Carthage and the Power of Agriculture - The History of Fresh Produce

The rise of Carthage is one of the most dazzling stories of the ancient world. A tale of cunning queens, glittering harbors, and empires built not just by sword and sail, but by soil.

In this episode, John and Patrick trace the astonishing birth of Carthage - from Queen Elyssa’s legendary ox-hide bargain to the booming agricultural empire that threatened Rome itself. Far from a mere city of merchants, Carthage was a powerhouse of farming innovation: with iron plows, vine-laced terraces, and sweet wines that made even the Romans jealous.

At its heart was a rich and fertile land, one so abundant that Homer himself sang its praises. From pomegranates to elephants, from olive groves to slave-worked estates, Carthage was an empire rooted in the earth. And behind it all loomed a mysterious figure: Mago of Carthage, the so-called "father of agriculture," whose lost treatise would echo across centuries.

Join John and Patrick as they unearth the agricultural engine behind Carthage’s meteoric rise. A story of invention, ambition, and the fields that fed an empire on the brink of war with Rome.

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In Sponsorship with Cornell University: Dyson Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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