how did the punic wars affect carthage

), These elephants were typically about 2.5m (8ft 2in) high at the shoulder and should not be confused with the larger. These wars were fought on three frontiers. Carthage was Phoenician city founded in 814 BC, and the term Punic relates to the Latin and Greek words for Phoenician. Disputes over what territory led to the First Punic War between Rome and Carthage? If you were the subject of the flyer given, how would you feel? Had the Carthaginian government better supplied and reinforced Hamilcar, they most probably would have won the war but, instead, they contented themselves with hoarding their wealth and trusted to Hamilcar and his mercenaries to take care of their enemies without the necessary support. Punic Wars, also called Carthaginian Wars, (264-146 bce), a series of three wars between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian (Punic) empire, resulting in the destruction of Carthage, the enslavement of its population, and Roman hegemony over the western Mediterranean. [58] So ubiquitous was the type that Polybius uses it as a shorthand for "warship" in general. They elected people to represent them in government. The Second Punic War began in 218BC and witnessed the Carthaginian general Hannibal's crossing of the Alps and invasion of mainland Italy. As a result of these three wars, Carthage was destroyed, its people were sold into slavery, and Rome gained control of the western Mediterranean. At the Battle of Cannae in 216 BCE, Hannibal placed his Gauls in the center of his lines, expecting they would give way before the Roman forces. They favored the patrician class and did not like that Caesar was popular with the plebeians. [112] It was to be seven years before Rome again attempted to field a substantial fleet, while Carthage put most of its ships into reserve to save money and free up manpower. Historians of Ancient Rome an Anthology of the Major Writings Third Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, The corruption and incompetence of her government, which embezzled funds which should have gone to the military and consistently refused to send much needed supplies and reinforcements to generals in the field, The mostly mercenary army who often simply refused to fight, An over-reliance on the brilliance of Hamilcar Barca. The siege of Carthage was the main engagement of the Third Punic War fought between Carthage and Rome.It consisted of the nearly-three-year siege of the Carthaginian capital, Carthage (a little north east of Tunis).In 149 BC, a large Roman army landed at Utica in North Africa. [192] Toni aco del Hoyo describes the Trebia, Lake Trasimene and Cannae as the three "great military calamities" suffered by the Romans in the first three years of the war. [144] After the First Punic War, Carthaginian possessions in Iberia (modern Spain and Portugal) were limited to a handful of prosperous coastal cities in the south. In the battle of Cannae the Roman legions forced their way through Hannibal's deliberately weak centre, but Libyan heavy infantry on the wings swung around their advance, menacing their flanks. In 260 the Romans built their first large fleet of standard battleships. . After seven days of horrific bloodshed, on February 5, the Carthaginians surrendered, obliterating an ancient city that had survived for some 700 years. [108] Repeated attempts to storm Lilybaeum's strong walls failed, as did attempts to block access to its harbour, and the Romans settled down to a siege which was to last nine years. [266][268] With no Carthaginian army in the field those cities which had remained loyal went over to the Romans or were captured. In such circumstances it was difficult to force a battle if the other commander was unwilling to fight. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. [63][87] The Carthaginians were again beaten;[88] this was possibly the largest naval battle in history by the number of combatants involved. |Word|Example|Denotation|Connotation| [153] There were three main military theatres in the war: Italy, where Hannibal defeated the Roman legions repeatedly, with occasional subsidiary campaigns in Sicily, Sardinia and Greece; Iberia, where Hasdrubal, a younger brother of Hannibal, defended the Carthaginian colonial cities with mixed success until moving into Italy; and Africa, where the war was decided. [179][180] The prisoners were badly treated if they were Romans, but released if they were from one of Rome's Latin allies. [85] In 258BC a Roman fleet defeated a smaller Carthaginian fleet at the battle of Sulci off the western coast of Sardinia. In 255, under Xanthippus command, they offered