 BC the departure of Hannibal to Rome and the subsequent conquest of what became Carthago Nova, and then Cartagena, by the Roman general Scipio in 209 BC.

There are footprints of the Iberian tribes who occupied the area previously, the Carthaginians who sought refuge here as the Romans decimated their culture and the Romans themselves, and for the duration of this festival the city is filled with the sounds of marching feet, the cries of battle and the tastes and scents of sacred rituals and celebrations.

Its hugely popular with ex-pats and their visitors, who enjoy watching the parades and activities, visiting the encampment (where groups set up their headquarters for the ten-day duration of the fiestas), the artisan fair and the big fairground which accompany this event, and visiting the rest of Cartagena during the week.

Locations

The fiesta participants are based in an encampment on the grounds by the Cartagonova football stadium, near to what used to be the Eroski supermarket (and, more recently, the mass vaccination centre in Cartagena). Each group builds its own area to socialize, 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: very atmospheric, and a must-visit location for any trip to the Fiestas!

The market opens on Wednesday evening and is open in the evenings until the close of the fiestas.

There is also a large fairground with plenty of food and drink available.

Most of the other locations are along the waterfront in the port, between the Cuesta de Batel, past the cruise ship terminal and to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Parking

For events in the city centre it is advisable to park in the port car park or the two in Calle Real – if there are spaces left!

Those visiting the festival encampment will find plenty of parking around the stadium football stadium.

Programme for the Cartagineses y Romanos 2022

Friday September 9

20.00: The first of two curtain-raiser events is a concert performance by soprano Angélica de la Riva in the Auditorio Paco Martín in the Parque Torres, Tickets 10 euros.

Saturday September 10

The Arx Asdrubalis “Night Run” is held, starting and finishing at the encampment of the Cartagineses y Romanos, A 10-kilometre walking route begins at 10.00 and in the evening a 2-km “young warriors” event at 19.00 is followed by the main 10-km run at 20.00.

Friday September 16

11.00: The opening parade passes through the streets of the city centre.

14.00: Iter Ignis, the flaming torch symbolising the holding of the fiestas departs from Los Alcázares on its way to Cartagnea.

20.20: The lighting of the sacred flame in the torch at the El Molinete archaeological park. This flame burns throughout the fiestas at the temple of Isis in the old Roman forum district.

21.30: Official opening speech in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

23.40: Official opening of the encampment and fairground next to the Carthago Nova football stadium.

Saturday September 17

11.00: Bici Romana, a cycle ride departs from the encampment and follows a route through the city centre.

20.30: The Carthaginian flag is raised in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

21.00: The Founding of Qart Hadasht on the stage on the seafront in the port, a re-enactment of the foundation of the city following an agreement between the Carthaginians and the Mastian tribe by which the Carthaginians took peaceful control of the city and renamed it Qart-Hadasht.

22.00: A parade takes the participants from the seafront and the Plaza del Ayuntamiento to the encampment and fairground.

Sunday September 18

12.00: Children’s enactment of the Roman Senate in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

12.30: Dies Lustricus in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. The youngest and newest members of the fiestas groups are welcomed into their festival families in a symbolic act in front of the Town Hall, each child marking his or her fingerprint onto a certificate.

20.30: The Destruction of Sagunto on the stage on the seafront in the port, a re-enactment of when the Carthaginians committed the unthinkable and crossed the river Ebro to storm the city of Sagunto, breaking the treaty established with Rome for peace. This was the spark which set off the second Punic wars between Rome and Carthage.

21.15: The Roman Senate in full session on the stage alongside the port of Cartagena.

Monday September 19

21.00: The wedding of Hannibal and Himilce on the seafront stage.

Hannibal is used as a political pawn in an alliance forged with the Iberian tribes who occupied the lands around Jaén and were powerful allies for the Carthaginians. He is betrothed to Princess Himilce, daughter of the great Iberian king named Mucro, in a marriage of convenience, and in this version, although attraction is not immediate, they grow to love each other and celebrate the wedding.

(The generally accepted historical facts are that they met at the wedding and Hannibal promptly hurried off to kill Romans: not quite as romantic, but this version makes for better theatre!)

22.00: Parade from the seafront and the Plaza del Ayuntamiento to the encampment and fairground. There follows the wedding feast celebrating the union of Hannibal and Himilce.

Tuesday September 20

21.00: The oracle of the goddess Tanit on the seafront stage.

This is a melodramatic version of a visit by Himilce to the oracle to ask about the future of her husband’s campaign against the Romans. It was common in Roman society to pay a visit to the oracle, who would see into the future and advise on business enterprises, wars, family undertakings and unions: in this case the oracle forecasts woe, woe and more woe.

