Ramseys McMullan and Robert Garland, both contemporary Mediterranean historians have noted that the Carthaginian army was similar in shape and function to the armies of the other great middle eastern empires. There was a greater emphasis using on conscript armies bolstered by professional mercenary troops such as the Numidians. This was observed consistently from their initial invasions of Greek Sicily, contemporary and overshadowed by the Peloponnesian Wars, right up until the Punic wars where there had been efforts to raise a more professional militia by bringing in instructors from Corinth and Thebes along with Sparta to turn their army into something that could potentially challenge the Romans. However, that never worked out given that Scipio Africanus managed to beat Hannibal first in Italy and then near Carthage before those efforts could pay dividends. The reasons for their relatively weaker infantry were primarily economic and structural. As Carthage, unlike Rome, was a thassolcratic and economic power, any effort that could be invested in drilling and training a professional army was effort which would be in detriment of increasing Carthage’s economic power. The Carthaginian Republic was also more representative, like perhaps 16th century Genoa or Venice, and not participatory like 4th Century Athens which made levying troops more difficult as a politician who conscripted civilians was just digging his grave. This also made mercenary usage more appealing. Wicker shields and spears were also favoured due to being easier to produce in mass. Spear-tips, unlike swords can be cast and don’t necessarily require being forged making them cheaper. What made Numidian cavalry, and by extension the cavalry of any horse centric culture are two factors- 1) as the riders are more used to their steeds, they are more manoeuvrable in battle making stalling or flanking easier. 2) you can’t use a draft horse in a cavalry charge. Horses need to be bred and raised for military service and numidians had the advantage of breeding and raising their horses for war.