A response to the article: “Punic people were genetically diverse with almost no levantine ancestors”

Abstract

This paper critically responds to the *Nature* (2025) article on Punic genetic ancestry, based on ancient DNA from sites like Motya and Carthage. While the genetic analysis is technically robust, its historical conclusions are undermined by major methodological flaws. The dataset focuses on individuals post-600 BC, excluding earlier Phoenician phases due to cremation, which prevents DNA recovery. As a result, Levantine ancestry is likely underrepresented. The small sample size – about 200 individuals – is negligible compared to the vast Punic population. Furthermore, the idea of a uniform “Phoenician DNA” is flawed, as Levantine populations were genetically mixed during both the Bronze and Iron Ages. The article’s claim of minimal Levantine ancestry is therefore misleading.