[29] In 264BC Carthage and Rome went to war, starting the First Punic War. Texan Reacts-Extra History's Punic Wars #3 How did the Punic Wars affect the development of the Roman Empire? In 255, under Xanthippus command, they offered battle to Regulus, who had taken up position with an inadequate force near Tunis, outmaneuvered him, and destroyed the bulk of his army. To review: from 264 to 146 BCE, the Romans fought a series of three wars with the rival state of Carthage. [132][133], By early 237BC, after numerous setbacks, the rebels were defeated and their cities brought back under Carthaginian rule. [220] After the second of these Syphax was pursued and taken prisoner by Masinissa at the battle of Cirta; Masinissa then seized most of Syphax's kingdom with Roman help. Carthage and Rome came into conflict as they sought to expand; Rome defeated Carthage in the three Punic Wars. The Roman senator Cato the Elder took the threat so seriously that he would end all of his speeches, no matter the subject, with the phrase, And, further, I think that Carthage should be destroyed. In 149 BCE Rome sent an embassy to Carthage suggesting exactly that course: that the city should be dismantled and moved inland away from the coast. Mago left Iberia for Cisalpine Gaul with his remaining forces. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. [105][106] In 250BC the Carthaginians advanced on Panormus, but in a battle outside the walls the Romans drove off the Carthaginian elephants with javelins. She had a powerful navy, a mercenary army, and, through tribute, tariffs, and trade, enough wealth to do as she pleased. That night the Carthaginian garrison escaped and the Romans seized the city and its inhabitants, selling 25,000 of them into slavery. New territories increased Rome's wealth, as Rome gained access to new resources. How did the Punic Wars affect the Romans? Rome received the training, the navy, and the wealth it needed from the Punic Wars to grow from a small city to an empire that would rule the known world. How were plebeians and enslaved persons similar in Roman society? [200] It was the only time during the war that Carthage reinforced Hannibal. They were a series of three wars that led to the destruction of Carthage, the enslavement of its people, and Roman hegemony over the western Mediterranean. The First Punic War was fought to establish control over the strategic islands of Corsica and Sicily. Corrections? On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The Second Punic War saw Hannibal and his troopsincluding as many as 90,000 infantry, 12,000 cavalry and a number of elephantsmarch from Spain across the Alps and into Italy, where they scored a string of victories over Roman troops at Ticinus, Trebia and Trasimene. Background. [50][51] When armies were campaigning, surprise attacks, ambushes and stratagems were common. [204] Hannibal repeatedly defeated Roman armies, in 209BC both consuls were killed in a cavalry skirmish. Hannibal's battle strategy, more well known as his "razed earth strategy" damaged the country side. This gave Rome full control of Sicily and Corsica. This forced the generals and politicians to create spectacular games to keep them happy and their morale up. [26][27] According to the classicist Richard Miles Rome had an expansionary attitude after southern Italy came under its control, while Carthage had a proprietary approach to Sicily. At the start of the war Carthage was the dominant power of the western Mediterranean, with an extensive maritime empire, while Rome was a rapidly expanding power in Italy, with a strong army but no navy. The combined Roman force attacked Hasdrubal at the battle of the Metaurus and destroyed his army, killing Hasdrubal. [20], The Roman Republic had been aggressively expanding in the southern Italian mainland for a century before the First Punic War. [82][83][84] A Carthaginian base on Corsica was seized, but an attack on Sardinia was repulsed; the base on Corsica was then lost. Did you know? Consuls could veto each other's decisions. The successful Roman invasion of the Carthaginian homeland in Africa in 204BC led to Hannibal's recall. The campaign ended in disaster for the Carthaginians and their army surrendered. As the Punic Wars ended, the surviving 50,000 citizens of Carthage were sold into slavery. It lasted 23 years, until 241BC, when the Carthaginians were defeated. The Romans certainly took this view and demanded Hannibals surrender. [116][205] By 207BC Hannibal had been confined to the extreme south of Italy and many of the cities and territories which had joined the Carthaginian cause had returned to their Roman allegiance. [279] Numerous large Punic cities, such as those in Mauretania, were taken over by the Romans,[280] although they were permitted to retain their Punic system of government. Third Punic War (149 - 146 B.C) The third Punic War compound the belic conflict which led to the total eradication of the Carthaginian civilization and culture. At one point Rome attacked Carthaginian lands in Africa, very close to Carthage itself. How is the US government similar to the Roman Republic? [17] Modern historians usually take into account the writings of various Roman annalists, some contemporary; the Sicilian Greek Diodorus Siculus; and the later Roman historians[14] Plutarch, Appian,[note 2] and Dio Cassius. During the last three years of the war this was extended to the transporting by sea from Sicily to Africa of almost all of the requirements of Scipio's large army. That's what makes the Punic Wars so difficult to understand. [94] The Roman