Having just finished an excellent book on Rome's great rival Carthage (titled, Carthage Must Die!), I have to believe that fascination with Rome comes in large part from the sheer amount of Roman writings that survived the tumult of passing years. As to our common kink, I was surprised to find out that the Carthaginians crucified many, many people. Unlike the Romans, execution by crucifixion was meted out to citizens. In fact, it was the preferred way to dispose of deposed rulers and losing generals. I am guessing that the Romans started crucifying after seeing the enthusiasm the Carthaginians, civilized long before Rome, had for nailing people up. After all, many a captive Roman groaned and gasped dying breaths nailed to a Carthaginian cross.
Anyways, knowledge of Carthaginian life actually comes from Roman writings based on Carthaginian scrolls. All the original material was destroyed by vengeful and arrogant Romans. Believing themselves the only truly civilized people of the ancient world (although the Greeks were granted some respect), the Romans did nothing to preserve the writings of the peoples they conquered. Only a fraction of Roman material has survived, so much of our view of the ancient world comes from the fraction of the fraction that Roman authors dedicated to observing and translating those other ancient civilizations. Thus, we have a vivid and fascinating view of Roman daily life, but all the other Mediterranean civilizations are seen through the distorting lens of disdainful Roman eyes.
No doubt our crucifixion kink would be wonderfully enhanced if we could add in Carthage. The whole process of condemning a returning general, and possibly their family, to a public spectacle of crucifixion is quite stimulating. Sadly, we just don't know what happened. No details! We have teased out so much from the scant records left by the Romans. Nothing comparable exists for the Carthaginians.