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The Punic Wars
Rome against Carthage
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Once in Italy he was almost
unstoppable.
He defeated the Romans at the
Trebia River, & Lake Trasimene.
The Second Punic War
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In Southern Italy he defeated
the Romans at the battle of
Cannae.
The Second Punic War
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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
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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 Battle of Zama
•
Hannibal starts the battle
with his war elephants
charging at Roman front.
Scipio orders his cavalry
to blow loud horns to
terrify the charging
elephants. The panicked
elephants turn at the
Carthaginian left wing
and disorder it.
The Battle of Zama
•
Roman right wing
charges and routs the
Carthaginian cavalry,
followed by the Roman
left wing routing the
Carthaginian right wing.
Remaining elephants are
lured through the lanes
and killed.
The Battle of Zama
•
Carthaginian cavalry
routed off the field.
Scipio attacks Hannibal's
first and second line of
infantry and routs both
lines.
The Battle of Zama
•
Scipio and Hannibal
rearrange their troops in
a single line and battle
remains stalemate until
Roman cavalry returns
and attacks Hannibal's
infantry at the rear.
The Second Punic War
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Hannibal and Carthage suffer a horrific defeat at the
Battle of Zuma.
Carthage surrendered and Rome became an empire.
Hannibal committed suicide when assassins followed
him into exile.
The Second Punic War
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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
Siege of Carthage (3rd Punic War)
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Carthage revived its commercial empire and violated a
treaty by building up its military.
Rome, still angry about the second war, set about to
invade Carthage.
Siege of Carthage (3rd Punic War)
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The roman used a “siege
ladder”, a wheeled
contraption with a ladder
which they used to climb
the walls of Carthage.
The Carthaginians
poured hot tar down the
walls to repel back the
invaders. The tar burned
many Romans to death
instantly.
Eventually, the Romans
eclipsed the wall
Siege of Carthage (3rd Punic War)
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The city of Carthage
literally became a
fortress. The Romans
had to fight for every
street, and every single
building.
The siege lasted 9
straight days.
After the battle, the
Romans burned the
entire city, and salted the
entire city, so nothing
could grow there again.