The Roman Punic Wars

The Roman-Punic Wars

The greatest naval power of the Mediterranean in the third century BC was the North African city of Carthage near modern day Tunis (Hooker 1996 ) The Carthaginians were originally Phoenicians and Carthage was a colony founded by the Phoenician capital city of Tyre in the ninth century BC the word "Carthage " means , in Phoenician "the New City (Hooker , 1996 ) The Phoenicians , however , were conquered by the Assyrians in the seventh century BC , and then conquered by the Persians an independent Phoenician state would never again appear in the Middle

East (Hooker , 1996 ) Carthage , however , remained . Since Phoenicia no longer existed as an independent state , that meant that Carthage was no longer a colony , but a fully functioning independent state (Hooker 1996 ) While the Romans were steadily increasing their control over the Italian peninsula , the Carthaginians were extending their empire over most of North Africa (Hooker , 1996 ) By the time that Rome controlled all of the Italian peninsula , Carthage already controlled the North African coast from western Libya to the Strait of Gibraltar , and ruled over most of southern Spainas well as the island of Corsica and Sardinia (Hooker , 1996 ) Carthage was a formidable power it controlled almost all the commercial trade in the Mediterranean , had subjected vast numbers of people all whom sent soldiers and supplies , and amassed tremendous wealth from gold and silver mines in Spain (Hooker , 1996

The Roman Republic and the Carthaginian Empire came into contact in the middle of the third century BC when Rome 's power had reached the southern tip of Italy (Hooker , 1996 ) The Resulting wars , ultimately so disastrous for Carthage , were inevitable . Between Carthage and Italy lay the huge island of Sicily Carthage controlled the western half of Sicily , but the southern tip of the Italian peninsula put the Romans within striking distance of the island (Rickard , n .d ) When the Sicilian city of Messana revolted against the Carthaginians , the Romans intervened , and the first Punic War erupted (Rickard , n .d ) Both sides were battling for ultimate control over the Mediterranean Sea and the profitable trading routes therein

The First Punic War broke out in 264 BC it was concentrated entirely on the island of Sicily (Rickard , n .d ) Treaties between the two cities had existed for over two centuries , agreeing on their respective spheres of influence , Rome in Italy , Carthage in African and Sardinia with Roman traders allowed equal access in Sicily . In the end it was Sicily that provided the trigger for war (Rickard , n .d ) Control of the island was contested between the Greek city states and Carthage . Between 315 and his death in 289 BC the opposition to Carthage had been led by Agathocles , tyrant of Syracuse (Rickard , n .d ) Amongst his troops was a contingent from Campania , the Mamertines . After his death , they were forced out of Syracuse , and eventually took control of Messana , facing the Straits of Messana and mainland Italy (Rickard , n .d ) From there they raided the surrounding areas (Rickard , n...