Pierre-Narcisse Gurin/Louvre MuseumA painting of Queen Dido and the Trojan hero Aeneas.According to Greco-Roman legend, Dido founded the ancient city of Carthage in modern-day Tunisia by requesting a seemingly small amount of land from a local chieftain only as much as an ox-hide could cover. Dido then cleverly cut that ox-hide into tiny strips and laid them out in a circle, claiming a much larger space than expected.Encompassing an entire hillside, Carthage quickly transformed into a bustling metropolis, and Dido became famous not only as the founder of the city, but also its first queen. However, as ancient myths tell it, her power and influence couldnt protect her from meeting a tragic fate.In Virgils Aeneid, Queen Dido fell in love with the Trojan hero Aeneas after he landed in North Africa. Though it initially seemed like Aeneas returned her feelings, Aeneas was soon commanded by the gods to continue on his planned journey. He then abandoned Dido, leading her to die by suicide.The mists of time have forever clouded the story of this fabled queen, and its still unclear whether she was inspired by a real historical figure. Despite this, Didos legends have captivated countless people for millennia. Who Was Queen Dido Of Carthage?Public DomainA portrait of Queen Dido by Dosso Dossi.The queen of Carthage was known by many names, including Elissa, Elisha, Alashiya, and Dido. Her most famous name was an epithet meaning wanderer, likely due to her journey that led her to founding a new city.According to most versions of her story, she originally hailed from Tyre, located in modern-day Lebanon. She was also the daughter of a king. Her brother Pygmalion, who became the leader of Tyre after the king died, slew Didos husband Sychaeus because he was jealous of Sychaeus wealth.Aware that she was in grave danger, Dido fled Tyre with a group of loyal followers and other settlers, eventually reaching North Africa.Some versions of the story state that she carved out her kingdom of Carthage after using the ox-hide trick when asking the local chieftain Hiarbas for land. In other versions, she simply purchased the land from Hiarbas.Either way, she founded her city, which came to be known as Carthage, inspired by the Phoenician phrase for new town. Carthage soon flourished.In early versions of the Dido myth, the same chieftain who gave her the land relentlessly pursued her hand in marriage. Soon, Dido had enough.Out of respect for her late husband, and to escape an unwanted marriage, Dido built a great funeral pyre. Then, right in front of her subjects, she stabbed herself to death, throwing herself on the crackling flames.Of course, that is just one version of the tale of Dido. Queen Dido In The AeneidNational Trust Collections/Wikimedia CommonsAeneas and Achates approaching the Queen of Carthage, Dido, in a Jacopo Amigoni painting.In the famous Roman poet Virgils Aeneid, Dido plays a key role as the doomed lover of the legendary Trojan hero Aeneas. Aeneas, who was said to be the son of Aphrodite and Anchises, fought bravely for Troy until it eventually fell to the Greeks. Though Troy was doomed, Aeneas was able to escape successfully after learning through a vision or a dream that he was destined to found a great new city overseas. But en route to destiny, Aeneas met Dido.Amidst his many adventures, he shipwrecked off the coast of North Africa near Carthage, which led him to cross paths with the queen. The two eventually fell in love, with some versions of the myth claiming that Dido had been resisting many suitors after the death of her former husband. But when it came to Aeneas, Dido was fatefully struck by Cupids arrow. Unfortunately, their love story was short-lived.Aeneas was soon commanded by the gods, particularly Mercury, to continue on his planned journey. Feeling guilty about being sidetracked during his travels, Aeneas promptly abandoned Dido, leaving her heartbroken.Dido eventually became so depressed that she killed herself. But she used her final moments to yield power one last time cursing the Trojans and setting the stage for the Punic Wars between Carthage and Rome.She said: Let there be no love between our peoples and no treaties Let there be war between the nations and between their sons for ever.Aeneas, meanwhile, fulfilled his destiny by sailing to modern-day Italy and establishing Lavinium, paving the way for Romulus to later found Rome.The Historical Truth About CarthageCleveland Museum of Art/Wikimedia CommonsA 19th-century imagining of Carthage.The truth of Didos very existence is not clear, with no proof that the legendary queen was inspired by a real person from history. Carthage, however, was undoubtedly a real city.Tradition holds that the settlement in modern-day Tunisia was founded by Phoenicians of Tyre in 814 B.C.E. They dubbed their new home New Town.Positioned among low hills, near the freshwater Lake of Tunis and the Strait of Sicily, Carthage quickly grew thanks to its natural resources and its ideal location between the east and west of the classical world.This New Town soon made a name for itself among traders for murex shells, which were used to create a coveted purple dye. Carthage also exploited silver mines in and around the region, which increased its wealth.Wikimedia CommonsA modern-day look at Carthages ruins in Tunisia.All these riches whet Romes appetite. Senator Cato the Elder summed it up simply: Delenda est Carthago. (Carthage must be destroyed.)From the mid-3rd century B.C.E. to the mid-2nd century B.C.E., Carthage and Rome were engaged in the Punic Wars, which ultimately ended with the downfall of Carthage. From there, Rome successfully stretched its influence across the Mediterranean. And the legendary Didos city was left in ashes.Didos Lasting Legacy In Legends And ArtRome eventually rebuilt Carthage, turning it into a city to rival Alexandria or Antioch. The new New Town became a favorite of Roman emperors.Despite the Roman renovation, the specter of Dido lingered. Emperor Nero reportedly splurged on missions to find her supposed hidden treasure, which was rumored to be hoarded in some caverns near Carthage.Though Roman Carthage was eventually destroyed amidst a Vandal raid in the fifth century C.E., a Byzantine invasion in the sixth century, and the citys eventual capture by the Arabs in the eighth century, some ancient ruins like temples and aqueducts still remain at the site to this day.The story of Dido also persists. While shes often portrayed as a tragic figure in literature and artwork, not all depictions focus on her feelings of betrayal and her death by suicide. Some portrayals instead highlight her power.One 16th-century carving portrays Dido as a confident queen, nude and defiant, holding the ox-hide that would lead to Carthages founding.The Cleveland Museum of ArtA famous statue of Dido with an ox-hide curtain.Other depictions showcase her wisdom or her statesmanship.Some 16th-century bronze coins depict Dido in profile on one side, with an illustration of Carthage on the other side. In this case, Queen Dido and her city are inseparable, quite literally two sides of the same coin.National Gallery of Art/Wikimedia CommonsA bronze coin of Dido.Its little wonder why ancient Romans and those who came after them were both fascinated and scandalized by Queen Dido and what she represented. A powerful yet tragic woman whose legend left an unforgettable mark on history, Dido may call to mind other ancient queens whose historicity has been confirmed, such as Cleopatra of Egypt and Boudica of Britain. Though Didos name is currently strongly associated with a famous English singer, her name was actually inspired by the fabled queen.When looking back at the history of Queen Didos legend, its fascinating how some civilizations saw her as someone to fear or pity while others saw an admirable, dynamic monarch with unforgettable wisdom and far-reaching influence. In some ways, Dido and her story may reveal more about the storytellers than about the legendary queen herself.Learn more about Romes fierce female enemies by reading about Zenobia, the warrior queen of the Middle East, and Queen Amanirenas, the one-eyed Nubian royal who resisted Roman rule.The post Inside The Ancient Legend Of Dido, The Founder Of Carthage And The Doomed Lover Of Aeneas appeared first on All That's Interesting.