Between 800 BC and 218 BC, Malta was profoundly influenced by the seafaring Phoenicians, who settled on the islands and turned them into a key trading hub in the Mediterranean. Renowned for their maritime prowess, the Phoenicians established Malta as a center for commerce and navigation. Around 480 BC, control of the islands shifted to Carthage, a powerful Phoenician colony in North Africa. Under Carthaginian rule, Malta continued to thrive economically and strategically, contributing to the region's maritime trade and military endeavors. This era laid the foundation for Malta's enduring connection to Mediterranean cultures and commerce.