The Punic Wars – 264-146 BCE • Punic comes from the Latin word for Phoenician • Three conflicts fought between Rome and Carthage – First Punic War 264-241 BCE • Fought over Sicily – Second Punic War 218-201 BCE • Fought over Spain • Hannibal invaded Italy – Third Punic War 149-146 BCE • Rome feared Carthage would again become a threat • Carthage was obliterated Carthage • Carthage was a colony founded in the 8th century BCE by Phoenician traders • From the 8th century BCE to the 3rd century BCE it grew from a small port town to become the richest and most powerful city in the Mediterranean • By the mid 3rd century Carthage controlled virtually all trade in the Mediterranean The Harbor of Carthage • The harbor of Carthage was an engineering wonder • Designed and built to accommodate both merchant and military vessels • The entire harbor could hold 220 ships • This harbor was the heart and soul of Carthage Carthage • Carthage was ruled by an oligarchy – a system of government where an elite few rule • The large and powerful Carthaginian navy enabled Carthage to rule the Mediterranean • Its military consisted mostly of well-paid mercenaries from Western Europe and North Africa Carthaginian Navy • Developed from the Phoenician sailing tradition • Carthaginian sailors were well-paid and were citizens of Carthage – unlike the army which was largely made up of foreign mercenaries • Carthaginian boats were called Triremes – Had three banks of oars – Were used to smash into and sink enemy boats – Carthaginian oarsmen were incredibly skilled at maneuvering their vessels during battles
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Rome • By the mid 3rd century BCE Rome had come to dominate most of the Italian peninsula but not Sicily • Had become a moderate power in the region but could not yet challenge Carthage at sea • Rome’s strength lay in its army which was made up largely of Roman citizens and supported by troops from allied states Roman Army • The Roman army in the 3rd century was not yet a professional force • Troops were levied by conscription from landholding farmers • Romans had adopted the manipular structure – more flexible and effective than the earlier used Greekstyle phalanx First Punic War: 264-241 BCE • Carthage had the advantage at sea • Rome had the advantage on land • Conflict would arise over control of Sicily • Rome would build four fleets to take on the powerful Carthaginian navy – each was destroyed • Rome then developed a new naval tactic – the corvus • This lashed the ships together and forced the sailors to fight hand to hand • Allowed Rome to turn naval battles into mini-land battles • Rome would win and take control of Sicily • Carthage lost because its corrupt government did not take the Romans seriously • Funds that should have gone to the Carthaginian military were embezzled by its nobles – the mercenaries would then refuse to fight • Rome had virtually no navy at the beginning of the war but by the end it had a powerful fleet Between the 1st and 2nd Punic Wars • Carthage would fight the Mercenary War between 241-237 BCE after refusing to pay its mercenaries • Rome would take Corsica and Sardinia • Carthage would slowly recover and begin to expand further into Iberia (Spain) • 226 BCE – Rome and Carthage signed the Ebro Treaty • North of the Ebro River was controlled by Rome • South of the Ebro River Carthage would control the territory it had already conquered • It was agreed that neither nation would cross the border The Second Punic War: 218-201 BCE • 219 BCE – Saguntum, an ally of Rome but located south of the Ebro, was attacked by the Carthaginian general Hannibal • The Romans demanded that Carthage turn Hannibal over to Rome – Carthage refused • 218 BCE – Rome declared war • Rome believed this would be an easy victory as the Carthaginian navy was now very weak • Hannibal was the son of Hamilcar Barca, the leading Carthaginian commander during the First Punic War • As a boy his father made him swear an oath: • "I swear that so soon as age will permit . . . I will use fire and steel to arrest the destiny of Rome” • Hannibal led 60,000 men including 37 war elephants through Spain and Gaul along the Mediterranean coast • Hannibal gathered many men on his way towards Rome – his soldiers would make up a diverse, multi-ethnic army
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Hannibal Crosses the Alps • A Roman army marched to Massilia to stop Hannibal • In a stunning logistical feat, Hannibal led his army north and then down through the Alps – no one at the time believed this was possible • Hannibal took thirty days to cross the Alps and lost between 1/3 to 1/2 of his army Hannibal in Italy • Once he was through the Alps Hannibal replenished his forces with soldiers and mercenaries from all over Italy • These men joined Hannibal both out of hatred of the Romans and because they were in awe of Hannibal’s achievement • Remained in Italy for 15 years winning many battles but unable to capture the city of Rome The Battle of Cannae • Battle of Cannae (216 BCE) – This was Hannibal's most famous victory • He used an envelopment strategy where he surrounded the Roman army and annihilated it • 44,000 Roman soldiers were killed – from this point on the Romans would not directly engage Hannibal