Third Punic war (149–146 BC)

A fight over Messina in 264 BC brought on the first of three Punic Wars between the two largest powers in the Mediterranean – Rome and Carthage.

The cause of the Third Punic War can be attributed to the loss of Scipio Africanus’ moderating influence when he fell victim to political in-fighting and his replacement by Cato with his advocacy of vigorous confrontation with Carthage.

The third Punic War was a security measure meant to protect Rome from future confrontations with a resurgent Carthage.

Cato the sensor, flush with triumph from Greek and Asia Minor campaigns, argued before the Roman Senate that Carthage was a deadly enemy close to home and convinced it to demand that Carthage give up its port and move inland.

When Carthage refused this deliberately outrages demand, the Romans invaded, seized the city and systematically slaughtered the inhabitants. In a war in which Rome showed neither mercy nor pity and in which Carthage was besieged for two years, the cruel order was finally given in 146 BC that Carthage must be utterly destroyed.

The Third Punic War, terminated by the destruction of Carthage, continued but four years and some months.

After leveling the city, the whole site was ploughed, salt was sprinkled on the earth, and a solemn curse was pronounced upon whomever would attempt to rebuild the city.
Third Punic war (149–146 BC)

2nd Punic war (218-201 BC)

After 1st Punic War, in 241 BC Carthage has no alternative to accepting the Roman peace terms and surrendering possession of the whole of Sicily to Rome. Three years later the Senate took advantage of Carthage’s difficulties to seize Sardinia.

Hannibal Barca, one of the most brilliance generals in history, led a rejuvenated Carthage against Rome. In 2nd Punic War, Hannibal with a full baggage train and elephants, marched eastward along the Mediterranean’s north coast from Spain and crossed the Alps in a journey into Italy, where he had success against Roman forces.

The Carthaginians victory in the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC was one of the worst defeats in Roman history.

In 202 BC at Zama, northwest of Carthage, Hannibal was defeated by a Roman army under General Scipio Africanus Major (Scipio the Elder) which led to loss of Spanish colony.

Rome became undisputed master of the western Mediterranean and the Romans rapidly moved into the vacuum that Carthage had left in Spain.
2nd Punic war (218-201 BC)

First Punic War (264-241 BC)

Punic War derived their name from the Roman word for Carthaginian, Punici. The first two Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage were of an unprecedented scale of ancient Mediterranean warfare in terms of the expenditure of manpower and material resources.

Before the first Punic War the position of Carthage in the Mediterranean world is seen as an immediate threat to Rome, forcing Rome into action the rationale of which is reminiscent of a theory of defensive imperialism.

At that time Rome had acquired control of the entire Italian peninsula and had begun to look both east, toward Greece, and west toward Carthage.

The Romans’ first task was to capture the western half of Sicily, which Carthage had used as a fulcrum of its empire. Carthage could not permit the loss of Sicily, and so the war began.

The first war between Rome and Carthage is seen as the beginning of a new era. It was fought over control of Sicily. The First Punic War marked the beginning of Roman imperial expansion which ultimately engulfed the Mediterranean basin and much of its hinterland.

In the aftermath of the final battle Roman victory near the Aegates Islands, while Carthage was embroiled in war with its rebellious mercenaries, Rome seized the Carthaginian provinces of Sardinia and Corsica.

In 241 BC at the end of the First Punic War the Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca was forced to make peace with the Romans, after a naval defeat by the Roman consul Gaius Lutatius Catulus and to give up holdings in Sicily. In this war Carthage also lost her Spanish colonies.
First Punic War (264-241 BC)