The Punic Wars
The early Roman Republic often found itself in a state of constant warfare with its surrounding neighbors. In one instance, when the Romans were fighting the Carthaginians, Rome was nearly conquered. The people of Carthage (a city in what is today Tunisia in north Africa) were a successful trading civilization whose interests began to conflict with those of the Romans.
The two sides fought three bloody wars, known as the Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.E.), over the control of trade in the western Mediterranean Sea. In the second war, Hannibal, a Carthaginian general, successfully invaded Italy by leading an army — complete with elephants — across the Alps. He handed the Roman army a crushing defeat but was unable to sack the city of Rome itself. After occupying and ravaging Italy for more than a decade, Hannibal was finally defeated by the Roman general Scipio at the Battle of Zama in 202 B.C.E.
The two sides fought three bloody wars, known as the Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.E.), over the control of trade in the western Mediterranean Sea. In the second war, Hannibal, a Carthaginian general, successfully invaded Italy by leading an army — complete with elephants — across the Alps. He handed the Roman army a crushing defeat but was unable to sack the city of Rome itself. After occupying and ravaging Italy for more than a decade, Hannibal was finally defeated by the Roman general Scipio at the Battle of Zama in 202 B.C.E.
The picture below is from the 1st Punic War. It started in 264 b.c.e. which was mostly taken place at sea. Carthage had a very powerful navy but the Romans built up their own navy by coping & improving on the Carthaginians' ship designs. Adecisive victory at sea in 241 b.c.e won the war for the Romans. The triumph Romans took over Sicily, as well as other islands.
The image under is from the 2nd Punic War that started 23 years later. This time the Carthaginians decided to attack Italy itself. In 218 b.c.e. Hanniball, a brilliant Carthginians general, surprised the Romans by marching his army from Spain across the Alps (a high mountains range) & into Italy. His troops rode elephants, which seemed to be unknown animals to them at the time, and braved snowstorms, landslides and attacks by local tribes. For 15 years Hannibal's men fought the Romans.
This picture shows the 3rd Punic war that lasted 3 years. In 146 b.c.e., the Romans burned Carathage to the ground. They killed many people and others into slavery. Rome was now the greatest power in the Mediteranian region. It controlled North Africa, much of Spain, Macedonia, & Greece.