fleet, in turn, was devastated by a storm while returning to Italy, losing most of its ships and more than 100,000 men. They favored the patrician class and did not like that Caesar was popular with the plebeians. World History Encyclopedia. Punic Wars, or Carthaginian Wars, Three wars (264241, 218201, 149146 bce) between Rome and Carthage. [2][8] The modern historian Andrew Curry sees Polybius as being "fairly reliable";[9] Craige Champion describes him as "a remarkably well-informed, industrious, and insightful historian". His aim was to join his forces with those of Hannibal, but Hannibal was unaware of his presence. Hannibals losses in the Second Punic War effectively put an end to Carthages empire in the western Mediterranean, leaving Rome in control of Spain and allowing Carthage to retain only its territory in North Africa. This left Rome free to land a force on Corsica (259) and expel the Carthaginians but did not suffice to loosen their grasp on Sicily. How did both the construction of roads and the Mediterranean Sea contribute to the expansion of the Roman Republic? The Mercenary War lasted from 241-237 BCE and, while Carthage was engaged in this conflict, Rome occupied the Carthaginian colonies of Sardinia and Corsica. Outcome - Rome takes Sicily , then Sardinia and Corsica . What was the cause of the First Punic War? [193] Brian Carey writes that these three defeats brought Rome to the brink of collapse. [98][99], The war continued, with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage. [270] In the spring of 146BC the Roman army managed to secure a foothold on the fortifications near the harbour. This caused Carthage to cease to be a military threat. Carthage, on the other hand, had long been anxious to conquer Sicily and so to complete the chain of island posts by which it controlled the western Mediterranean. The proximate cause of the first outbreak was a crisis in the city of Messana (Messina), commanding the straits between Italy and Sicily. "|shift or raise with great effort; throw|violent; painful| Punic Wars, also called Carthaginian Wars, (264146 bce), a series of three wars between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian (Punic) empire, resulting in the destruction of Carthage, the enslavement of its population, and Roman hegemony over the western Mediterranean. Required fields are marked *. Traditionally, when at war the Romans would raise two legions, each of 4,200 infantry[note 4] and 300 cavalry. Scipio Africanus the ElderMark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA). He struck without warning up and down the coast of Italy destroying Roman outposts and cutting supply lines. All except the smallest towns were too well fortified for Hannibal to take by assault and blockade could be a long-drawn-out affair, or, if the target was a port, impossible. Updates? [112] It was to be seven years before Rome again attempted to field a substantial fleet, while Carthage put most of its ships into reserve to save money and free up manpower. The Third Punic War, also known in Latin as Tertium Bellum Punicum was the final of the Punic Wars that lasted between 149 BC an 146 BC fought between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginians.Unlike the previous two wars which occurred all around the Mediterranean, the Third Punic War was mostly focused on North Africa, in the area of modern day Tunisia. [43] In addition both Iberia and Gaul provided many experienced infantry and cavalry. [182] Fabius introduced the Fabian strategy of avoiding open battle with his opponent, but constantly skirmishing with small detachments of the enemy. [46][47] The Carthaginians also employed war elephants; North Africa had indigenous African forest elephants at the time. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. He gave himself the title after the Senate appointed him as ruler. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The three Punic Wars between Carthage and Rome took place over nearly a century, beginning in 264 B.C. [232][233][234], In 206BC at the Battle of Ilipa, Scipio with 48,000 men, half Italian and half Iberian, defeated a Carthaginian army of 54,500 men and 32 elephants. The Romans now directed their efforts once more against Sicily. [275] There is a tradition that Roman forces then sowed the city with salt, but this has been shown to have been a 19th-century invention. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. [169] As a result, most of the Gallic tribes declared for the Carthaginian cause and Hannibal's army grew to 37,000 men. read more, Beginning in the eighth century B.C., Ancient Rome grew from a small town on central Italys Tiber River into an empire that at its peak encompassed most of continental Europe, Britain, much of western Asia, northern Africa and the Mediterranean islands. Below is the article summary. Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. The defeat of Carthage in the Third Punic War . The boys decided to build a city where the wolf had fed them. Under what condition were Roman women allowed to run businesses? From this episode it became clear that Rome intended to use the victory to the utmost. Though Rome won both the First and Second Punic Wars, Carthage at times came close to victory. Which natural feature is the closest to the city of Rome? [260], As well as manning the walls of Carthage, the Carthaginians formed a field army under Hasdrubal the Boetharch, which was based 25 kilometres (16mi) to the south. The boys' mother was murdered by an evil king named Amulius. [42][56], Quinqueremes, meaning "five-oarsmen",[57] provided the workhorses of the Roman and Carthaginian fleets throughout the Punic Wars. [119] Goldsworthy describes Roman manpower losses as "appalling". Why were Carthage and Rome continually at war between 264 and 146 BCE? Books The boys grew bigger and stronger. The Roman adaptation of the corvus was a continuation of this trend and compensated for their initial disadvantage in ship-manoeuvring skills. The last holdouts, including Roman deserters in Carthaginian service, fought on from the Temple of Eshmoun and burnt it down around themselves when all hope was gone. Mago marched his reinforced army towards the lands of Carthage's main Gallic allies in the Po Valley, but was checked by a large Roman army and defeated at the battle of Insubria in 203BC. After one campaign they were ready to sue for peace, but the terms which the Roman commander Marcus Atilius Regulus offered were intolerably harsh. The First Punic War (264-241 BC) The First Punic War was a conflict between Rome and Carthage. For instance, you could guess that a person who creates a collage of personal mementos for a friend's birth day is creative and values personal relationships . At the start of the first Punic war, the Romans couldn't compete with the technologically advanced Carthaginian Navy. As a result of these three wars, Carthage was destroyed, its people were sold into slavery, and Rome gained control of the western Mediterranean. [198][199], When the port city of Locri defected to Carthage in the summer of 215BC it was immediately used to reinforce the Carthaginian forces in Italy with soldiers, supplies and war elephants. [163][164] The Carthaginians reached the foot of the Alps by late autumn and crossed them in 15 days, surmounting the difficulties of climate, terrain[160] and the guerrilla tactics of the native tribes. This victory had significant repercussions on Roman politics and society. Cato is remembered for his rallying cry, Carthage must be destroyed! which some historians have cited as an early support for genocide. He died by his own hand, drinking poison, in 184 BCE, aged sixty-seven. Punic wars helped Rome consolidate its power, increase its wealth, and boost its reputation, all of which served to demonstrate its superiority over other areas.What was the outcome of the first Punic War?Rome gained control of all of the Carthaginian lands on Sicily after Carthage agreed to terms in the first Punic War, which was settled in 241 BC. 1,200 talents was approximately 30,000kg (30 long tons) of silver. 28 Feb 2023. While this was the Romans only naval defeat in the war, their fleet had suffered a series of grievous losses by storm, and now it was so reduced that the attack upon Sicily had to be suspended. The Punic Wars were a series of conflicts between Carthage and Rome between 264-146 BCE. The two sides' infantry fought inconclusively until the Roman cavalry returned and attacked the Carthaginian rear. He led Rome as a dictator when he was asked. A Roman relief force broke through the siege, but was then ambushed and besieged itself. (2018, April 18). The origin of these conflicts is to be found in the position which Rome acquired, about 275 bce, as leader and protector of all Italy. [224] The Carthaginian commander in Iberia, Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal, marched into this area in 215BC, offered battle and was defeated at Dertosa, although both sides suffered heavy casualties. The ones referred to in this article are all Euboic (or Euboeic) talents, of approximately 26 kilograms (57lb). Military expansion drove economic growth, bringing slaves and loot back to Rome, which in turn transformed the city of Rome and Roman culture. [149] In 226BC the Ebro Treaty was agreed with Rome, specifying the Ebro River as the northern boundary of the Carthaginian sphere of influence. Even so, they lacked the expertise at sea of the Carthaginians and, more importantly, were lacking a general with the skill of the Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca (l. 275-228 BCE). The Second Punic War forced them to abandon Spain and the Third ended Carthage. Is it possible to pick up an accent as an adult. [195] Fabius was elected consul in 215 BC and was re-elected in 214 BC. What did the Romans do to help protect most cities from attack? The Punic Wars, also known as the Carthaginian Wars, occurred between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian (Punic) empire from 264 to 146 bce. Hannibal set an ambush and in the battle of Lake Trasimene completely defeated the Roman army, killing 15,000 Romans, including Flaminius, and taking 15,000 prisoners. In total there were three Punic Wars, which were all fought between the Empires of Carthage and Rome for the role reasoning of gaining more territory, whether it be for military or economic reasons. [151], In 219BC a Carthaginian army under Hannibal besieged, captured and sacked Saguntum[note 12][140][152] and in spring 218BC Rome declared war on Carthage. [95][96][97] It is possible that the presence of the corvus, making the Roman ships unusually unseaworthy, contributed to this disaster; there is no record of them being used again. His work was continued by his son-in-law Hasdrubal and his son Hannibal, who was placed at the head of the army in 221. Rome won all three Punic Wars and, after the third, Carthage was destroyed. At the same time, the Carthaginians, who felt no less severely the financial strain of the prolonged struggle, reduced their forces and made no attempt to deliver a counterattack. 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