The Punic Wars
Last Updated      11/14/2007     10/3/2007

By 246 BC, the Romans conquered some Greek city-states in southern Italy. 
This brought them into contact with the Phoenician city of Carthage. 
Carthage controlled the trading colonies of northern Africa and many of the Greek cities of Sicily. 
She was, in fact, the great merchant of the Mediterranean. 
She had grown wealthy by buying and selling the products of the East and the West.
The purple of Tyre, the frankincense of Arabia, the linen of Egypt, the gold of Spain.
The silver of the Balearic Isles, the tin of Britain, and the iron of Elba.
She had formed commercial treaties with the chief countries of the world. S
he coveted not only the Greek cities of Sicily, but the Greek cities of Italy as well.
Rome and Carthage became rivals for the possession of the western Mediterranean Sea.

The Origin of Carthage
This city was originally a colony of Tyre.
It was the capital of a great commercial empire on the northern coast of Africa.
The origin of Carthage, like that of Rome, is almost lost in the clouds of tradition.
An old story tells us how Queen Dido was driven from Tyre.
She landed in Africa with a band of fugitives.
It is said that Dido purchased from the African princes as much land as an oxhide would cover.
She had cunningly cut the hide into thin strips and encircled enough land, upon which to found a city.
But all we really know of the origin of this city is that it was settled by Phoenicians from Tyre.
It acquired dominion over the native races of Africa, the Lydians and the Numidians.

Government of Carthage
Carthage had the same kind of government as the Roman republic.
The real power was exercised by a few wealthy and prominent families.

First Punic War

Outbreak of the War in Sicily (B.C. 264)
The First Punic War began in Sicily.
It came to be a contest for the possession of that island.
Sicily was controlled by 3 powers.
Cathagenuans, King of Syracuse, and Campian soldiers who had been in service to the King of Syracuse.
The soldiers attacked and ravaged Messana.
King of Syracuse attacked the soldiers and they asked Carthage for help. 
Rome was friendly with Syracuse, but they didn't want Carthage to help. 
This began the First Pinic War.

The War
A Roman army went to Sicily.
The soldiers had already admitted a Cartheginian garrison into the city.
Roman general, Appius Claudius, asked Catheginian commander, Hanno, to a conference. 
Claudius seized Hanno and made him give up the city. 
Romans got Messana. 
Syracuse allied with Cartheginians to drive Romans out, but both armies lost. 
Syracuse then allied with Rome to drive the Cartheginians off the island.
Town after town fell before the Roman army.
In 262 BC, the second year of the war, the city of Agrigentum was captured, after a siege of seven months.

First Naval Power of the World
Then the Carthaginian fleet first appeared.
The Carthaginians recovered most of the coast cities which had been lost to the Romans.
It ravaged the coasts of Italy.
By controlling the sea it made it difficult for Rome to send fresh troops to Sicily. 
The Romans only had a few ships.
The Romans took a wrecked Carthaginian ship.
They used it as a model and constructed a hundred vessels like it in sixty days.
The Romans knew that their soldiers were better than the Carthaginians.
They provided their ships with drawbridges which could be used in boarding the enemy’s vessels.
Rome now ventured upon the sea as a rival of the first naval power of the world.

Victory of Duilius at Mylae (B.C. 260)
The new Roman fleet was put under the command of the consul Duilius.
The Carthaginians were now plundering the northern coast of Sicily near Mylae.
Without delay Duilius sailed to meet them.
As the fleets came together, the Romans dropped their drawbridges upon the enemy’s ships.
They quickly boarded them.
In the hand-to-hand encounter, the Romans proved their superiority.
The Carthaginians were routed.
Fifty of their vessels were either sunk or captured.
This was a most decisive victory.
Duilius was given a magnificent triumph.
To commemorate the victory, a column was erected in the Forum.
It was adorned with the beaks of the captured vessels.

