At the beginning of the 3rd century, two independent Greek colonies faced each other on the Strait of Messina:Messana in Sicily, Rhegium at the tip of the Italian boot. Their most powerful neighbors are Taranto and Syracuse.
In 289 BC. AD, with the death of their employer, Agathocles of Syracuse, tyrant then king of Syracuse, some of his mercenaries find themselves unemployed. These mercenaries, the “Mamertines”, came from Mammertum in Bruttium. They then seized Messina, massacred some of the inhabitants and took over the government of the city.
Shortly after, the Romans intervened on the Greek cities of the southern coast of Italy, at Rhegium, at Thurii and came up against Taranto which solicited in 280 BC. the military aid of Pyrrhus. His intervention in Italy and then in Sicily brought him into conflict with the Romans and then the Carthaginians. The latter agree by treaty in -279 against their common adversary. This treaty excludes any separate peace with Pyrrhus, and provides for assistance from the Carthaginian fleet, however none of these clauses will be respected.
After the departure of Pyrrhus, the powers resume their positions:the Carthaginians recover western Sicily, the Romans seize Taranto in 272 BC. AD then from Rhegium in 270 BC. This capture of Rhegium deprives the Mamertines of Messina of their ally. In 269 BC. AD, Hieron II, the new Syracusan tyrant manages to defeat them and take part of their territory. The Mamertines appeal to Carthage and Rome. The Carthaginians who were in nearby Lipari intervened immediately and set up a garrison in Messina, forcing Hieron to give up subduing this city.