Humanitext Reader

Polybius · The Histories §3.24.1-3.24.16

The Second Treaty Between Rome and Carthage

Passage 183 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

The specific terms of the second treaty between Rome and Carthage are presented, detailing the inclusion of additional allies, restrictions on navigation and settlement, and procedures for public redress of offenses. Polybius also analyzes the geopolitical significance, noting that Carthage restricted Roman access to Libya and Sardinia while keeping Sicily and Latium under a different, reciprocal status.

§3.24.1μετὰ δὲ ταύτας ἑτέρας ποιοῦνται συνθήκας, ἐν αἷς προσπεριειλήφασι Καρχηδόνιοι Τυρίους καὶ τὸν Ἰτυκαίων δῆμον. §3.24.2πρόσκειται δὲ καὶ τῷ Καλῷ ἀκρωτηρίῳ Μαστία Ταρσήιον· ὧν ἐκτὸς οἴονται δεῖν Ῥωμαίους μήτε λῄζεσθαι μήτε πόλιν κτίζειν. §3.24.3εἰσὶ δὲ τοιαίδε τινές· ‘ἐπὶ τοῖσδε φιλίαν εἶναι Ῥωμαίοις ‘καὶ τοῖς Ῥωμαίων συμμάχοις καὶ Καρχηδονίων ‘καὶ Τυρίων καὶ Ἰτυκαίων δήμῳ καὶ τοῖς τούτων" §3.24.41συμμάχοις.
\nAfter this treaty they made another, in which the Carthaginians included also the Tyrians and the people of Utica.\n\nTo the Fair Promontory is added also Mastia Tarseium; beyond which they think the Romans must neither plunder nor found a city.\n\nThe terms are more or less as follows: 'On these conditions there is to be friendship between the Romans and the allies of the Romans, and the Carthaginians, Tyrians, and the people of Utica, and their "\n\n1allies.
τοῦ Καλοῦ ἀκρωτηρίου, Μαστίας Ταρ‘σηίου, μὴ λῄζεσθαι ἐπέκεινα Ῥωμαίους μηδʼ ἐμ" §3.24.51πορεύεσθαι μηδὲ πόλιν κτίζειν.
Beyond the Fair Promontory and Mastia Tarseium, the Romans shall not plunder, nor trade, "\n\n1nor found a city.
ἐὰν δὲ Καρχη‘δόνιοι λάβωσιν ἐν τῇ Λατίνῃ πόλιν τινὰ μὴ οὖσαν ‘ὑπήκοον Ῥωμαίοις, τὰ χρήματα καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας" §3.24.61ἐχέτωσαν, τὴν δὲ πόλιν ἀποδιδότωσαν.
If the Carthaginians take any city in Latium which is not subject to the Romans, the goods and the men "\n\n1they may keep, but they must deliver up the city.
ἐὰν δέ ‘τινες Καρχηδονίων λάβωσί τινας, πρὸς οὓς εἰρήνη ‘μέν ἐστιν ἔγγραπτος Ῥωμαίοις, μὴ ὑποτάττονται ‘δέ τι αὐτοῖς, μὴ καταγέτωσαν εἰς τοὺς Ῥωμαίων ‘λιμένας· ἐὰν δὲ καταχθέντος ἐπιλάβηται ὁ Ῥω" §3.24.71μαῖος, ἀφιέσθω.
If any Carthaginians take any persons with whom the Romans have a written treaty of peace, but who are not subject to them, they shall not bring them into the harbors of the Romans; but if a person so brought in is seized by a Ro"\n\n1man, let him be set free.
ὡσαύτως δὲ μηδʼ οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι" §3.24.81ποιείτωσαν.
Likewise, neither shall the Romans "\n\n1do the same.
ἂν ἔκ τινος χώρας, ἧς Καρχηδόνιοι ‘ἐπάρχουσιν, ὕδωρ ἢ ἐφόδια λάβῃ ὁ Ῥωμαῖος, μετὰ ‘τούτων τῶν ἐφοδίων μὴ ἀδικείτω μηδένα πρὸς" §3.24.91οὓς εἰρήνη καὶ φιλία ἐστὶ Καρχηδονίοις.
If a Roman takes water or provisions from any territory which the Carthaginians rule, with these provisions let him do no wrong to anyone with "\n\n1whom the Carthaginians have peace and friendship.
ὡσαύ" §3.24.101τως δὲ μηδʼ ὁ Καρχηδόνιος ποιείτω.
Likewise, "\n\n1neither shall the Carthaginian do so.
εἰ δέ, μὴ ‘ἰδίᾳ μεταπορευέσθω· ἐὰν δέ τις τοῦτο ποιήσῃ," §3.24.111δημόσιον γινέσθω τὸ ἀδίκημα.
If he does, let him not seek private redress; and if anyone does this, "\n\n1let the offense be public.
ἐν Σαρδόνι καὶ ‘Λιβύῃ μηδεὶς Ῥωμαίων μήτʼ ἐμπορευέσθω μήτε ‘πόλιν κτιζέτω, εἰ μὴ ἕως τοῦ ἐφόδια λαβεῖν ‘ἢ πλοῖον ἐπισκευάσαι.
In Sardinia and Libya, let no Roman either trade or found a city, except for the purpose of getting provisions or repairing his ship.
ἐὰν δὲ χειμὼν κατενέγκῃ," §3.24.121ἐν πένθʼ ἡμέραις ἀποτρεχέτω.
If a storm drives him there, "\n\n1let him depart within five days.
ἐν Σικελίᾳ ἧς ‘Καρχηδόνιοι ἐπάρχουσι καὶ ἐν Καρχηδόνι πάντα ‘καὶ ποιείτω καὶ πωλείτω ὅσα καὶ τῷ πολίτῃ ἔξ" §3.24.131εστιν. ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ ὁ Καρχηδόνιος ποιείτω ἐν ‘Ῥώμῃ. ’ §3.24.14πάλιν ἐν ταύταις ταῖς συνθήκαις τὰ μὲν κατὰ Λιβύην καὶ Σαρδόνα προσεπιτείνουσιν ἐξιδιαζόμενοι καὶ πάσας ἀφαιρούμενοι τὰς ἐπιβάθρας Ῥωμαίων, §3.24.15περὶ δὲ Σικελίας τἀναντία προσδιασαφοῦσι, περὶ τῆς ὑπʼ αὐτοὺς ταττομένης. §3.24.16ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Ῥωμαῖοι περὶ τῆς Λατίνης·
In Sicily where the Carthaginians rule, and in Carthage, let him do and sell all things that are permitted also to a citizen."\n\n1Likewise, let the Carthaginian also do in Rome.'\n\nAgain, in this treaty, they tighten the provisions regarding Libya and Sardinia, making them their own exclusive property and depriving the Romans of all landing-places;\n\nbut regarding Sicily, on the contrary, they make further explicit clarification, concerning only the part subject to them.\n\nLikewise, the Romans also make terms concerning Latium; they do not think it right for the Carthaginians to do wrong to the people of Ardea, Antium, Circeii, and Terracina.
οὐκ οἴονται δεῖν τοὺς Καρχηδονίους ἀδικεῖν Ἀρδεάτας, Ἀντιάτας, Κιρκαιίτας, Ταρρακινίτας. αὗται δʼ εἰσὶν αἱ πόλεις αἱ περιέχουσαι παρὰ θάλατταν τὴν Λατίνην χώραν, ὑπὲρ ἧς ποιοῦνται τὰς συνθήκας.
These are the cities which surround Latium along the sea, concerning which they make the treaty.