Invasion, of Africa by Regulus, (B.C. 256)
The Romans felt prepared to carry the war into Africa.
They defeated the Carthaginian squadron which attempted to bar their way on the southern coast of Sicily.
Two legions, under L. Manlius Vulso and Regulus, landed on the coast of Africa east of Carthage.
They laid waste the country.
The Romans decided that one consul, with his army, would be enough to finish the work in Africa.
Vulso was therefore recalled, and Regulus remained.
The Carthaginians attempted in vain to make peace.
They even threw some of their children into the flames to propitiate their god Moloch.
They then placed their army in the hands of a Spartan soldier named Xanthippus.
This general defeated the Roman legions with great slaughter.
Regulus was captured and remained a prisoner.
A fleet was then sent from Italy to rescue the survivors.
This fleet, on its return, was wrecked in a storm.
Thus ingloriously closed the war in Africa.

The War Confined to Sicily (B.C. 255-241)
For several years after this, the war languished in Sicily.
The long series of Roman disasters was relieved by the capture of Panormus on the northern coast.
This was soon followed by a second victory over the Carthaginians at the same place.
It is said that the Carthaginians, after this second defeat, desired an exchange of prisoners.
Carthage sent Regulus to the Roman senate to advocate their cause.
He promised that he would return if unsuccessful.
But Regulus, it is said, persuaded the senate not to accept the offer of the Carthaginians.
In spite of the tears and entreaties of his friends, went back to Carthage.
After the Roman victories the Carthaginians were pushed into the extreme western part of the island.
The Romans then laid siege to Lilybaeum, the stronghold of the Carthaginian power.
But they failed to capture this place.
The Roman consul, P. Claudius, determined to destroy the enemy’s fleet lying near Drepanum.
He was defeated with the loss of over ninety ships.
Then Rome lost other fleets by storms.
After fruitless campaigns against the Carthaginian soldier, Hamilcar Barca, the Roman cause seemed a failure.

Victory at the Aegates Islands (B.C. 241)
Rome had lost one sixth of their population.
They had spent a vast amount of their treasurey.
They still persisted in the attempt to conquer Sicily.
Wealthy citizens advanced their money to build a new fleet.
In this way two hundred ships were built and placed under the consul C. Lutatius Catulus.
A decisive victory was gained at the Aegates Islands, off the western extremity of Sicily.
The Carthaginians were unprepared for the terrible defeat.

Results of the War
They were obliged to sue for peace.
They had to release all the Roman prisoners without ransom.
They had to pay the Romans 3,200 talents (about $4,000,000), within ten years.
Thus ended the first Punic war, which had lasted for twenty-three years.

Hannibal and the Second Punic War
Carthage was building up a great empire in the Spanish peninsula.
She expected to raise new armies, with which to invade Italy.
This was the policy of Hamilcar Barca, her greatest citizen and soldier.
The work was begun by Hamilcar himself, and then continued by his son-in-law, Hasdrubal.
Hasdrubal founded the city of New Carthage as the capital of the new province.
Rome and Carthage made a treaty not to extend her territory beyond the river Iberus (Ebro), in Spain.
Carthage continued conquering the southern part of Spain.
Hasdrubal died.
Hannibal, the young son of the great Hamilcar, and the idol of the army, was chosen as commander.
He marched from New Carthage and proceeded to attack Saguntum, the ally of Rome.
After a siege of eight months, Hannibal conquered Saguntum.
The Romans sent an embassy to Carthage to demand the surrender of Hannibal.
The story is told that Quintus Fabius, the chief Roman envoy, spoke to the Carthaginian senate.
“Here we bring you peace and war; which do you choose?”
“Give us either,” was the reply.
“Then I offer you war,” said Fabius.
“And this we accept,” shouted the Carthaginians.

Hannibal’s Invasion of Italy
The Romans formed a plan to send two armies into the enemy’s country.
One into Africa under Sempronius.
The other into Spain under P. Cornelius Scipio.
But Hannibal saw that Carthage would be safe if Italy were invaded and Rome threatened.
Hannibal left his brother Hasdrubal to protect Spain.
Hannibal  crossed the Pyrenees with fifty thousand infantry, nine thousand cavalry, and 40 elephants.
He pushed on to the river Rhone.
He outflanked the barbarians, who were trying to oppose his passage.
The Roman commander, P. Cornelius Scipio, sent his brother Cn. Scipio on to Spain with the main army.
Scipo returned to Cisalpine Gaul, expecting to destroy Hannibal if he should come into Italy.
Hannibal in the meantime pressed on crossed the Alps.
He finally reached the valley of the Po River.
Hannibal had only twenty thousand foot soldiers and six thousand cavalry.
Here he recruited his ranks from the Gauls.
They eagerly joined his cause against the Romans.
Hannibal defeated all the Roman legions which were sent after him.
Rome refused to give in and kept sending army after army against him.
He fought on in Italy for fifteen years.
The Romans had attacked him and his bases in Spain and Africa.
But still they could not defeat him.

