As founder and queen of Carthage, Dido’s name has survived the ages as a myth. Deity to some, historical reality to others, she has been further immortalised in literature, most famously in Virgil’s Aeneid as the woman who gave her life for one of the founding heroes of Rome. In this epic poem, written between 29 and 19 BCE, Aeneas encounters Dido, queen of Carthage, a city-state that will one day rival Rome itself. She is a central yet fictionalised figure in this story, killing herself for the love of its hero and dooming the powerful city that she founded. It is little wonder that Dido’s tale has long fascinated scholars, who continue their investigations into whether this remarkable woman was flesh and blood or myth and legend.
Dido’s name has appeared in writings since ancient times, the oldest known occurrence being in the writings of Timaeus, a 3rd-century BCE Greek historian. These stories are lost today, as is the work of Roman historian Pompeius Trogus, who wrote his own version of Dido’s story around a century later. However, Trogus’ tale was summarised by a fellow Roman, Justin, and it is his treatment along with Virgil’s epic poem that offers tantalising clues to the identity of Dido.