in battle in Italy Fabius Maximus • Roman politician and general who was appointed Consul five times • Appointed dictator twice in 221 and 217 BCE • Fabian strategy – Fabius was convinced that Hannibal could not be defeated in Italy thus he refused to meet Hannibal in a pitched battle • He attacked Carthaginian supply lines and developed scorched earth policies to deprive Hannibal of supplies • This strategy was initially very unpopular in Rome • After the Battle of Cannae, the Romans looked to Fabius for guidance – he was now considered as wise as the gods • Fabius Maximus is regarded as the father of guerrilla warfare – a tactic that saved Rome from Hannibal General Publius Cornelius Scipio • Scipio was a young general during the Second Punic War • He studied Hannibal for many years as the Carthaginian army won multiple victories in Italy • Decided it was best to attack Carthage outside of Italy while Hannibal was stuck on the peninsula • Considered one of Rome’s greatest and most brilliant generals The Second Punic War: 218-201 BCE • Roman General Publius Cornelius Scipio led his army to attack Carthage in Iberia • He next led an army against the city of Carthage itself • Hannibal returned to North Africa to defend Carthage • Battle of Zama (202 BCE) – Hannibal was finally defeated and Scipio earned the title Africanus • Hannibal convinced the Carthaginian senate to surrender • Carthage’s fleet was restricted to trade vessels and 10 warships, lost its colonies in Iberia and was forced to pay Rome 200 talents every year for 50 years • Rome was again victorious
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Between 2nd and 3rd Punic Wars • Carthage slowly began to rebuild its trading networks and commercial power • Rome’s influence and power expanded across the Mediterranean world • Roman Senator Cato was convinced Carthage needed to be destroyed • Cato would end every speech he made in the senate – regardless of the subject – “Carthago delenda est!” (“Carthage must be destroyed!”) The Third Punic War: 149-146 BCE • Rome made impossible demands of Carthage with the one goal of provoking a war – 300 noble children to be given to Rome as hostages – The city of Carthage was to be destroyed and rebuilt away from the coast • Carthage refused but with no allies or mercenaries left it was forced to defend itself behind its massive walls The Destruction of Carthage • The Roman general Scipio Aemilianus (adopted grandson of Scipio Africanus) laid siege to the city of Carthage for three years • Once the Romans breeched the walls they proceeded to sack the city • Carthage was destroyed brick-by-brink and burnt to the ground • The survivors were sold into slavery Results of the Punic Wars • Rome would become the pre-eminent power in the Mediterranean • With its experienced military it would rapidly expand east becoming incredibly wealthy in the process • By 133 BCE Rome had conquered Macedon, the city-states of Greece, and the kingdom of Pergamum in Asia Minor Roman Provinces • Each new territory conquered became a Roman province • A Roman Proconsul (governor) was sent to oversee the new province – Responsible for taxing the province – Often these Romans were corrupt and this position was a way to get rich quick The Wealth of Rome • Wealth flowed into Rome from the new territories – Wheat from Sicily and Africa – Silver and tin from Spain – Gems and luxury goods from Greece and the East • Roman patricians became exponentially wealthy during the period after the Punic Wars • A new class of wealthy merchants and traders emerged – these were generally plebeians Effects of Roman Expansion • Rome became incredibly wealthy and powerful • Controlled most of the Mediterranean • Wealth gap between rich and poor Romans increased dramatically • Huge influx of slaves from non-stop conquest, beginning with the Punic Wars, forced many Roman citizens out of work • Cities – particularly Rome itself – increased in population as the new poor looked for work
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Reforms after the Punic Wars Military • Gaius Marius - 155-86 BCE - was a brilliant general and a wealthy plebeian • During the early and middle Republic, soldiers were landowners and farmers • Now there were far fewer Romans who owned land • Marius recruited his army from the landless poor creating Rome’s first professional soldiers • Soldiers were well trained and paid but their loyalty was to the general and not the Republic Societal • Tiberius Gracchus - 163-133 BCE - was a veteran of the Third Punic War • Became Plebeian Tribune in 133 BCE • Attempted to enable reforms to protect the poor Roman citizens from the greed and corruption of the rich • Tiberius would be murdered by the senate later that year • His brother, Gaius Gracchus, would be killed a decade later attempting to bring about similar reforms • Both brothers were seen as heroes of the people Rome after the Punic Wars • Rome would become increasing corrupt and unstable over the next century • Relied on powerful generals such as Marius, Sulla, Crassus, and Julius Caesar to maintain order • This civil unrest would culminate in a series of civil wars that ended with the ultimate victory of Augustus Caesar – Rome’s first emperor • The Republic was dead – the Empire was born