Battle of Metaurus
The battle which took place at the Metaurus was decisive.
It determined the issue of the second Punic war.
The army of Hasdrubal was entirely destroyed, and he himself was slain.
The first news which Hannibal received was from the lifeless lips of his own brother.
Hasdrubal's head was thrown by the Romans into the Carthaginian camp.
Hannibal saw that the death of his brother was the doom of Carthage.
He sadly exclaimed, “O Carthage, I see thy fate!”

Return to Carthage
In 203 BC, the Carthaginians withdrew.
They returned to defend Carthage against the Roman General Scipio.

Battle of Zama
In 202 BC, Hannibal was defeated by Scipio at the battle of Zama.
Hannibal fought at a great disadvantage.
His own army was reduced in number.
The new armies of Carthage could not be depended upon.
Scipio changed the order of the legions.
He left spaces in his line, through which the elephants of Hannibal might pass.
Hannibal was defeated.
The Carthaginian army was annihilated, twenty thousand men were slain.
The great war was now ended.

Results of the War
In 201 BC, Scipio imposed the terms of peace.
Carthage was to give up the whole of Spain and all the islands between Africa and Italy.
The copper, gold, lead, and iron of Spain, now belonged to Rome.
Masinissa was recognized as the king of Numidia and the ally of Rome.
Carthage was to pay an annual tribute of 200 talents (about $250,000) for fifty years.
Carthage agreed not to wage any war without the consent of Rome.

The Fate of Hannibal
Hannibal never forgot the oath of eternal enmity to Rome.
When Antiochus agreed to surrender him, Hannibal fled to Crete.
Later he took refuge with the king of Bithynia.
Here he continued his hostility to Rome.
He aided Bithynia in a war against Rome’s ally, the king of Pergamum.
The Romans still pursued him, and sent Flamininus to demand his surrender.
But Hannibal again fled.
On 183 BC, this great soldier took his own life by drinking poison.

Third Punic War

Beginning of the Third Punic War
Following the Second Punic War there was peace for 50 years.
Carthage showed signs of regaining their power.
The Carthaginians were commanded to give up three hundred of their noblest youths as hostages.
The hostages were accordingly given up.
The Carthaginians were then informed that they must surrender all their arms and munitions.
This hard demand was also complied with, and Carthage became defenseless.
The demand was now made that, as the city was fortified.
The city must too be given up, and the inhabitants must remove to a point ten miles from the coast.
To such a revolting and infamous command the Carthaginians could not yield.
In 149 BC, Rome attacked Carthage.

Siege and Destruction of Carthage (B.C. 146)
Carthage was without arms, without war ships, without allies.
To make new weapons, the temples were turned into workshops>
The women cut off their long hair to be twisted into bowstrings.
Supplies were collected for a long siege.
For three long years the brave Carthaginians resisted every attempt to take the city.
They repelled the assault upon their walls.
They were then cut off from all communication with the outside world by land.
They sought an escape by the sea.
Their communication by water was then cut off by a breakwater, built by the Romans.
They cut a new outlet to the sea.
They then secretly built fifty war ships, and attacked the Roman fleet.
But all these heroic efforts simply put off the day of doom.
At last, under Scipio Aemilianus, the Romans forced their way through the wall.
The city was taken street by street, and house by house.
Carthage became the prey of the Roman soldiers.
Its temples were plundered.
Its inhabitants were carried away as captives.
By the command of the senate, the city itself was consigned to flames.
In 146 BC, Carthage was destroyed.
The Romans even plowed salt into the fields around Carthage so that nothing could ever grow there again.
Corinth was destroyed because it refused to obey a Roman order.
Rome became the leading power of the Meditteranean world.

Bibliography
Outlines of Roman History Chapter 14