The location of Carthage in North Africa

Carthago delenda est ("Carthage must be destroyed") is a famous Latin phrase. The sentence was a clarion call in the Roman Republic in the latter years of the Punic Wars.^{[citation needed]} Map of central Mediterranean, showing location of Carthage (36 51 N, 10 20 E) Carthage is located near modern Tunis. ... Map of central Mediterranean, showing location of Carthage (36 51 N, 10 20 E) Carthage is located near modern Tunis. ... Ruins of Roman-era Carthage For other uses, see Carthage (disambiguation). ... This page lists direct English translations of common Latin phrases, such as veni vidi vici and et cetera. ... See also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century). ... The Punic Wars were a series of three wars fought between Rome and the city-state of Carthage. ...

Although the Romans were successful in the first two Punic Wars, as they vied for dominance with the seafaring Phoenician city-state of Carthage in North Africa (modern day Tunisia), they did suffer a number of humiliations and damaging reverses. This built into an attitude of seeking vengeance and total victory that was expressed in "Carthago delenda est." Look up Roman in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Phoenician sarcophagus found in Cadiz, Spain; now in Archaeological Museum of Cádiz. ...  Northern Africa (UN subregion)  geographic, including above North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent. ...

Although no ancient source gives the phrase exactly as it is usually quoted in modern times (either Carthago delenda est or the fuller Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam), something like this wording can be inferred from several ancient sources, which state that the Roman statesman Cato the Elder would always end his speeches with some variation of this expression.^[1] Marcus Porcius Cato (Latin: M·PORCIVS·M·F·CATO[1]) (234 BC, Tusculum–149 BC) was a Roman statesman, surnamed the Censor (Censorius), Sapiens, Priscus, or the Elder (Major), to distinguish him from Cato the Younger (his great-grandson). ...

The attitude of total warfare toward Carthage resulted in the utter destruction of the city at the end of the Third Punic War. The city was ploughed over and surviving inhabitants sold into slavery. Historians dispute whether the fields were sown with salt (see Carthage#The fall of Carthage), but the very notion is indicative of the vengeance wrought. Combatants Roman Republic Carthage Commanders Scipio Aemilianus Hasdrubal the Boetarch Strength 40,000 90,000 Casualties 17,000 62,000 The Third Punic War (149 to 146 BC) was the third and last of the Punic Wars fought between the former Phoenician colony of Carthage, and the Roman Republic. ... Ruins of Roman-era Carthage For other uses, see Carthage (disambiguation). ...

Gramatically, it expresses necessity by using a gerundive with a form of the verb esse, "to be". Be sure to check the discussion page (and feel free to remove this tag if this article is updated). ...

The term is sometimes adapted in modern usage, in a learned reference to total warfare.^[2]

Notes

1. ^ Charles E. Little, "The Authenticity and Form of Cato's Saying 'Carthago Delenda Est,'" Classical Journal 29 (1934), pp. 429-435. The main ancient sources are Plutarch, Cato 27 (δοκεῖ δέ μοι καὶ Καρχηδόνα μὴ εἶναι); Pliny the Elder, NH 15.74; Florus 1.31; Aurelius Victor De viris illustribus 47.8. (The evolution of the phrasing towards its modern form has been further considered in Silvia Thürlemann-Rapperswil, "'Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam,'" Gymnasium 81 (1974).)
2. ^ http://ancienthistory.about.com/b/a/129595.htm