Cartagena geography

The ancient city of Cartagena is seated on the central portion of the Costa Calida and has a population of around 180,000. Less visited than many other cities in southern Spain, Cartagena has a lot to offer the discerning tourist. For starters it is convenient - situated a short drive along the N-332/A7 from the coastal towns of the Costa Blanca & Costa Calida, making for an ideal day trip. Cartagena was founded (as its name suggests) by the Carthaginians in the year 227BC. It rapidly became their main trading port, and at one time was widely recognised as being one of the wealthiest cities in the ancient world. However, the city was made truly famous by Hannibal and his elephants who landed with the intention of defeating the Romans. The original Iberian village comes down to us as Mastia (or Massia), after the Mastieni tribe. Hasdrubal founded here his new headquarters in Spain and named it Qart-Hadasat (New Carthage). Under the Romans the town was called Carthago Nova, (also New Carthage); today it is known as Cartagena.

According to the description left us by Polybius, Carthago Nova (Cartagena) was located in typical Phoenician fashion. The site occupied a promontory which extended out into a bay. The inner lagoon, almost land-locked, served as safe harbour for the small ships used at that time. Now the lagoon is totally filled in, drained to prevent the marsh fevers common along other coasts. In the shallows the ancients impounded sea-water in salt pans. Fishermen from up and down the coast brought in their catch to supply the salted fish industry at Cartagena. Others wove the locally obtained esparto grass into ships cordage and sandals. The outer bay, protected by a small island called Isla Escombrera, protected the seaward edge of the city. The lagoon provided a safe harbour for the shallow draft ships of the time; the bay later accommodated larger ships. The lagoons entry was spanned by a Roman aqueduct after Spain was lost by the Phoenicians. The original city was an ideal military location, which is precisely why it was settled there.

Never very big, as ancient cities go, Cartagena was nonetheless very busy. To the west lay the silver mining district, from which the Carthaginians extracted the huge indemnity which they paid to Rome annually. Along with silver, a large amount of lead was also extracted. The other reason for the founding of Cartagena was military, and here was the armoury of Hannibal's future war with Rome. Since the ending of the First Punic war a few year ago, and the loss of Sicily, Carthage was expanding into Spain. Mastia was one of a string of Iberian villages along the Spanish Levant, of the SW coast of Spain, and connected to the Sierra Morena mining districts. Time has altered the topography, for the lagoon is now dry land, and modern Cartagena, on the site of the Punic city, is no longer a promontory. On the rocky heights above the blue water of the bay the ancient temple of Aesculapius, and palaces of New Carthage, reflected the sun's setting. Looking south-west across the bay from Cartagena, the Sierra Nevada range, 650 to 1000 feet high, runs down to the coast, leaving only an intermittent narrow strip of sandy beach.

Travel to the south required one to head west inland toward Lorca, skirting the mountain range, and then back to the coast at Almeria. Since the mountain chains tend east-west, travel from Almeria along the coast is relatively easy. The route then would head toward Cadiz following the coast, avoiding the Rock of Gibraltar at the straits. Cadiz lies on the Atlantic side of The Rock. The ancients had built the route around The Rock long ago, and the Romans simply widened it. Heading north-west, one climbs the ravines and gorges to the mining areas of the Sierra Morena mountain range. To travel to the far west, one must head first north toward Alicante and Alcira and pick up the Jucar River valley. The northern road begins by crossing the dull plain behind Cartagena, then climbs a rocky ridge and down to another dull plain. At Alicante you could either hug the coast or head due north toward Alcira. The Via Augusta, built by the Romans, came south to Alcira (Saetabis), then turned upriver to Cordoba. Coming from Cartagena, once you arrive at Alcira, the travelling becomes much easier. Two hundred miles of twisting road join Cartagena with Sagunto; a thousand miles joins Cartagena with the Po valley in northern Italy.

Over 2,000 years on Cartagena is still a major port. It is the site of one of Spain's largest naval bases and many associated buildings occupy the port area. It is also from Cartagena that the world's first submarine was born (though constructed in Cadiz). A Cartagena born designer came up with the idea, which was built way back in 1884. Just 4 years later he saw it successfully launched. The self same submarine is displayed on the city front for all to see - unless out on loan to a museum.