Notes

  1. 3.24.2ὧν ἐκτὸς — The relative pronoun ὧν is in the neuter plural genitive because it refers back to both the singular "Fair Promontory" (τῷ Καλῷ ἀκρωτηρίῳ) and "Mastia Tarseium" (Μαστία Ταρσήιον) combined. The subject of the following infinitives (μήτε λῄζεσθαι μήτε πόλιν κτίζειν) is Ῥωμαίους, governed by δεῖν, which in turn depends on the main verb οἴονται (referring to the Carthaginians).
  2. 3.24.3φιλίαν εἶναι — The infinitive εἶναι acts either as an independent imperative infinitive (commonly used in the drafting of laws and treaties to express a decree or obligation) or as an infinitive in indirect discourse loosely continuing from the introductory clause. It functions to declare that friendship "must exist" under these terms.
  3. 3.24.10εἰ δέ, μὴ ἰδίᾳ μεταπορευέσθω· — In the conditional clause εἰ δέ ("but if..."), the verb is omitted; it must be understood from the context as "but if anyone does so" or "if anyone violates this." The following verb μεταπορευέσθω is the third person singular present imperative of μεταπορεύομαι, which in legal contexts means "to seek redress" or "to prosecute" (here, privately).

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §3.24.1-3.24.16. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:3.24.1-3.24.16

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.