Download Punic Wars

Punic Wars
246 BCE-146 BCE
 Founded by the Phoenicians (813 BCE)
 Began as a small port on the coast of Africa
used to re-supply and repair ships
 Became the wealthiest and most powerful city
in the Mediterranean before the creation of
Rome
Carthage
 Had the best navy in the Mediterranean Sea
Carthage
Summary of
the Punic Wars
Rome vs. Carthage
Three wars
Lasted 100 years
Fought in Italy, Sicily, Spain & Carthage
Ended with the destruction of Carthage
Rome &
Carthage Before
the Wars
Causes
1st Punic War:
Sicily
Italian city in Sicily was attacked
City asked the Romans & Carthaginians for
help
Carthage arrived first but helped the enemy
instead
Carthage decided to conquer Sicily
Romans declared war on Carthage to prevent
them from gaining power
Events
 Romans built a navy
1st Punic War:
Sicily
 260-256 BCE: Rome
won two major
battles before
moving to attack
Africa
 241 BCE: Rome
defeated Carthage at
sea
Results
1st Punic War:
Sicily
Rome conquered Carthage’s colonies in Sicily
Sicily became Rome’s first overseas territory
Carthage no longer had the most powerful
navy & agreed to pay Rome for damages
made during the war
After the 1st
Punic War
Rome conquered Sardinia & Corsica
(islands)
Carthage conquered a large part of
Spain
Causes
2nd Punic War:
Spain & Italy
221 BCE: Hannibal became the Carthaginian
general in Spain
Hannibal fought Rome’s allies in Spain to gain
more power
Gathered 40,000 troops, 12,000 cavalry
(soldiers on horses) and 40 elephants to
launch an attack on Rome
Events
2nd Punic War:
Spain & Italy
 Carthaginians marched through the Alps
 Won many battles in the beginning
 Romans elected a dictator to prevent Hannibal from
entering the city of Rome
 216 BCE: Romans were surrounded and defeated
 207 BCE: Romans rebuilt their army & began
attacking Carthage in Spain and Africa
 203 BCE: Hannibal left Italy to protect Carthage from
attack
Events
2nd Punic War:
Spain& Italy
½ of Carthage’s army died crossing the Alps
Rome’s army was almost completely
destroyed
Carthage had to give Spain to the Romans &
pay war damages
Carthage’s empire was almost destroyed
Causes
3rd Punic War:
Africa
Carthage became strong and wealthy again
Romans saw Carthage as a threat
149 BCE: Carthage broke a peace treaty they
made with Rome by attacking a Roman ally in
Africa
Rome declared war by sending troops to
Africa to protect their ally
Events
3rd Punic War:
Africa
Romans set up blockades on land and at sea
to prevent the Carthaginian troops from
moving or trading
•146 BCE: Carthage was defeated
Results
3rd Punic War:
Africa
 Romans took Carthaginians as slaves, burned the
city down and took Carthage as their property
 Rome conquered the Macedonians & created an
empire than stretched from Spain to Asia Minor
 Rome gained total control over the Mediterranean