The Fertility And High State Of Cultivation Of Those Parts Of Africa Which Adjoined Carthage, Has Already Been Alluded To; And Their Exports Consisted Either Of The Produce Of Those Parts, Or Of Their Own Manufactures.

Of the former there were all kinds of provisions; wax, oil, honey, skins, fruits, &c.; their principal manufactures were

Cables, especially those fit for large vessels, made of the shrub _spartum_; all other kinds of naval stores; dressed leather; the particular dye or colour, called from them punic, the preparation of which seems not to be known; toys, &c. &c. From Egypt they imported flax, papyrus, &c.; from the Red Sea, spices, drugs, perfumes, gold, pearls, &c.; from the countries on the Levant, silk stuffs, scarlet and purple dyes, &c.; and from the west of Europe their principal imports seem to have been iron, lead, tin, and the other useful metals.

Such was the commerce by sea, as far as the imperfect notices on this subject, by the ancient historians, instruct us: but they also carried on a considerable and lucrative commerce by land, especially with the Persians and Ethiopians. The caravans of these nations generally resorted to Carthage; the rarest and most esteemed articles which they brought were carbuncles, which, by means of this traffic, became so plenty in this city, that they were generally known by the appellation of Carthaginian gems. The mode of selling by auction seems to have been practised by this nation; at least there are passages in the ancient authors, particularly one in Polybius, which would naturally lead to the conclusion, that in the sale of their merchandize, the Carthaginians employed a person to name and describe their various kinds and qualities, and also a clerk to note down the price at which they were sold.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 60 of 1007
Words from 16297 to 16594 of 273188