Carthage was the center of trade in the Mediterranean before the rise of the Roman Republic. Goods were exchanged here from great civilizations from Egypt to Phoenicia. The reasoning behind this success is because of its geographical location. Located in modern day Tunisia, the city of Carthage contained two harbors which provided two places for ships full of foreign goods to dock. Also, it was strategically located between the western Mediterranean and the Levant. All of this interaction with other culture allowed for cultural diffusion to occur within the 40 foot walls that secured the peninsula. This access to foreign cultures and products allows the people of Carthage to have a boundless amount of knowledge and expand their education of the world. Metals, foodstuffs, slaves, and high-quality manufactured goods such as fine cloths and gold jewelry were traded in Carthage. The Carthaginians were known throughout the Mediterranean for their ability to sell anything. The advancements of Carthaginian society often times came directly from trade. For example, the minting of coins was developed in order to facilitate trade. Along with this, foreign merchants who came to sell goods in Carthage were treated just as equal as their Carthaginian counterparts. Lastly, historians have discovered evidence of naval trading, which allowed the city of Carthage to expand into the hands of other empires. It is apparent that the success of Carthage relied heavily on trading, although there is so much more to this city than that aspect.
These are two Carthaginian coins that would have been used to bargain and sell a wide variety of items at a standard market in Carthage.