Carthaginian Discovery and Colonization of the Americas: A Reinterpretation of Aristotle's \On Marvellous Things Heard Supported by Phoenician Heritage and Cultural Parallels

This paper contends that Aristotle's \textit{On Marvellous Things Heard} (837A) documents the Carthaginian discovery and colonization of the Americas, identifiable by its geographical features and initial uninhabited state. As a Phoenician colony with extensive commerce and cultural ties to Mesopotamia, Greece, and Egypt, Carthage possessed the scientific and technological prowess—evidenced by their architect's role in Solomon's Temple—to establish settlements in the New World. Cultural parallels in pyramids, deities, sacrifices, and calendars between American civilizations and the Near East further suggest Carthaginian influence, challenging traditional narratives and highlighting their colonial ambitions.