Himilkon (seafarer)

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Himilkon (also: Himilco , Phoenician Chimilkât ) was a Carthaginian seafarer who probably lived in the late 6th century BC. Explored the European Atlantic coast. His aim was probably to explore the trade routes to the rich tin deposits on the northwest Iberian coast. The valuable raw material was an indispensable component of the most important metal alloy of that era, bronze .

Unlike Hanno , who was simultaneously exploring West Africa , the original Punic report of Himilkon's journey and the Greek translation have not been preserved. Today they can only be deduced indirectly and no longer in detail from the works Ora maritima of the Roman writer Avienus and Pliny the Elder .

Started in Carthage, after leaving the Mediterranean, he made a stopover in Gadir (today's Cádiz ). From there he sailed west then north. He reports of sleeping winds ( calm ), of floating grass (algae) which hindered him very much, of fog and sea monsters (presumably whales), the sight of which frightened the ship's crew. The Oestrimini, which are rich in lead and tin, are also mentioned. The islands at Cabo de São Vicente were named by the Greeks according to Pliny Cassiterides and formed the extreme west of their world. Then Himilkon came to an island of Hierni , which was next to the Albiones (probably at the height of Vigo ). A tribe of the Albions existed in Asturias, possibly also in Galicia. Although the two terms Hierni and Albiones are often associated with Hibernia and Albion (Ireland and England), there is no evidence yet that Punians reached Amorica, England, or Ireland. The connection was made by later Greeks and Romans. How far Himilkon actually got is controversial.

Possibly there were earlier Greek , Tartessian , Etruscan or Phoenician travelogues . But the periplus of Himilkon was certainly one of the most important bases for later reports by Herodotus and others.

Further mention

A Himilkon, son of Hanno, is named as a Carthaginian army leader in the battle of Gela in 405 against Syracuse. Possibly a member of the early Margonid family.

literature

  • Ernst Hugo Berger : History of the scientific geography of the Greeks, Leipzig 1903
  • Sandro Filippo Bondì: Notes on the Phoinikischen Wirtschaft in KARTHAGO edited by Werner Huss , Darmstadt 1992

Web links

Remarks

  1. ↑ Werner Huss: The Carthaginians . 3rd, revised edition. CH Beck, Munich 2004, ISBN 3-406-37912-5 , 8. The journey of Himilco into northwestern Europe, p. 45 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
  2. ↑ Sandro Filippo Bondi: Notes on the Phoinikischen Wirtschaft , p. 315
  3. ↑ Pliny the Elder: Naturalis historia , II 169
  4. ↑ Avienus: Ora maritima , 116-131 and 380-415
  5. ↑ Pliny the Elder: Naturalis historia , II 169a
  6. ↑ Ernst Hugo Berger: History of the scientific geography of the Greeks, p. 232f
personal data
SURNAME Himilkon
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Carthaginian seafarer
DATE OF BIRTH 6th century BC BC or 5th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 5th century BC Chr.