The Punic Wars

2. The Punic Wars

3. Carthage Dispute over control of Sicilyand trade routes in the western Mediterraneanbrought Rome into conflict with the powerful North Africancity-state of Carthage Carthage had been founded as Phoeniciancolony 500 years earlier Result was the threePunic Wars 264-146 BC

4. The First Punic War Primarily a navalwar • Tactics: maneuver shipto ram and sink enemy • Carthage: very good, experiencednaval power • Rome: smallnavy, littleexperience • Defeatedrepeatedly • by Carthaginian navy

5. ROMEWINS THE FIRST ONE Rome would not surrender • Finally turned tables on Carthage by changingrules of naval warfare • Equipped ships with hugehooks and stationed soldiers on ships • Would hook enemy ship, pull nearby, boardit with soldiers • Converted naval warfare into mini-land battles, something • Romewas very good at

6. The SecondPunic War "Hannibal ad portas" (“Hannibal is at the Gates!”) Carthagian general Hannibalsurprises Romans, leads army from Spain, through southern France and the Alps Invades Italy from the northwith elephantarmy Defeats Roman armies sent to stop him severaltimes but hesitatesto attack Rome itself Settles on war of attritionin hope of destroying Roman economic base

7. ROMEWINS THE SECOND ONE Unable to defeat Hannibal in Italy, a Roman armysailed across the Mediterranean, landed in North Africa, and headed for Carthage • Led by patriciangeneral Scipio AemiliusAfricanus • Hannibal forced to leave Italyto protect Carthage • Defeated at the Battle of Zama, fought outside the walls of Carthage Hannibal

8. Hannibal-the-Conqueror "I swear that so soon as agewill permit . . . I will use fireand steelto arrest the destiny of Rome." ~~Childhood Hannibal Quote Born about 247 - Died 183BC

12. Hannibal Barca (247-183 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, HamilcarBarca, to take him on the campaign in Spain Hamilcar, made him solemnly swear eternal hatred of Rome.

13. After Hannibal’s defeat, he remained a suffete (civil magistrate) of the newly acquired Roman territory • Organized financial reforms to pay back Rome for their prosecution of war • Political enemies accused him in Rome of conspiring with King Antiochus III of Syria • When Romans sent commission to investigate, fled Carthage and went into hiding

14. Hannibal poisoned himself when threatened with being taken as a prisoner • He did so in Libyssa, close to today's Istanbul in Turkey. • Ruins of grave site near Diliskelesi, South of Gebze, 60km East of Istanbul “Let us release the Romans from their long anxiety, since they think it too long to wait for the death of an old man.”

15. The ThirdPunic War Carthage was finishedafter Second Punic War • Hannibal committed suicide • Economyshattered • Lost all territory to Rome • But some Romans feared it might revivesomeday and challenge Rome again • Notably Cato the Elder • Pushed for another war that would wipe Carthage off the face of the map

16. ROMEWINS THE THIRD ONE Due to Cato’s persistent efforts, Rome declares war against defenselessCarthage • Winseasily • Entire population of city sold into slavery • Everything of valuecarried back to Rome • Everything else burned and dumped into the sea • Carthage completely disappeared • Site sown with saltso that nothing would ever grow there again

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