Dido

Long before Carthage rose to challenge Rome, its story began with a queen.

In the ancient Phoenician world of the eastern Mediterranean, Dido emerged as one of the most remarkable figures of early antiquity. Born into the royal house of Tyre, she was a woman of intelligence, political skill, and formidable resolve. When the violent ambitions of her brother forced her into exile, Dido gathered loyal followers, sailed across the Mediterranean, and established a new city on the North African coast. That city would become Carthage, one of the most powerful civilizations of the ancient world.

Part history and part legend, the story of Dido has endured for more than two millennia. Classical writers preserved accounts of her daring escape from Tyre, the famous tale of the oxhide used to claim land for her new settlement, and the dramatic founding of Carthage itself. Later traditions, especially in Roman literature, would entwine her story with that of Aeneas, transforming the Phoenician queen into one of the most enduring figures of ancient storytelling.

In Dido: Queen and Founder of Carthage, Peta Oakes explores the historical traditions, myths, and literary interpretations that surround this extraordinary woman. Drawing upon ancient sources and historical scholarship, the book traces the rise of Carthage from its Phoenician origins and examines how the memory of its legendary founder shaped Mediterranean history.

Blending history, myth, and cultural memory, this illustrated volume reveals the life and legacy of a woman whose courage and leadership created one of the great cities of the ancient world.