Overview:

Factions:

Cultural Traits allow for a powerful economy based on trading and commerce buildings, and reduces upkeep for the Mercenary armies needed to defend and expand it.
Start with several settlements and two Client States, spread out across North Africa, Sicily, Corsica, the Balearic Islands and southern Spain, giving easy access to the Western Mediterranean but making for a very challenging campaign start.
Have a small roster of their own largely Hellenic influenced units (including elephants,) but can also draw from a large array of mercenaries. Cultural traits, technologies, army traditions and character skills reduce the usually high recruitment and upkeep cost of mercenary units, making mercenary heavy armies not just viable but recommended.
Instead of separate factions, faction choice decides which party the player will use to lead the Carthage faction, with each having different Faction Traits.

The trading and maritime powerhouse of the Western Mediterranean.
Major rival of both Rome and Syracuse, they fought multiple conflicts with Rome in this era, known as the Punic Wars.
Probably most famous for Hannibal Barca, who lead Carthage's army in the Second Punic War, marched elephants across the Alps and inflicted multiple defeats upon Rome that would scar the Roman conscience for centuries.