| These trends most likely precipitated the colony's emergence as an independent polity. Though the specific date and circumstances are unkn, Carthage most likely became independent around 650 BC, when it embarked on its own colonization efforts across the western Mediterranean. It nonetheless amicable cultural, political, and commercial ties with its founding city and the Phoenician land; it continued to receive migrants from Tyre, and for a time continued the practice of sending annual tribute to Tyre's temple of Melqart, albeit at irregular intervals. By the sixth century BC, Tyre's power declined further still after its voluntary submission to the Persian king Cambyses (r. 530–522 BC), which resulted in the incorporation of the Phoenician land into the Persian empire. Lacking sufficient naval strength, Cambyses sought Tyrian assistance for his planned conquest of Carthage, which may indicate that the er Tyrian colony h become wealthy enough to warrant a long and difficult expedition. Herodotus that the Tyrians refused to cooperate due to their affinity for Carthage, causing the Persian king to abort his campaign. Though it escaped reprisal, Tyre's status as Phoenicia's leing city was significantly circumscribed; its rival, Sidon, subsequently garnered more support from the Persians. However, it too remained subjugated, leing the way for Carthage to fill the vacuum as the leing Phoenician political power. ation and characteristic of the empire Although the Carthaginians retained the tritional Phoenician affinity for maritime tre and commerce, they were distinguished by their imperial and military ambitions: was the Phoenician city-states rarely engaged in territorial conquest, Carthage became an expansionist power, driven by its desire to new sources of wealth and tre. It is unkn what factors influenced the citizens of Carthage, unlike those of other Phoenician colonies, to |
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