1. Carthage had been founded as Phoenician colony 500 years earlier
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 had been founded as Phoenician colony 500 years earlier
Result was the three Punic Wars BC

2. FIRST PUNIC WAR Primarily a naval war
Carthage very good at this because of long experience as naval power
Rome had small navy and little experience Defeated by larger and more experienced Carthaginian navy

3. SECOND PUNIC WAR
Carthaginian general Hannibal surprises Romans, leads army from Spain, through the Alps, and invades Italy from the north
Defeats Roman armies sent to stop him several times but will not attack Rome itself
Too well protected

4. ROME WINS
Unable to defeat Hannibal in Italy, a Roman army sailed across the Mediterranean, and headed for Carthage
Hannibal forced to leave Italy to protect Carthage
Hannibal

5. 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
Cato the Elder

6. ROME WINS A THIRD TIME 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

7. Rome drawn into the affairs of the successor kingdoms
Took over Greece, Macedonia, some of Asia Minor, Syria, Aegean and eastern Mediterranean islands by 133 BC
Rome eventually became weary of playing this endless refereeing role and realized that the continued independence of the successor kingdoms threaten Roman interests
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
Successor kingdom increasingly called on Roman aid in their incessant wars against each other
Rome drawn into the affairs of the successor kingdoms