Rome Vs. Carthage

The Punic Wars

Rome vs. Carthage

Causes:

Rome’s first territorial interest outside of Italy was in Africa. The target was the Phoenician city of Carthage. Rome wanted to control Carthage for two reasons:

Carthage controlled much of Sicily, an island rich with wheat that could provide the Republic with a valuable source of grain.
Carthage’s navy posed a threat to the western coastal plains of Italy, and hindered trade along the west coast of the peninsula.

The First Punic War (264 BCE – 241 BCE)

This war broke out when Rome violated a treaty with Carthage and invaded Sicily.
The war continued for 23 years until Rome finally won. The Romans redesigned their fleet of ships so that they could hook onto the side of the enemy’s boats. This way the troops could fight on the deck of the Carthaginians’ boats.
At the end of the war, the Carthaginians agreed to pay Rome 3300 talents of silver and to surrender Sicily, which would become Rome’s first province.

The Second Punic War (218 BCE – 202 BCE)

This war proved to be a serious threat to Rome’s security.
Rome was suspicious of Carthage’s growing influence in the western Mediterranean.
Hannibal, the great Carthaginian general, was conquering lands along the Spanish coast. He captured one of the few remaining independent cities in 219 BCE.
Rome demanded the city from Hannibal, but he refused.
According to an ancient legend Hannibal swore on a sacred altar that he would remain an enemy of Rome his entire life.
To act on his pledge, he launched a sudden invasion of Italy from the north.
Hannibal felt that the advantage of surprise far outweighed the dangers of the journey over the Alps. After 15 days he descended into the Po Valley. He lost half of his infantry, 8000 cavalry and 60 elephants.
Within two months he conquered all of Northern Italy.
Once in Italy he was almost unstoppable.
He defeated the Romans at the TrebiaRiver, & LakeTrasimene. In Southern Italy, he defeated the Romans at the battle of Cannae.
Before attacking Rome he needed reinforcements. He sent his brother, Hasdrubal. The Romans intercepted his messengers. After learning the location of his armies they crushed them & delivered Hastrubal's head to Hannibal.
Hannibal was at Rome's doorstep without siege equipment, or reinforcements from Spain. In Spain the Carthaginians were losing a counter invasion led by the Roman General Scipio. He conquered all of Spain and Hannibal retreated to protect Carthage.
In spite of winning every battle, Hannibal lost the war. He was defeated at the battle of Zama by Scipio, the Roman general. Carthage surrendered and Rome became an empire. Hannibal committed suicide when assassins followed him into exile.
The Carthaginians were force into a crippling peace at the end of the Second Punic War.

The Third Punic War (149 BCE)

Carthage violated the peace treaty with Rome by building up its military strength.
Rome decided that Carthage must be destroyed. They plowed the city under and sow the earth with salt so that nothing would grow there again. Any people the Romans did not kill, they sold into slavery.
North Africa became another Roman province.

Results:

Rome has now greatly expanded their territory outside of the Italian peninsula.
The Romans are now considered a formidable military and political power in the Mediterranean.