The Punic Goddess Tanit In Sicily

After the ancient southwestern Sicilian city of Selinunte was pillaged by Carthaginian (i.e., Punic) forces between 409 and 406 BCE, the Greek city became Punic for a time. The Carthaginians built a new town, recycling the materials and reclaiming temples from the magnificent Greek community that preceded it. Throughout today’s archaeological site, some ruins of…

Tanit, Ancient Goddess

This image represents the ancient goddess Tanit who was revered by Punic peoples throughout the Mediterranean and north coast of Africa. She was a heavenly goddess of war, a virginal mother, and a nurse. At Solunto, an ancient Phoenician site established between the 8th and 7th centuries BC near present-day Bagheria and Santa Flavia, there…