The Punic Wars

- Conflict over the trade routes of the western Mediterranean.

- Carthage was a great power in the west ruling the northern coast of Africa, parts of Spain, Sicily, Sardinia

- Rome was the rising power in Italy waiting to test its strength.

- The Punic Wars were fought in three stages.

Three stages

- The first (264-241 BC.) and second struggles (218-201 BC.) were fought with evenly matched sides.

- And the final in 149 BC.

- Carthage was larger and wealthier than Rome and had a large navy.

- Rome was superior in its manpower and loyal citizenry.

The First War

- The first war began in Sicily, when Messana in Sicily asked Rome for protection against Carthage

- The Romans built a large fleet to challenge Carthaginian supremacy on the sea.

- Using the Raven (30 foot ramp with a heavy hook at the end) the Romans turned a naval war into a type of land war. Rather than trying to sink the enemy ships they would board them and fight on the decks

- It was a success and the Romans won every major battle of the first Punic War.

- In 241 BC. after 23 years of fighting, a peace treaty was signed (Carthage paid money & gave up Sicily)

- Later Rome took Sardinia and Corsica also

The Second War

Hannibal'

- The second conflict was dominated by one man, Hannibal of Carthage.

- Hannibal had dedicated himself at age 9 to the total destruction of Rome.

- He invaded Italy from the north by crossing the Alps with 40,000 men and many war elephants

- His skillful maneuvering, and his use of war elephants completely demoralized the Roman armies sent to stop him at Lake Trasimene and Cannae.

- Forcing the Romans to fight on his terms, he trapped the legionaries between the hills and the lake at Trasimene, pushing them back into the water where many drowned.

- At Cannae, he surrounded the entire Roman army, slaughtered 50,000 and lost only 6,000 of his own men

- He was never able to capture Rome because he lacked equipment and manpower for a long siege.

Rome attacks Carthage

- He ravaged the countryside for 4 years until Rome decided to go and attack Carthage.

- A Roman army under Cornelius Scipio sailed for Africa.

- Hannibal was recalled to defend his native city.

- Hannibal suffered his first defeat by a Roman army at Zama (80 mi. SW of Carthage) and fled to Greece

- Carthage lost the war, surrendered the Spanish colonies, burned its own navy, and paid another large sum of money to Rome.

- Rome was now the master of the Mediterranean Sea

The Third War

- In 149 BC. the final episode was played. Rome saw Carthage as a commercial threat (olives and wine)

- Rome sent an army to destroy its enemy forever.

- After a 3 year siege Carthage fell, cities were leveled and salted (50,000 were sold into slavery)