Western History 40: What was significant about the Punic Wars?

The greatest challenge to Rome’s authority in the Republic Era came from the rival power of Carthage (a Phoenician colonial population located in Modern Day Tunisia). Three Punic Wars were fought over a period of one hundred and twenty years between Rome and its Carthaginian rival for domination of the Western Mediterranean.

In the first of these Wars the Romans invaded Sicily (a region which was within the Carthaginian sphere of influence). The Romans drew first blood with a victory at Agrigentum but the war was largely a Naval engagement with Roman use of boarding bridges (hooked up between ships) deciding the conflict in their favour.

In the Second Punic War Hannibal of Carthage crossed the Alps and attacked Rome from the North with an assorted army that included an elephant contingent and inflicted defeats on Rome and her allies in the Battles of Trebia, Lake Trasimene and Cannae (Hannibal’s greatest victory).  However Carthage could not build on their gains and lacked the resources (mostly military men) to consolidate their foothold. The powers in Carthage refused to supply Hannibal with more troops (as did Hitler with Rommel in North Africa over two thousand years later) and the momentum flipped in favour of Rome who under the skilful leadership of the general Scipio Africanus defeated Carthage on their North African home ground at the Battle of Zama in 202 BCE. The Romans had already struck a decisive blow against Carthage in Spain at the Battle of Metaurus in 207 BCE, Carthage sued for peace and were heavily punished by the Romans who were now in full control of the Western Mediterranean.

Hard-line Romans, particularly Cato the Elder (famed for his Carthage must be destroyed speeches) advocated for a war with Carthage and in the Third Punic War (the shortest of the three) Carthage was finally defeated and the city raised to the ground. A treaty negotiated in favour of Rome left the former Phoenician colony powerless.