1. The Punic Wars

2. Background Carthage and Rome had never liked each other, but they had, for the most part, left each other alone in the past. Both cities were busy building empires of their own. Carthage had grown into a huge empire. Carthage had a strong army, a strong navy, and a strong government.

3. The Cause…… By 264 B.C. Rome had conquered some Greek city-states in southern Italy. This brought them in contact with the Phoenician city of Carthage. Carthage controlled most of North and West Africa, most of what is now Spain, and some islands off the coast of Italy. Romans felt threatened by Carthage being that close-and they wanted Sicily’s granaries.

4. The First Punic War 246 B.C. the first war broke out that would last for 23 years. To assemble a navy Rome modeled it ships after a Carthaginian warship they found abandoned on a beach. They added a corvus, or kind of moveable ladder, to the front of each ship. The corvus allowed the Romans to board enemy ships and find hand to hand. (essentially changing a sea war into a land war) After 20 years of fighting, all they had accomplished was to kill a lot of people and to cause a lot of hatred.

5. The First Punic War To end the fighting, Carthage offered Rome a deal. Carthage said: “If you’ll go away and leave us alone, we’ll give you the island of Sicily.” Rome took the deal. They also took Sardinia and Corsica, the other two islands off the coast of Italy. Carthage was furious. But they were tired of fighting Rome. Carthage decided to fight Spain instead, and make up the land they had lost there. The general took his army and his nine-year-old son, Hannibal, and left for Spain. Before he left home, he made his son swear that as soon as he was old enough, Hannibal would fight the Romans and make them pay for all the lives they had cost. Hannibal promised. That was the beginning of the legend of Hannibal, military genius.

6. The Second Punic War In 218 B.C. General Hannibal Barca attacked the Roman army by land from the north. Hannibal surprised the Roman army by marchig from Spain through southern Gaul, and the crossing the Alps into Italy. They brought elephants to help break through the Roman lines.

7. The Second Punic War Winning victory after victory Hannibal’s army fought its way to the gates of Rome. However, they did not have the heavy equipment needed to batter the city’s walls. They couldn’t get more supplies because Rome controlled the seas. Unable to capture Rome Hannibal and his troops roamed the countryside for 15 years. Instead of marching on Rome, he drove Rome crazy by attacking smaller outposts and stealing food and weapons, food intended for Rome.

8. The Second Punic War In 203 BCE, Rome had had it with Hannibal. They couldn’t catch him, so they attacked Carthage instead. Carthage, in a panic, called Hannibal home. Before Hannibal could arrive, Carthage had agreed to peace terms with Rome. Terms: Carthage would leave Spain, Gaul, and Italy Carthage would reduce their navy to 20 warships Carthage had to pay 5000 talents (the money of the time) in war damages

9. The Third Punic War Following the second war there was peace for 50 years. Then Carthage began to show signs of regaining power. To prevent this Rome attacked in 149 B.C. They burned Carthage and plowed salt into its fields so nothing would grow.

10. Rome Victorious That same year, the Greek city-state of Corinth and some of its allies refused to obey a Roman order. The Romans attacked Corinth and burned it to the ground. Rome already controlled Macedonia and Syria. Now it added Greece to the areas under its rule. Rome became the leading power in the Mediterranean world.

11. Hannibal? Hannibal spent the rest of his life fighting the growing power of ancient Rome. The Romans never stopped looking for him. In spite of all their best efforts, the Romans did not catch up with Hannibal until he was 64 years old! Even then, they didn’t get him. He chose to die by swallowing the poison he kept in his ring. Hannibal still ranks as one of the most magnificent military minds in history and one of the world’s greatest generals.