Chapter 6:ii (part one-Punic Wars)

Expansion and Crisis

(Image source: Gino Galuppini, Warships of the World, An

Illustrated Encyclopedia, Time Books, Random House, 1996.)

To protect themselves, Rome either conquered or

allied with their neighbors.

Most of Rome’s success in expansion was attributed to their warfare styles. The backbone of their army was the Legion, organized around smaller groups than other traditional armies.

In the army, discipline was harsh and the men were well trained. They treated conquered people very well, often allowing them to keep their own governments.

The First Punic War: 264-241 BC

CarthageCarthage, on the North African coast,

threatened to seize the Straits of Messina

and cut off Roman trade. When Rome

sent a force to secure it, a full

scale war erupted.

Carthage held their own until Rome developed new naval tactics and

forced Carthage to pay an indemnity ($ cash money) to end the war.

In 221 BC, a young Carthiginian general named Hannibal captured a Spanish town that had been allied with Rome. He then took the new war into Italy.

Second Punic War: 221-202 BC

Stylin’ and profilin’!

Hannibal lost half of his 40,000 men and 39 of his 40 elephants to cold, attacks, hunger, and sickness as he crossed the Alps.

For more than 20 years, Hannibal ravaged the

Italian peninsula, defeating many Roman

armies. Finally the Roman General Scipio

Africanus forced Hannibal to return to Africa by

attacking Carthage.

By forcing Hannibal to fight where he was not prepared to fight, Scipio defeats him at Zama, near Carthage, ending the 2nd Punic War.

Third Punic War: 152 BC

50 years later, Rome decided to force war on Carthage to finally

destroy their mortal enemy. “Carthago delenda est!!”