A marine archaeology expedition off the Balearic island of Ibiza has located the submerged remains of a 3rd-century BCE Carthaginian naval outpost. Utilizing high-resolution sonar and ROVs, the team identified stone foundations of what appear to be barracks and a small armory. Divers recovered several intact bronze swords and spearheads, as well as lead sling bullets inscribed with Punic characters, marking a significant find from the era of the Punic Wars.
The outpost is believed to have been a strategic surveillance point used to monitor Roman naval movements in the western Mediterranean. The preservation of the bronze weaponry is attributed to the low-oxygen environment beneath the seabed sediments. This discovery offers new insights into Carthaginian military logistics and their ability to maintain fortified maritime positions far from the North African mainland during their conflict with the rising Roman Republic.