ARCHIVED - Arqua director finds evidence of the palace of Hasdrubal in Cartagena



The Carthaginian palace is thought to have been a huge triangular complex on the Molinete hill

As more and more archaelogical excavation takes place in Cartagena, so more detailed information comes to light regarding the importance of the city in past millennia, and the director of the Arqua museum, Iván Negueruela, has presented his latest theory regarding the palace of Hasdrubal of Carthage which was built on the Molinete hill.

The Carthaginians ruled in Cartagena for only 18 years after Hasdrubal founded the city of Qart Hadasht in 227 BC, but this provided time for the construction of the Palace of Hasdrubal to which Greek historian Polybius of Megalopolis referred when he visited in the middle of the following century. Based on the writings of Polybius, Sr Negueruela began his research into the palace in the year 2000, and since then he has found bedrock and the fragments of walls which he believes date from 22 centuries ago.

His conclusion is that the Carthaginian royal palace in fact consisted of various dwellings hewn into the rock of the hill itself, and terraced up the hillside.

Sr Neguerela also believes that the complex was triangular in shape, and if he is right this would make it unique for the era in which it was built. To give an idea of its scale, the longest side of the triangle would have measured 250 metres or so, making it a true giant among the architecture of its time.

By 209 BC the city of Cartagena had been taken by the Romans, ( see History of Cartagena) but the hope of Iván Neguerela is that his findings are conclusive enough for further research to be undertaken into the importance of Cartagena prior to the arrival of General Scipio the Great and for further excavations to take place supporting his theories.

The new Mayor of Cartagena, José López, has delayed the sale of land on the Molinete Hill to allow further excavations to take place.