Wednesday September 21

11.00: Motorcycle rally through the city of Cartagena, “Centímetros Púnicos” (the first time this event has been included in the fiestas program). The route begins at the Escalera Real on the seafront.

13.00: The opening of the period market at the encampment and fairground. This includes lots of artisan items and food, remains open in the evenings during the festivities.

18.00: Children’s battle at the encampment.

18.30: Pruebas de Aspar at the encampment. Games for youngsters in the festival encampment as they seek to prove their strength and worth.

19.00: Ludis Romani, the Roman games begin at the encampment.

19.30: The children’s version of the Founding of Qart Hadasht is staged at the encampment.

20.30: The Comicios Centuriados on the stage on the seafront in the city centre. The Roman generals meet to decide on their miliary strategy, choosing Publius Cornelius Scipio to lead their attack.

21.15: The full-blown “batalla cultural” (battle of cultures) takes place on the seafront stage.

21.30: The Designio de los Dioses on the seafront stage. The Carthaginian troops swear to defend Cartagena (still Qart Hadasht at this point) while Scipio and Escévola, commander of the “Extraordinarii” legion, visit the soothsayer Marta la Siria. In a trance, the goddess Bellona appears as a mortal to thank them for their offerings before foretelling a Roman victory, but demands the life of Escévola as a sacrifice.

Thursday September 22

11.00: Children’s parade in the Plaza Alcolea, followed by fun and games at the Muralla Carlos III at 12.00.

20.00: Open-air concert at the La Rambla shopping complex, formerly the Eroski supermarket and mass vaccination centre. Tickets 10 euros.

20.30: The arrival and hiring of mercenaries is enacted on the seafront stage.

21.45: Hannibal departs for Rome from the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Fired up by his successful attack on Sagunto, Hannibal decides to take on the Romans in their own heartland and attack Rome itself. Having contracted his mercenaries Hannibal leads his new army, which is thought to have included over 100,000 infantry, 12,000 horsemen and 37 elephants. It would also have been accompanied by a large entourage of wagons and camp followers: feeding and caring for an army of that size while travelling on foot must have been a logistical nightmare and in the end this was Hannibal’s downfall.

He overestimated his capacity and neglected to defend his home, and although his demise and death was still several years in the future this decision to attack Rome doomed the Carthaginians.

Friday September 23

10.45: Naval battle in the bay of Cartagena. This is enacted aboard rowing boats and usually starts off seriously but ends with lots of splashing and everyone in the water. Non-costumed.

16.00: The naval legions disembark at the Escala Real on the seafront of Cartagena-

16.00: The land-based legions leave the Plaza de España.

16.30: The military legions reach the main gate of Capitanía General.

16.45: Enactment of the Romans disembarking in the Plaza de San Francisco.

18.00: Re-enactment of the grand battle which resulted in Qart Hadasht becoming Carthago Nova.

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 Qart-Hadasht no longer exists. It is now Carthago Nova, a Roman city, and will remain so for several hundred years to come.

Many visitors say that this is their favourite part of the fiesta. There’s a big mock battle, smoke, fire, writhing bodies and lots of shouting and running around. Every year various innovations and novelties are introduced, and this year there are several major changes to the format of the battle, with more set moves, and betrayal as forces fighting for the Carthaginians desert to join the Romans.

The action takes place on the Cuesta del Batel (the green patch of land running around the base of the city walls), and the best advice is to get there in plenty of time to grab a patch of grass, as it gets very crowded. Anywhere in the middle zone is best as the two armies mass at separate ends of the field and then the battle is in the middle. Seats are sold for the main seating stand in the centre.

19.30: The Victory of Rome, enactment on the seafront stage.

20.40: Proclamation of Roman Law and hoisting of their flag in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

21.00: Victory parade starting in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. This is a hugely popular and well attended event. Tickets are sold for the seats, although there are plenty of places to stand and watch the parade pass.

Saturday September 24

13.30: Homage is paid to those fallen in battle at the Torreciega monument in the outskirts of Cartagena.

19.00: Grand parade of the troops and legions, starting in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and continuing through the city streets.

Sunday September 25

20.30: An evening of peaceful celebration begins at the encampment.

21.30: The sacred flame is extinguished at the encampment.

22.00: The festivities end at the encampment with a grand firework display.

Images: https://cartaginesesyromanos.es/ (official website in Spanish)

For more upcoming events in the Costa Cálida visit the What’s On section of Murcia Today.