Introduction
This paper will discuss how the Carthaginian Empire became almost an equal of Rome and seek to show the strengths of each during the same period. It will also talk about how this conflict led to Rome becoming a naval power in the Mediterranean Sea. At the end of this essay I will attempt to draw some conclusions from the given information.
Discussion
Carthage began as a colony of Tyre, a Phoenician city, and tradition has it that Queen Dido, exiled from the city, landed in Africa and bought the land for Carthage from an African princess. The government consisted of two chief magistrates and a council of elders called the “hundred” but a few prominent and wealthy families held the real power. There was no body of citizens, like Rome, but a great advantage of the Carthaginian system was that military command was placed in one leader, not is several as with Roman Consuls (Outlines of Roman History, Chapter 14, n.d.).
The rise to strength and for wealth for Carthage, as explained in Outlines of Roman History by William C, Morey, began with trading and commercial prowess in the Mediterranean by trading in the products of the East and West. The city formed commercial treaties with the chief countries of the world and traded in the purple dye of Tyre, frankincense
…show more content…
Using triremes (ships with three bank of rowers) they were outmatched by the Carthaginians quinquiremes (ships with five bank of rowers). Sometime in B.C. 261 luck gave them a wrecked Carthaginian vessel, which they quickly copied and built into a new navy of a hundred ships (it’s said in sixty days). The novelty of the Romans is seen in their realization that their army was better at ground warfare, so to remedy this they build drawbridges onto their ships which could be dropped and used to board enemy vessels. This played to their advantage of better hand to hand combat (Outlines of Roman History, Chapter 14,
The Second Punic war, beginning in 218 BC, was the second major war between the Roman Empire and the Carthage. Around the same time, the Roman Empire deployed troops to the Northeastern peninsula of Spain to keep reinforcements, from the Carthaginian South, from getting to Hannibal’s armies in Italy to assist them. In A Histor...
In his account of the Punic Wars, Polybius declares “it is my contention that by far the most important part of historical writing lies in the consideration of the consequences of events, their accompanying circumstances, and above all their causes.” Polybius recognized the intricate relationship between circumstances, causes, and their consequences, and in his account of the Punic Wars he seeks to explain the reasons for Rome’s victory over Carthage. For centuries, Rome and Carthage lived at peace with one another, their spheres of influence separate enough to avoid conflict. Rome’s wealth and interests lay in farming and acquiring more land throughout Italy, while Carthage’s economy was naval based, and so keeping trade routes open in the western Mediterranean was most important to them. As late as 279 B.C., Rome and Carthage were allied against Pyrrhus of Epirus, and had signed two other treaties in earlier years. However, as the two powers increased in power and controlled progressively larger geographies, their interests were bound to conflict at some point, and that conflict came in the contest for control of Sicily. The result was a twenty-three year war, the beginning of a series of wars which would last over a century. The end of the first war, and the actions of Rome towards Carthage in the latter’s defeat, laid the foundation for the second war, and it was only after the third and final Punic War that Rome, after coming close to defeat in the second, annihilated Carthage and burned it to the ground, effectively ending the age of Carthaginian power. However, the question must be asked, what were the causes of these wars, and more specifically, which power was more responsible for the conflict? No Punic accounts exist...
Luttwak, Edward. The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire: from the First Century A.D. to the Third. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1979. Print.
The description of the Axumite port of Adulis in the document “Periplus of The Erythraen Sea”, provides an idea of the influence and importance that Axum had on the rest of the World. This port allowed the Roman Empire to tap into many exotic product from India and the African interior that were not accessible in earlier times. The author describes the many exotic imports and exports that arrive, and
It has been debated by varying scholars as to whether Caesar Augustus’ foreign policy to expand Rome’s empire had more to do with defensive imperialism as a response to encroaching threats, or rather, an aggressive, unprovoked move to claim hegemony over the known world. However, I would like to postulate in support of the former theory that in an attempt to restore and ensure long-lasting security to their empire, Augustus was forced to take proactive measures in order to preserve it. With territorial boundaries normally running along the rivers so as to provide a better defensive posture, he felt it necessary to expand the northern border to the river so as to secure their autonomy and position. Perhaps if he could establish a wide buffer of room along Roman lands, he could ensure the safety of the people, the cities, and most of all—the government.
By 6th century BC, the city of Rome came into power. During this growing power, Rome began fighting other civilizations to expand its territory. Amongst these populations was Rome’s long time friend Carthage. Rome soon became greedy and made war on Carthage in the Second Punic War (Defusco). The Punic Wars lead Rome to gain territories along the Mediterranean basin. At the end of the Third Punic War, Rome defeated Carthage and became the major Mediterranean military power (Windows on Italy- History).