battle to Regulus, who had taken up position with an inadequate force near Tunis, outmaneuvered him, and destroyed the bulk of his army. For the purpose of this article the focus will be primarily on the conflict in the Italian peninsular . [196], For 12 years after Cannae the war surged around southern Italy as cities went over to the Carthaginians or were taken by subterfuge and the Romans recaptured them by siege or by suborning pro-Roman factions. What concern did Romans have about Julius Caesar? Your email address will not be published. How did the Punic Wars affect the development of the Roman Republic? "|held in deep respect|sacred| Over the next decades, Rome took over control of both Corsica and Sardinia as well, but Carthage was able to establish a new base of influence in Spain beginning in 237 B.C., under the leadership of the powerful general Hamilcar Barca and, later, his son-in-law Hasdrubal. The campaign ended in disaster for the Carthaginians and their army surrendered. Mark, Joshua J.. "Punic Wars." Rome's population fell after a famine and a plague. The Romans incorporated many Greek gods into their religion. This ultimately led to the establishment of Roman Empire. If either commander felt at a disadvantage, they might march off without engaging. How did Romes expansion after the Punic Wars affect Romes social development? [145] Hamilcar took the army which he had led in the Mercenary War to Iberia in 237BC and carved out a quasi-monarchial, autonomous state in its south east. The Carthaginian territories were taken over as the Roman province of Africa. Which natural feature is called "the Apennines"? Gauls now joined Hannibal's army in large numbers. Punic Wars, also called Carthaginian Wars, (264-146 bce), a series of three wars between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian (Punic) empire, resulting in the destruction of Carthage, the enslavement of its population, and Roman hegemony over the western Mediterranean. For each word in the chart, identify a synonym - a word with the same denotation. [note 11][135][136] Weakened by 30 years of war, Carthage agreed rather than again enter into conflict with Rome. Rome's army gained new soldiers from conquered territories. "|shift or raise with great effort; throw|violent; painful| It is a debatable point whether his attack contravened the new treaty. Founded by the Phoenicians in the ninth century BC, Carthage reached its height in the fourth century BC as one of the largest metropolises in the world and the centre of the Carthaginian Empire, a major power in the ancient world that . World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. As a result, the Roman infantry was surrounded with no means of escape. By 212BC the full complement of the legions deployed would have been in excess of 100,000 men, plus, as always, a similar number of allied troops. What was the role of the judicial branch of Roman government? [225] In 206BC the Carthaginians ended this drain on their resources by dividing several Numidian kingdoms with him. [2][8] The modern historian Andrew Curry sees Polybius as being "fairly reliable";[9] Craige Champion describes him as "a remarkably well-informed, industrious, and insightful historian". ), or Marcus Antonius, was an ally of Julius Caesar and the main rival of his successor Octavian (later Augustus). The elephants routed through the Carthaginian infantry, who were then charged by the Roman infantry to complete their defeat. [196][197], Little survives of Polybius's account of Hannibal's army in Italy after Cannae and Livy is the best surviving source for this part of the war. Hannibals losses in the Second Punic War effectively put an end to Carthages empire in the western Mediterranean, leaving Rome in control of Spain and allowing Carthage to retain only its territory in North Africa. Rome was able to gain its empire in large part by extending some form of citizenship to many of the people it conquered. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. [127][128] War-weary Carthage fared poorly in the initial engagements, especially under the generalship of Hanno. [note 5] Many were from North Africa and these were frequently referred to as "Libyans". Operations began with a joint attack upon Messana, which the Romans easily repelled. In this fight, Romulus killed Remus. [225], In 210BC Publius Cornelius Scipio,[note 14] arrived in Iberia with further Roman reinforcements. The Third Punic War was essentially the siege of Carthage; it led to the destruction of Carthage, the enslavement of its people, and Roman hegemony in the western Mediterranean. At some point also Rome entered into relations with Saguntum (Sagunto), a town on the east coast, south of the Ebro. [212], A large Carthaginian army led by Himilco was sent to relieve the city in 213BC. 3,200 talents was approximately 82,000kg (81 long tons). She gently picked them up in her teeth. The last holdouts, including Roman deserters in Carthaginian service, fought on from the Temple of Eshmoun and burnt it down around themselves when all hope was gone. The Second Punic War occurred between 218-201 BC. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [201] A second force, under Hannibal's youngest brother Mago, was meant to land in Italy in 215BC but was diverted to Iberia after the Carthaginian defeat there at the battle of Dertosa. Even though Rome had never had a navy before the First Punic War, they emerged in 241 BCE as masters of the sea and Carthage was a defeated city. His defiant policy was too popular to be disavowed, however. A cavalry force of 4,000 from the other Roman army was also engaged and wiped out. What was the significance of the Punic Wars for Rome? [175][176], In early spring 217BC, the Carthaginians crossed the Apennines unopposed, taking a difficult but unguarded route. They concentrated their efforts on the conquest of Spain rather than trying to drive the Romans out of their former colonies. Three conflicts between these states took place on both land and sea across the western Mediterranean region and involved a total of forty-three years of warfare. New territories increased Rome's wealth, as Rome gained access to new resources. In 205BC this war ended with a negotiated peace. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. The Romans, more experienced at sea battles now and better equipped and led, won a series of decisive victories over Carthage and in 241 BCE the Carthaginians sued for peace. The Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage did not officially end until a peace treaty was signed in 1985 AD. and ending in Roman victory with the destruction of Carthage in 146 B.C. An army was usually formed by combining a Roman legion with a similarly sized and equipped legion provided by their Latin allies; allied legions usually had a larger attached complement of cavalry than Roman ones. Abandoning that tactic resulted in a major Roman loss at the Battle of Cannae (216); that defeat drew the Romans together, and, though worn down, they managed to rally, eventually defeating Hannibal at the Battle of Zama (202). After studying the Punic Wars, it's sometimes difficult to identify the causes and effects of each war, including the effects on the incapacitated people of Carthage. [121] This new fleet effectively blockaded the Carthaginian garrisons. The proximate cause of the first outbreak was a crisis in the city of Messana (Messina), commanding the straits between Italy and Sicily. Third Punic War (149 - 146 B.C) The third Punic War compound the belic conflict which led to the total eradication of the Carthaginian civilization and culture. [40][41] The close order African infantry and the citizen-militia both fought in a tightly-packed formation known as a phalanx. How might you respond to it ? [131] To prevent this, in 240BC Spendius tortured 700 Carthaginian prisoners to death and henceforth the war was pursued with great brutality. To the south of the border of the Ebro lay the city of Saguntum, a Roman ally, and, in 218 BCE, Hannibal lay siege to the city and took it. They besieged and captured the Carthaginian base at Agrigentum in 262 but made little impression upon the Carthaginian fortresses in the west of the island and upon the towns of the interior. What was the name of the Roman messenger of the gods? Hasdrubal chose diplomatic, rather than military, solutions to conflict with Rome but was assassinated by a servant in 221 BCE and command then went to Hannibal Barca (l. 247-183 BCE, Hamilcar's oldest son). They substitute for the limited written records that describe the founding of Rome. The only noteworthy feature of the ensuing campaigns is the skillful guerrilla war waged by a new Carthaginian commander, Hamilcar Barca, from his strong positions on Mt. Punic Wars, also known as Carthaginian Wars, occurred between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian (Punic) empire from 264 to 146 bce. [157] In Cisalpine Gaul (modern northern Italy), the major Gallic tribes attacked the Roman colonies there, causing the Roman settlers to flee to their previously-established colony of Mutina (modern Modena), where they were besieged. Rome then became the dominant power in the Mediterranean. [109][110] They launched a surprise attack on the Carthaginian fleet, but were defeated at the battle of Drepana; Carthage's greatest naval victory of the war. The Greek historian Polybius, one of the main sources of information about the Punic Wars, was born around 200 B.C. [249] Henceforth it was clear that Carthage was politically subordinate to Rome. The triumvirate took control of the government. Did you know? Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The ones referred to in this article are all Euboic (or Euboeic) talents, of approximately 26 kilograms (57lb). [276][277], The remaining Carthaginian territories were annexed by Rome and reconstituted to become the Roman province of Africa with Utica as its capital. [267] Hasdrubal had Roman prisoners tortured to death on the walls, in view of the Roman army. Hasdrubal[note 13] led the Carthaginian cavalry on the left wing and routed the Roman cavalry opposite, then swept around the rear of the Romans to attack the cavalry on the other wing. https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-rome/punic-wars. https://www.worldhistory.org/Punic_Wars/. Scipio Africanus. Corrections? The Punic Wars are also considered to include the four-year-long revolt against Carthage which started in 241 BC. During the Second Punic War, the Carthaginian general Hannibal famously led his army, including three . He died by his own hand, drinking poison, in 184 BCE, aged sixty-seven. The unresolved strategic rivalry between Rome and Carthage caused the Second Punic War to break out in 218 BC, sparking a major but ultimately unsuccessful revolt within the Carthaginian Empire. Eventually, a herder found the boys and took them home. [250] Scipio was awarded a triumph and received the agnomen "Africanus". The Punic Wars: (264-241, 218-202, 149-146 B.C.). What geographic feature protected Rome from an invasion from the north? [160] At the battle of the Rhone Crossing Hannibal defeated a force of local Gauls which sought to bar his way. Which statement best describes the physical geography of the Italian Peninsula? Wars of the fall of the Western Roman Empire, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Punic_Wars&oldid=1135825581, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 January 2023, at 02:31. What were the main effects of the Punic Wars? [93] The Romans sent a fleet to evacuate their survivors and the Carthaginians opposed it at the battle of Cape Hermaeum (modern Cape Bon); the Carthaginians were again heavily defeated. Carthage recalled Hannibal from Italy to save their city but Scipio was a great admirer of Hannibal and had studied his tactics carefully. By immobilizing the other ship, and attaching it to their own, the Romans could manipulate a sea engagement through the strategies of a land battle. The recent complications of foreign and internal strife had indeed so weakened Punic power that the prospect of renewing the war under favourable circumstances seemed remote enough. When Hiero II (r. 270-215 BCE) of neighboring Syracuse fought against the Mamertines of Messina, the Mamertines asked first Carthage and then Rome for help. They were a series of three wars that led to the destruction of Carthage, the enslavement of its people, and Roman hegemony over the western Mediterranean. [229][235] The last Carthaginian-held city in Iberia, Gades, defected to the Romans. This one originated due to the hatred between the Romans and Carthaginians, as well as the resurgence of Carthage's army. The main cause of the Punic Wars was the clash of interests between the existing Carthaginian Empire and the expanding Roman Republic. This aggression provoked war with Carthage and Syracuse. Roman trade slowed after Rome took over Carthage. There is scholarly debate as to whether Saguntum was a formal Roman ally, in which case attacking it may have been a breach of the clause in the Treaty of Lutatius prohibiting attacking each others allies; or whether the city had less formally requested Rome's protection, and possibly been granted it. "|not ordinary; cruel|beyond a person's ability to survive| How did the plains around Rome contribute to its growth? The Carthaginians had already agreed to help and felt betrayed by the Mamertines' appeal to Rome. The Carthaginian government, however, still as corrupt and selfish as it had always been, taxed the people heavily to help pay the war debt while they, themselves, contributed nothing. Seeing the crying babies, she took pity on them. In the 3rd and 2nd Centuries BC, Rome, after consolidating its hold on the Italian peninsula would soon come up against the power of the Mediterranean, Carthage. [40][44] The Gallic cavalry, and possibly some of the Iberians, wore armour and fought as close order troops; most or all of the mounted Iberians were light cavalry. These wars are collectively called the Punic Wars. How did the Punic Wars affect the development of the Roman Republic? We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. [225] This strategy resulted in two separate battles in 211BC, usually referred to jointly as the battle of the Upper Baetis. