The Punic Wars

Rome against Carthage

The first Punic War

• Rome's first territorial conquest outside of

Italy was Carthage in Africa.

• Rome wanted Carthage for two reasons:

Reasons for the first Punic War:

1) Carthage controlled Sicily, a valuable

source of grain.

Reasons for the first Punic War:

2) The navy of Carthage was a threat; it controlled

commercial trade in the Mediterranean, and

hindered trade at sea for Rome.

The First Punic War

• Rome invaded Sicily.

The First Punic War

• Rome built a navy (at first Carthage was stronger at sea).

• The Roman Ships had a gangplank to hook on to enemy boats so legionaries could board and fight on deck.

• Rome utterly destroyed the Carthaginian Navy.

The First Punic War

• The Carthaginians signed a treaty making Sicily the first

Roman province.

• Next Rome took the islands of Corsica and Sardinia.

The Second Punic War

• Again Carthage became a threat.

• They expanded their empire into Spain and were advancing north, closer to Italy.

The Second Punic War

• Rome demanded that the greatest of all Carthaginian generals, Hannibal, surrender a city in Northern Spain -Saguntum (a Roman ally).

• He Refused, and launched an invasion on Italy instead.

The Second Punic War

• From Spain he marched 40,000 infantry, 8000 cavalry, & 60 battle elephants over the Alps (mountain barrier to Italy).

• Within two months he conquered all of Northern Italy.

The Second Punic War

• Once in Italy he was almost unstoppable.

• He defeated the Romans at the Trebia River, & Lake Trasimene.

The Second Punic War

• In Southern Italy he defeated

the Romans at the battle of

Cannae.

The Second Punic War• He used a crescent shaped formation

of troops and cavalry.

• It was a brilliant strategy of false retreat followed by attack & conquer.

The Second Punic War

• Before attacking Rome he needed reinforcements.

• He sent his brother, Hasdrubal.

• The Romans intercepted his messengers.

• After learning the location of his armies they crushed them & delivered Hastrubal's head to Hannibal.

The Second Punic War

• Hannibal was at Rome's doorstep without siege equipment, or reinforcements from Spain.

• In Spain the Carthaginians were losing a counter invasion led by the Roman General Scipio.

• Scipio conquered all of Spain and Hannibal retreated to protect Carthage.

• In spite of winning every battle he lost the war.

The Second Punic War

• He was defeated at the battle of Zama by Scipio.

• Carthage surrendered and Rome became an empire.

• Hannibal committed suicide when assassins followed him into exile.

The Second Punic War

• Four reasons Hannibal lost the war:

• 1) No siege equipment for Rome's walls

• 2) Rome's allies were too loyal to join him

• 3) Carthage didn't get reinforcements through

• 4) The Romans never gave up

The Third Punic War

• Carthage revived its commercial empire and violated a treaty by building up its military.

• Rome, still angry about the second war, destroyed, plundered, burned, and plowed the city under, sowing the ground with salt so nothing could grow.

• They slaughtered the inhabitants and those not killed were sold into slavery.