 They spoke Canaanite, a Semitic language, and followed a local variety of the ancient Canaanite religion.The fall of Carthage came at the end of the Third Punic War in 146 BC at the Battle of Carthage.Despite initial devastating Roman naval losses and Rome's recovery from the brink of defeat after the terror of a 15-year occupation of much of Italy by Hannibal, the end of the series of wars resulted in the end of Carthaginian power and the complete destruction of the city by Scipio Aemilianus.