Dispute over control of Sicily and trade routes in the western Mediterranean brought Rome into conflict with the powerful North African city-state of Carthage Carthage Carthage had been founded as Phoenician colony 500 years earlier Result was the three Punic Wars BC

FIRST PUNIC WAR Primarily a naval war –Tactics: maneuver ship to ram and sink enemy Carthage: very good, experienced naval power Rome: small navy, little experience –Defeated repeatedly by Carthaginian navy

ROME WINS THE FIRST ONE Rome would not surrender –Finally turned tables on Carthage by changing rules of naval warfare Equipped ships with huge hooks and Stationed soldiers on ships Would hook enemy ship, pull nearby, board it with soldiers –Converted naval warfare into mini-land battles Something Rome was very good at Won First Punic War as a result

SECOND PUNIC WAR Carthagian general Hannibal surprises Romans –lead army from Spain, through southern France and the Alp –invades Italy from the north Defeats Roman armies sent to stop him several times but hesitates to attack Rome itself –Too well fortified (Protected) Settles instead on war of attrition (weakening over times) in hope of destroying Roman economic base “ Hannibal is at the Gates! ”

ROME WINS Unable to defeat Hannibal in Italy, a Roman army sailed across the Mediterranean, landed in North Africa, and headed for Carthage –Hannibal forced to leave Italy to protect Carthage Defeated at the Battle of Zama, fought outside the walls of Carthage Hannibal

"I swear that so soon as age will permit... I will use fire and steel to arrest the destiny of Rome." ~~Childhood Hannibal Quote Born about Died 183BC Hannibal-the-Conqueror

THIRD PUNIC WAR Carthage finished after Second Punic War –Hannibal committed suicide –Economy shattered –Lost all territory to Rome –But some Romans feared it might revive someday and challenge Rome again Notably Cato the Elder –Pushed for another war that would wipe Carthage off the face of the map Cato the Elder

ROME WINS A THIRD TIME Due to Cato’s persistent efforts, Rome declares war against defenseless Carthage –Wins easily –Entire population of city sold into slavery –Everything of value carried back to Rome –Everything else burned and dumped into the sea –Site sown with salt so that nothing would ever grow there again –Carthage completely disappeared

Rome drawn into the affairs of the successor kingdoms Successor kingdom increasingly called on Roman aid in their incessant wars against each other Rome always responded in the belief that achieving a balance of power in the east was better than having one successor kingdom become too powerful and challenge Rome Rome eventually became weary of playing this endless refereeing role and realized that the continued independence of the successor kingdoms threaten Roman interests Took over Greece, Macedonia, some of Asia Minor, Syria, Aegean and eastern Mediterranean islands by 133 BC

Hannibal Barca ( BC) *Carthaginian general *Brilliant strategist *Developed tactics of outflanking and surrounding the enemy with the combined forces of infantry and cavalry As a boy of 9, begged his father, Hamilcar Barca, to take him on the campaign in Spain Hamilcar, made him solemnly swear eternal hatred of Rome.

Alps Hannibal conceived of an invasion of Italy from the north Wanted them crushed on own turf—counted on disaffected allies Crossed the Iberus-bloody battles with Spanish tribes Marched with about 40,000 men across the Pyrenees In Gaul, quick progress to Rhone River Transported army & war elephants across the river

15 days marched through rugged mountain passes Enormous army Diverse origin and language 38 war elephants enemy attacks landslides early autumn snow Heroic feat Captured the imagination of historians and poets alike