Lorraine Williamson
A major genetic study has overturned long-held assumptions about Carthaginian ancestry, providing clear evidence of the Carthaginians’ local Mediterranean origins. Researchers found that their genetic makeup was primarily rooted in regions such as present-day Spain, Sicily, and North Africa — not in the ancient Phoenician cities of the Middle East, as previously thought.
The findings, published in Nature, are the result of DNA analysis from 210 human remains dating to the Punic period (roughly 800 to 146 BC). The remains were recovered from 12 archaeological sites across the Mediterranean, including Cádiz, Málaga, Ibiza, Sardinia and Carthage (in modern-day Tunisia).
Cultural identity, not ancestral migration
The study found that although Carthaginians shared cultural features with the Phoenicians — such as religion, language and trading practices — their genetics tell a different story. Researchers discovered no strong genetic links to Phoenician cities like Tyre or Sidon in modern-day Lebanon.
Instead, the spread of Phoenician culture appears to have been more about cultural influence than population movement. Local communities across the western Mediterranean adopted and adapted Phoenician customs, creating a shared identity that did not rely on shared ancestry.
Mediterranean networks were more connected than believed
Researchers from institutions including Harvard University and Barcelona’s Institute of Evolutionary Biology say the Punic world was ethnically diverse and highly interconnected. Evidence includes the discovery of two individuals, identified as second cousins, buried hundreds of kilometres apart — one in Carthage and another in Sicily.
Sites in Spain, particularly at Villaricos (ancient Baria), revealed signs of Greek ancestry, suggesting layered identities within Punic cities. This points to a complex social structure in which people from various regions lived side by side, often mixing culturally and biologically.
Spain’s central role in Carthaginian development
The research also highlights the significant role of the Iberian Peninsula in Carthaginian expansion. Southern Spanish cities such as Cádiz and Málaga were not merely colonies of a foreign empire — they were home to people who formed the backbone of Punic society. In many cases, these were native populations who had absorbed Phoenician ways through trade and political alliances.
This challenges the old image of Carthaginians as eastern settlers dominating western coasts. Instead, the evidence points to a civilisation built largely by and among local populations.
A new voice for a long-silenced civilisation
Much of what is known about the Carthaginians has come through the lens of their enemies — especially Rome, which fought and defeated Carthage in three brutal wars. The destruction of Carthage in 146 BC and the lack of preserved Carthaginian texts has left a historical vacuum, often filled by Roman propaganda.
With DNA analysis now filling in the gaps, researchers are beginning to reconstruct the story from the perspective of the Carthaginians themselves. According to one researcher, this marks a rare opportunity: “For the first time, we can hear from the Carthaginians in their own biology.”
A history reframed by science
Rather than migrants from the East, Carthaginians were a fusion of local groups who embraced and transformed Phoenician culture. The new genetic evidence reframes how we understand identity, migration and influence in the ancient Mediterranean — highlighting not conquest, but contact and exchange.
Brief history of Spain – the Phoenicians