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..