246 BCE-146 BCE

Carthage
 Founded by the Phoenicians (813 BCE)
 Began as a small port on the coast of Africa used to re-supply and repair ships
 Became the wealthiest and most powerful city in the Mediterranean before the creation of
Rome
 Had the best navy in the Mediterranean Sea

Carthage

Summary of the Punic Wars
 Rome vs. Carthage
 Three wars
 Lasted 100 years
 Fought in Italy, Sicily, Spain & Carthage
 Ended with the destruction of Carthage

Rome &
Carthage Before the Wars

1st Punic War:
Sicily
Causes
 Italian city in Sicily was attacked
 City asked the Romans & Carthaginians for help
 Carthage arrived first but helped the enemy instead
 Carthage decided to conquer Sicily
 Romans declared war on Carthage to prevent them from gaining power

1st Punic War:
Sicily
Events
 Romans built a navy
 260-256 BCE: Rome won two major battles before moving to attack
Africa
 241 BCE: Rome defeated Carthage at sea

1st Punic War:
Sicily
Results
 Rome conquered Carthage’s colonies in Sicily
 Sicily became Rome’s first overseas territory
 Carthage no longer had the most powerful navy & agreed to pay Rome for damages made during the war

After the 1st
Punic War
 Rome conquered Sardinia & Corsica
(islands)
 Carthage conquered a large part of
Spain

2nd Punic War:
Spain & Italy
Causes
 221 BCE: Hannibal became the Carthaginian general in Spain
 Hannibal fought Rome’s allies in Spain to gain more power
 Gathered 40,000 troops, 12,000 cavalry
(soldiers on horses) and 40 elephants to launch an attack on Rome

2nd Punic War:
Spain & Italy
Events
 Carthaginians marched through the Alps
 Won many battles in the beginning
 Romans elected a dictator to prevent Hannibal from entering the city of Rome
 216 BCE: Romans were surrounded and defeated
 207 BCE: Romans rebuilt their army & began attacking Carthage in Spain and Africa
 203 BCE: Hannibal left Italy to protect Carthage from attack

2nd Punic War:
Spain& Italy
Events
 ½ of Carthage’s army died crossing the Alps
 Rome’s army was almost completely destroyed
 Carthage had to give Spain to the Romans & pay war damages
 Carthage’s empire was almost destroyed

3rd Punic War:
Africa
Causes
 Carthage became strong and wealthy again
 Romans saw Carthage as a threat
 149 BCE: Carthage broke a peace treaty they made with Rome by attacking a Roman ally in
Africa
 Rome declared war by sending troops to
Africa to protect their ally

Events
3rd Punic War:
Africa
 Romans set up blockades on land and at sea to prevent the Carthaginian troops from moving or trading
 • 146 BCE: Carthage was defeated

3rd Punic War:
Africa
Results
 Romans took Carthaginians as slaves, burned the city down and took Carthage as their property
 Rome conquered the Macedonians & created an empire than stretched from Spain to Asia Minor
 Rome gained total control over the Mediterranean