The Barcid family was a notable family in the ancient city of Carthage; many of its members were fierce enemies of the Roman Republic. The word "Barcid" as a family name was apparently invented by scholars to designate this family; its original surname was Barca or Barcas, which means lightning: see Baraq, in Canaanite, برق, Barq, in Arabic, and similar words in other semitic languages.