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. Both were wealthy cities competing for land. Follow the steps: Omissions? [245], The new peace treaty dictated by Rome stripped Carthage of all of its overseas territories and some of its African ones; an indemnity of 10,000 silver talents[note 15] was to be paid over 50 years; hostages were to be taken; Carthage was forbidden to possess war elephants and its fleet was restricted to 10 warships; it was prohibited from waging war outside Africa and in Africa only with Rome's express permission. Rome was better disposed to protracted warfare all three times they went up against Carthage. Hannibal, a sworn enemy of Rome, received intelligence that Roman armies were moving against him and, in a bold gamble, marched his forces over the Alps and into northern Italy. However, by 146 BC, the Romans had achieved a total victory over Carthage and had wiped the city from the face of the earth. (Which was largely reserved for inhabitants of the city of Carthage. [273] It took six days to clear the city of resistance; only on the last day did Scipio take prisoners. To counter this, the Romans introduced the corvus, a bridge 1.2 metres (4 feet) wide and 11 metres (36 feet) long, with a heavy spike on the underside, which was designed to pierce and anchor into an enemy ship's deck. Several different "talents" are known from antiquity. The Roman Senate stated they considered the preparation of this force an act of war and demanded Carthage cede Sardinia and Corsica and pay an additional 1,200-talent indemnity. How did both the construction of roads and the Mediterranean Sea contribute to the expansion of the Roman Republic? In 251 or 250 the Roman general Lucius Caecilius Metellus at last brought about a pitched battle near Panormus in which the enemys force was effectively crippled. - In the First Punic War, Rome gained control of Sicily. What led to the Punic Wars, and how did they affect Rome? The territory and allies of Rome and Carthage immediately before the start of the Second Punic War. What is a piece of land surrounded by water on three sides? These developments made possible the subsequent Roman overseas wars of conquest. [238], In 205BC Publius Scipio was given command of the legions in Sicily and allowed to enrol volunteers for his plan to end the war by an invasion of Africa. The new allies increased the number of places that Hannibal's army was expected to defend from Roman retribution, but provided relatively few fresh troops to assist him in doing so. Last modified April 18, 2018. In the century prior to the Punic Wars, boarding had become increasingly common and ramming had declined, as the larger and heavier vessels adopted in this period increasingly lacked the speed and manoeuvrability necessary to ram effectively, while their sturdier construction reduced a ram's effect on them even in case of a successful attack. Hiero II, the tyrant of Syracuse for the previous forty-five years and a staunch Roman ally, died in that year and his successor Hieronymus was discontented with his situation. - The Roman general Scipio Africanus defeated the Carthaginians in the Second Punic War. [2][8][11], The account of the Roman historian Livy is commonly used by modern historians where Polybius's account is not extant. [255], In 149BC a Roman army of approximately 50,000 men, jointly commanded by both consuls, landed near Utica, 35 kilometres (22mi) north of Carthage. He is remembered for expanding and reforming the Roman Republic. Both battles ended in complete defeat for the Romans, as Hasdrubal had bribed the Romans' mercenaries to desert. Nevertheless, their victory must have been bittersweet. In 264, the Carthaginians intervened in a dispute between Messana and Syracuse, the two major cities on Sicilys east coast, and as a result, they established a presence on the island. For instance, you could guess that a person who creates a collage of personal mementos for a friend's birth day is creative and values personal relationships . [216], In the spring of 207BC Hasdrubal Barca repeated the feat of his elder brother by marching an army of 35,000 men across the Alps and invading Italy. Did Rome win all three Punic Wars? Unlike Rome, Carthage was a seafaring empire that had much better ships and naval technology. (The word Punic, later the name for the series of wars between Carthage and Rome, was derived from the Latin word for Phoenician.). This forced them West, into Spain, where a particularly famous family, the Barcas, started conquering Spain. