For other people named Himilco, see Himilco (disambiguation).
Himilco was a Carthaginian navigator and explorer who lived during the late 6th or early 5th century BC, a period of time where Carthage held significant sway over its neighboring regions.
Himilco is the first known explorer from the Mediterranean Sea to reach the northwestern shores of Europe. His lost account of his adventures is quoted by Roman writers. The oldest reference to Himilco's voyage is a brief mention in Natural History (2.169a) by the Roman scholar Pliny the Elder.[1] Himilco was quoted three times by Rufius Festus Avienius, who wrote Ora Maritima, a poetical account of the geography in the 4th century AD. [2]
Little is known of Himilco himself. Himilco sailed north along the Atlantic coast from the Iberian Peninsula to the British Isles.[3] He traveled to northwestern France, as well as the territory of the Oestrimini tribe living in Portugal, likely in order to trade for tin (to be used for making bronze) and other precious metals. Records of the voyages of Himilco also mention the islands of Albion and Ierne. Avienius asserts that the outward journey to the Oestriminis took the Carthaginians four months.[4] Himilco followed the northern Atlantic trade route used by the Tartessians of southern Iberia, according to Avienius.[5]
Himilco described his journeys as quite harrowing, repeatedly reporting sea monsters and seaweed,[6] likely in order to deter Greek rivals from competing on their new trade routes. Carthaginian accounts of monsters became one source of the myths discouraging sailing in the Atlantic.[7]
^Pliny the Elder, Natural History 2.169a
^Avienus, Rufius Festus and Murphy, J. P. (1977) Ora maritima: or, description of the seacoast from Brittany round to Massilia. Ares Publisher, ISBN 0-89005-175-5
^"Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-13. Retrieved 2014-03-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^Himilco
^Avienius, Ora Maritima, lines 112-118
^Avienius, V. 113-128
^Roller, Duane W. (2006). Through the pillars of Herakles: Greco-Roman exploration of the Atlantic. Taylor & Francis, pp. 27-28. ISBN 0-415-37287-9
Himilco was a Carthaginian navigator and explorer who lived during the late 6th or early 5th century BC, a period of time where Carthage held significant...
Navigator. Himilco I: (in Sicily) 460–410 BCE Hannibal I: Grandson of Hamilcar and led the response to Segesta's call for help in 410 BCE Himilco II: Laid...
Hamilcar I c. 510–480 BC Hanno II 480–440 BC Himilco I (in Sicily) 460–410 BC Hannibal I 440–406 BC Himilco II 406–396 BC Mago II 396–375 BC Mago III 375–344...
fifth century BCE Carthaginian Himilco the Navigator. Columbus himself was aware of this account and thought Himilco had reached the Sargasso Sea, as...
dynasty. He became Shofet after the suicide of Himilco II in 396 BCE and was succeeded by Mago III (or Himilco Mago) in 375 BCE. His reign started during...
forces were ravaged by plague, and Hannibal Mago himself succumbed to it. Himilco, his successor, captured and sacked Akragas, then captured the city of...
Several examples of peripli that are known to scholars: The Periplus of Himilco the Navigator, parts which are preserved in Pliny the Elder and Avienius...
the plague. The Syracuse counterattacked and completely defeat Himilco's army. Himilco has to escape back to Carthage. The Carthaginians establish the...
Mediterranean; Hanno the Navigator journeyed down the West African coast, and Himilco the Navigator had explored the European Atlantic coast. Expeditions were...
Navigator, which places his expedition around 460–425 BC, and Himilco may be the same as Himilco the Navigator, which puts his expedition sometimes after 450...
expedition north to fight the Romans. He commanded the army, while his deputy Himilco commanded the fleet. The Punic Army and the fleet moved north side by side...
(187/6–110/09 BC) Himilco — navigator and explorer who lived during the height of Carthaginian power in the late 6th century BC Himilco (general) Himilco (fl. 3rd...
spirit, and gave information of the plot to the Carthaginian commander Himilco. He also assisted him in inducing the remaining mercenaries to stay faithful...
and placed them near the west coast of Europe. The Carthaginian sailor Himilco is said to have visited the island in the 6th or 5th century BC and the...
Phoenician city of Motya despite the Carthaginian relief effort led by Himilco. Carthage also lost most of her territorial gains secured in 405 BC after...
Carthaginian fleet of approximately 40 quinqueremes, under the command of Himilco, and a Roman fleet of 35 ships, under Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus. Hasdrubal...
attack on Motya by Dionysius, had sent an army under Himilco, to Sicily to regain lost territory. Himilco sailed to Panormus, and from there again sailed and...
mercenaries. However, the Carthaginians would take possession of Catania under Himilco and Mago, after the nearby great naval Battle of Catana (397 BC) where...
voyage which he made from Gades [modern Cádiz] to the extremity of Arabia; Himilco was also sent, about the same time, to explore the remote parts of Europe...
Schulten. Another ancient chief text cited by Avienius is the Periplus of Himilco, the description of a Punic expedition through the coasts of western Europe...
response, Carthage dispatched an army under the command of Hannibal Mago and Himilco II, members of the Magonid family, to Sicily. Once in Sicily, they found...
difficult by the strong defences of the city. A large Carthaginian army led by Himilco was sent to relieve the city in 213 BC and several further Sicilian cities...
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