Punic wars
The punic wars were a series of wars between carthage and rome.the wars happened in different times and places and were called the "punic" wars because the romans called the carthageinians "Poeni".The first of the three wars started in 246 BC, and the last of the three ended in 146 BC. The first war was 23 years long. The second war was 17 and finally the last war was 3 years.
The first war (264-241 BC) started because a conflict between two different city states on the island of Sicily, Messana and Syracuse, had been going on and eventually both Rome and Carthage stepped in. During their intervention, Carthage began to control more and more of the island of Sicily. So because of Carthage's expanding influence of Sicily, many Romans felt that Carthage's authority in Sicily threatened them and their trading. Romans attacked and quickly gained Sicily back in their control.
English: Second Punic War, Hannibal dominates Ital...
Hannibal Barca counting the rings of the Roman kni...
Battle of Lake Trasimene, Hannibal's ambuscadeHowever, because of Rome's lack of a navy they could not push Carthage back any farther. Rome soon built a navy. After C. Duilius won the first Roman sea battle of the Punic Wars, Rome dominated the sea winning all but one sea battle for the rest of the First Punic War. With Rome's authority on land and at sea, Carthage surrendered after the Roman victory at the Aegates Islands in 241 BC.
The Second Punic War, fought between Carthage and Rome lasted from from 218 to 202 B.C.E .Carthage had difficulties with its mercenary population within the military after the First Punic War. Hamilcar Barca withdrew his forces from the island of Sardinia to help quiet the rebellion. Rome took advantage of this, and invaded the island. Hamilcar Barca then decided to move his forces west, into Spain, in order to set new footholds in...