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). As a result of these three wars, Carthage was destroyed, its people were sold into slavery, and Rome gained control of the western Mediterranean.How did Rome change after the Punic Wars?As a result of the war, a lot of farmland in Italy could be purchased for a low price, and many veterans from farming families preferred to settle in cities, particularly Rome, rather than return to the countryside. They went from paying a small amount of taxes to paying no taxes. In 203 B.C., Hannibals troops were forced to abandon the struggle in Italy in order to defend North Africa, and the following year Scipio Africanus and his troops routed the Carthaginians in the Battle of Zama. At the end of the First Punic War, Sicily became Romes first overseas province. This could be increased to 5,000 in some circumstances, Roman and Greek sources refer to these foreign fighters derogatively as "mercenaries", but the modern historian Adrian Goldsworthy describes this as "a gross oversimplification". Carthage was also forced to give up its fleet and pay a large indemnity in silver to Rome. After tightening the Roman positions around Carthage, Aemilianus launched a forceful attack on its harbor side in the spring of 146 B.C., pushing into the city and destroying house after house while pushing enemy troops towards their citadel. The Third Punic War, by far the most controversial of the three conflicts between Rome and Carthage, was the result of efforts by Cato the Elder and other hawkish members of the Roman Senate to convince their colleagues that Carthage (even in its weakened state) was a continuing threat to Romes supremacy. [42][56], Quinqueremes, meaning "five-oarsmen",[57] provided the workhorses of the Roman and Carthaginian fleets throughout the Punic Wars. [255][266] The Carthaginians continued to resist vigorously: they constructed warships and during the summer twice gave battle to the Roman fleet, losing both times. In the Third Punic War, the Romans destroyed the city of Carthage in 146 B.C., turning North Africa into yet another province of the all-powerful Roman Empire. This erupted into full-scale mutiny under the leadership of Spendius and Matho; 70,000 Africans from Carthage's oppressed dependant territories flocked to join the mutineers, bringing supplies and finance. How did Rome's location near the Mediterranean Sea contribute to its growth? What did the Romans do to help protect most cities from attack? The Punic Wars were a series of conflicts fought between Carthage and Rome between 264 BCE and 146 BCE. For over a century, the Romans and the Carthaginians had fought for control of the Mediterranean. [184], In the 216BC elections Gaius Varro and Lucius Paullus were elected as consuls; both were more aggressive-minded than Fabius. In either case, the Carthaginians argued that relationships entered into after the signing of the treaty were not covered by it. Hannibal, leading the Barcid Empire, and allied to the Carthagians, crossed the Alps and invaded Italy in a series of highly successful battles. [271][272] Scipio launched a major assault which quickly captured the city's main square, where the legions camped overnight. Punic wars helped Rome consolidate its power, increase its wealth, and boost its reputation, all of which served to demonstrate its superiority over other areas.What was the outcome of the first Punic War?Rome gained control of all of the Carthaginian lands on Sicily after Carthage agreed to terms in the first Punic War, which was settled in 241 BC. Rome's army gained new soldiers from conquered territories. It took place from 218 BC to 201 BC. Updates? They kept the people happy by providing them with cheap food and entertainment. Raising fresh troops to replace these delayed the army's departure for Iberia until September. They were a fertile place to grow crops and raise livestock. [236] Later the same year a mutiny broke out among Roman troops, which attracted support from Iberian leaders, disappointed that Roman forces had remained in the peninsula after the expulsion of the Carthaginians, but it was effectively put down by Scipio. This breach of the recently signed treaty is considered by modern historians to be the single greatest cause of war with Carthage breaking out again in 218BC in the Second Punic War.

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