Weights and Measures y &c.

During the Roman Wars in Macedonia the Carthaginians were pre-paring to shake off their Yoke. The Romans were inform’d oftheir secretly laying up naval Stores. Ambassadors were sent toCarthage , under pretence of terminating the Difference betweenthe Carthaginians and Mafanijfa. These Ambassadors were like tohave been torn to pieces by the populace, but were convinc’d byocular Demonstration of the naval Preparations of the Carthagini-ans. Whereupon the Romans quickly fitted out a Fleet againstthem of fifty Quinquiremes, and a great many other Ships. The Con-sul Manlius commanded the Land Army. The Carthaginians , sur-prized at so sudden an Attack, followed the Example of Utica 3 whichhad submitted to the Romans ; who began by burning the Cartha-ginian Fleet; and, after having seiz’d a great number of Hostages,acquainted them with their resolution of destroying their City, andsettling them on the Continent five Leagues from the Sea. Uponhearing this they were seiz’d with Fury, and resolved to sosser thelast Extremity rather than submit to such cruel Terms. They werebesieg’d in form by Sea and Land. After Scipio had taken awaythe use of their Harbour, they dug a new one at another Quar-ter of their City, through which they sent a Fleet of an hundredand twenty Ships of War, which attack’d the Roman Fleet, andburnt a part of it: but after all their vain Efforts, the City ofCarthage was taken by the Romans seven hundred years from itsFoundation, and fix hundred and eight after that of Rome. TheRomans burnt the remainder of this last Fleet, which is anothermark of their small Attachment for the Sea. Carthage at that timehad seven hundred thousand Inhabitants, as we said before: andnothing could be a greater Sign of their Power and Riches, thanthat last Effort they made for their Preservation. But succeedingtimes plainly shewed the Romans the Advantage of a City situatedon that place. For, not to mention the Attempt of the Gracchi

to rebuild Carthage f , it was at last finishd by Augustus , and peo-pled

f Old Carthage stood about twelve Miles from Tunis towards the Sea. ’There is a smallVillage there now.

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