Ba'alyatonites or Eshmunkhilletzim?

Which sect emerges victorious?

  • Ba'alyatonites

    Votes: 14 66.7%
  • Eshmunkhilletzim

    Votes: 7 33.3%
  • One wins, other exists, but is marginalised (specify below)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    21
Hi AHers,

For my 'Carthage-wins' TL (Jabrut: Qart-Hadast), I have a civil war between the Barcids and the other Punic landowners. There is also a religious schism going on, between the "Eshmunkhilletzim", who follow the Old Ways of Punic religion, and the "Ba'alyatonites" who follow a 'rogue' priests idea, which follows Aristotle's hierarchy of souls. Basically the Ba'alyatonites think that they can sacrifice animals instead of humans. Which should come out on top? Not the Barcids support the Ba'alyatonites, but the majority of Carthage doesn't.
 
I'd say the Ba'alyatonites should win, because no civilization that engages in human sacrifice can be sympathetic to a modern audience.
 
The Eshmunkhilletzim would be more entertaining, but the more plausible choice would be the Ba'alyatonites, IMO. Eventually, they're going to have to get rid of it.
 
It's hard to say, especially with so few details. Societies that practice human sacrifice don't need to do it on the almost industrial scale the Aztecs did it, so it's not like that religion is self-destructive.
 
The Eshmunkhilletzim would be more entertaining, but the more plausible choice would be the Ba'alyatonites, IMO. Eventually, they're going to have to get rid of it.

It's not like human sacrifice is something you have to get rid of to create an advanced society. Look at the Aztecs, or the Muisca. They both practiced utterly horrifying, some-would-say-barbaric types of human sacrifice, and their societies were quite advanced. I see no reason why the Ba'alyatonites should win, except for the sake of anachronistic prejudice.
 
It's not like human sacrifice is something you have to get rid of to create an advanced society. Look at the Aztecs, or the Muisca. They both practiced utterly horrifying, some-would-say-barbaric types of human sacrifice, and their societies were quite advanced. I see no reason why the Ba'alyatonites should win, except for the sake of anachronistic prejudice.

From what I've gathered, the Tyrians and other Phoenicians had already gotten rid of it a few hundred years prior to the events he's describing. Therefore, I think it quite likely that Carthage would, at some point, follow suit, given how important the city of Tyre is to their religion. I'm not saying that their society has to abandon human sacrifice to advance as a society, I'm saying that, given the (likely) realities of Phoenician religion, the Ba'alyatonites, or a similar group, will win out in the end.
 
From what I've gathered, the Tyrians and other Phoenicians had already gotten rid of it a few hundred years prior to the events he's describing. Therefore, I think it quite likely that Carthage would, at some point, follow suit, given how important the city of Tyre is to their religion. I'm not saying that their society has to abandon human sacrifice to advance as a society, I'm saying that, given the (likely) realities of Phoenician religion, the Ba'alyatonites, or a similar group, will win out in the end.

Ah. Well, in that case, you make a fine point. Sorry, I should have asked for clarification.
 
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