[flagged]
Ancient Carthaginians did sacrifice their children (2014)
11–20 of 255 posts
Re: Ancient Carthaginians did sacrifice their children (2014)
#12Child sacrifice hooks into some very deep and dark aspects of human psychology that we have yet to unpack. There is a reason that this practice crops up in various civilizations seemingly independently, and it is not a pretty one - at least not by contemporary moral sensibilities. It is impossible to understand the biblical narrative of the binding of Isaac, for example, without addressing the context in which such a…
Abandoning/exposing infants (especially girls) was very widespread in the ancient word. It’s possible that ‘sacrifice’ was just a way to justify it through some ritual. This didn’t really change untill the chirch started equating it with murder.
And until they started to take care of the unwanted ones.
Re: Ancient Carthaginians did sacrifice their children (2014)
#13Turns out that Cato the Censor was right.
Carthago delenda est!
Re: Ancient Carthaginians did sacrifice their children (2014)
#14Turns out that Cato the Censor was right.
[flagged]
Re: Ancient Carthaginians did sacrifice their children (2014)
#15[flagged]
Re: Ancient Carthaginians did sacrifice their children (2014)
#16[flagged]
> My growing distrust of soft sciences over the past few years means that this article did not move the needle in me to believe Carthage practiced child sacrifice, not one millimeter.
There is a trove of independent historic stories and tales about child sacrifice in Carthage from Plutarch, Plato and even the Bible. In some sense I think it would more obvious than not to assume that child sacrifice did take place.
Re: Ancient Carthaginians did sacrifice their children (2014)
#17Child sacrifice hooks into some very deep and dark aspects of human psychology that we have yet to unpack. There is a reason that this practice crops up in various civilizations seemingly independently, and it is not a pretty one - at least not by contemporary moral sensibilities. It is impossible to understand the biblical narrative of the binding of Isaac, for example, without addressing the context in which such a…
Abandoning/exposing infants (especially girls) was very widespread in the ancient word. It’s possible that ‘sacrifice’ was just a way to justify it through some ritual. This didn’t really change untill the chirch started equating it with murder.
Disgust against child sacrifice and most human sacrifice was a Roman sensibility, long before there was any church or christianity.
Re: Ancient Carthaginians did sacrifice their children (2014)
#18I am surprised this is a big deal, I thought it was well accepted. (Other) Phoenicians did it, Romans practised human (not sure about child) sacrifice and I thought the Carthaginians themselves recorded doing it? Humans are pretty crazy and we shouldn't pretend otherwise...
> I thought it was well accepted
I was in a museum in Sardinia (was part of Carthage) sometime ago and saw some of the tophets mentioned in the article. The argument from the linked article was repeated on one of the info boards - that the Romans demonized their enemies and lots of our sources on alleged child sacrifice come from them. I am not sure about the Carthagenian sources on the matter, but they did not make it into the argument, so I assume the evidence was either slimmer or newer.
Re: Ancient Carthaginians did sacrifice their children (2014)
#19Child sacrifice hooks into some very deep and dark aspects of human psychology that we have yet to unpack. There is a reason that this practice crops up in various civilizations seemingly independently, and it is not a pretty one - at least not by contemporary moral sensibilities. It is impossible to understand the biblical narrative of the binding of Isaac, for example, without addressing the context in which such a…
> It is impossible to understand the biblical narrative of the binding of Isaac
Huh? It is quite easy to understand for me.
Abraham and Sarah were childless and Sarah was infertile/too old DRC. Abraham prayed for an heir and miraculously Sarah gives life to Isaac.
Yahwe demands Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, the most precious "thing" he has, to test his belief.
Since Abraham does as he is told, a angel stops him from killing Isaac in the last second.
Then he is promised by Yahwe his descendants that his descendants will be plentiful.
A myth/fairy tale IMHO but to each the most. Dawkins said that the god from the old testament is one of the most vile characters humans ever made up. To sick/tired to give examples, there are many.