Dio, Cassius. "Roman History - Book 50." 17 June 2011. University of Chicago. 31 October 2011 .
...normous indemnity that was imposed, ten thousand talents spread over fifty years, made the Carthaginians practically tributaries to their Roman conquerors. Hannibal would later be exiled and Carthage would never regain its former power. Hopelessly, the Carthaginians tried to stand up to Rome one last time in 151. The city was destroyed and its entire population sold as slaves.
By the time the first war broke out, Rome had established themselves as the dominant power over the Italian peninsula. Carthage was a very powerful city-state in northern Africa and had made a name for themselves as the leading maritime leader in the world. Maritime means they are located near the sea and have many things to do involving the ocean. The first war broke out when Rome interfered with a dispute on the Carthaginian controlled island of Sicily. The war ended with Rome controlling Corsica and Sicily. The second war started when Hannibal invaded Italy and had two signature victories at Lake Trasimene and Cannae but was eventually defeated by Roman general Scipio Aemilianus which left Rome in much control of the Mediterranean Sea and a big section of Spain. The third war ended with Rome invading and capturing carthage in 146 B.C. led by Scipio which turned yet another big country into a Roman empire.
The Second Punic War, also called the Second Carthaginian War, took place from 218 to 201 B.C between the Roman Republic and Carthaginian Empire. There were three Punic Wars in all, resulting in Roman dominance over the Mediterranean. Rome saw how large Carthage was getting and how much power it was gaining. This, along with the fact that Carthage controlled three islands off the coast of Italy, was an issue for Rome. Rome insisted that Carthage join the Republic, to which Carthage disagreed. The two groups fought for twenty years, ending the wars when Carthage offered Rome the island of Sicily in exchange for peace. Rome took Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia. Carthage, lead by Hamilcar Barca, took off to fight Spain. Hamilcar’s son, Hannibal, was nine years old at the time. Before they left Carthage, Hamilcar made his son promise that when he was older he would fight Rome for revenge. Hannibal agreed, thus beginning the legend of Hannibal, military genius. (Second)
This war was smaller than the previous Punic wars, because the Carthage Empire was declining and the war was nothing more than the Phoenician’s weak resistance. This time the Rome intended to annex the Carthage Empire, and the center point of the war was the encirclement the city of Carthage. After seven days resisting against the Romans, the Phoenicians surrendered and entire the population inside were killed or sold into slavery. As a result of the Carthage Empire’s collapse, the Roman Republic became the most powerful force in the
Beginning with Greek hoplite warfare, we will see how the Romans adopted Greek principles of warfare and evolved their strategy in order to confront new and emerging challenges. From improving their tactics, making advancements in weaponry, to creating a standing army staffed by professional soldiers, we will see how Rome’s military evolved in ways the Greeks could not compete with, and would eventually succumb to. We will see the rise of the most lethal institution of Roman society, the Roman Army.
There were many wars that the Carthaginians fought in; the First Punic War was one of them. In the beginning Rome’s navy was weaker than Carthage’s, so they posed no threat. The Carthaginians forced Rome to a treaty so that the romans couldn’t trade in the west Mediterranean Sea. Then Rome changed the style of their navy, and made gang ways which turned the sea battle into a land battle. After that change Carthage was not prepared for a land battle and Rome won a series of battles and defeated Carthage in 241 BCE. Carthage was forced to give up the island of Sicily and had to pay a lot o...
Gaius Julius Caesar, born 100 B.C.E. in Rome to the impoverished patrician Julian Clan, knew controversy at an early age. Nephew to Populare Gaius Marius, he was earmarked by the Optimate dictator Sulla for prosciption after his refusal to divorce his Populare wife, Cinna. Fleeing Rome, and not returning until after Sulla’s resignation in 78 B.C.E, upon his return he gained a position as a pontificate, an important Roman priesthood. Slowly but surely throughout his lifetime he worked his way up the political ladder, eventually becoming Consul, and finally Dictator Perpeteus – Dictator for life. One of the most influential political and military leaders of all time, Caesar was also a highly intelligent man and an exceptional orator. However, acquiring this absolute power was no mean feat, and Caesar had well equipped himself through previous expeditions with all the resources necessary to gain power in Ancient Rome.
Another sizeable contributing factor to the expansion of the Roman Empire was the sacking of Rome by the Gauls in 390 B.C.. “The Romans were completely dumbfounded by the wild and undisciplined charge of the howling Gauls. The Roman’s tightly packed phalanx, a military formation they had adopted from the Greeks of southern Italy, collapsed, and the Romans fled” (Kidner, 129). The sacking left the Romans determined to prevent and avoid any similar outcomes in the future.