At III th century before Christ, Rome had just conquered all of Italy. She quickly opposes Carthage, a former Phoenician colony which economically dominates part of the West. It has counters in Sicily, Sardinia, North Africa, in part of Spain (Hispania), etc. But, the Mediterranean can serve only one master and its two powers will oppose each other for more than a century.
264-146 BC
Characters
Caius Flaminius Nepos
Fabius Maximus
Hamilcar Barca
Hannibal Barca
Hasdrubal
Marcus Attilus Regulus
Lucius Aemilius Paulus alias Paul Emile
Cornelius Publius Scipio
Emilian Scipion
Scipio the African
Caius Terentius Varro alias Varro
Procedure
The Romans, to protect Italy from the Phoenician power, invaded Sicily in -264, then Carthaginian. It was the first Punic War (punicus , derived from Poeni , denotes the Carthaginians). Hamilcar Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, is formidable on the seas. But Rome adapts to sea battles, renews its fleet and emerges victorious off the islands of Egates in -241 (west of Sicily). Rome imposes a heavy tribute and seizes Sicily (the first Roman province), then Corsica and Sardinia. The truce lasted about twenty years.
But the Carthaginians are eager for revenge. The Second Punic War is also nicknamed "Hannibal's War". Their general, Hannibal Barca, is a fine military strategist. From -219, he conquered Hispania (Iberian Peninsula) forcing Fabius Maximus (member of the Roman embassy) to declare war on him (-218). The same year, Hannibal left the country to the Carthaginian soldier Hasdrubal and crossed the Pyrenees. He enters Gaul and decides to invade Italy and will find reinforcement among the Gauls of the north of the Italian peninsula. He therefore crosses the Alps with his troops on the back of an elephant in the middle of winter to surprise his opponent. Hannibal wins the first victories. It was in Cannes (southern Italy) in -216 that Hannibal's greatest victory took place. This set a trap for the Romans, led by Paul Émile and Varron, whose military strategies he knew, and surrounded them. This victory leads to the uprising of the peoples against the Romans. But after several years of war, in particular against General Scipion, nicknamed "the African", in Zama, in -202, the Carthaginians had to abandon their possessions and their maritime fleet.
The third war was the shortest, and only lasts 3 years, from -149 to -146. Senator Cato the Elder, fearing the economic recovery of Carthage, pronounces the famous “Delenda est Carthago” (“We must destroy Carthage”). Scipio Emilian, Roman general, holds the siege and overcomes the Carthaginian resistance, which is destroyed (-146).
Consequences
At the end of the Punic Wars, Rome is rid of its great rival. From now on, no city can overshadow him. From a simple city with transalpine influence, it became, thanks to the Punic Wars, the Empire that we know and now reigns alone over the entire Mediterranean. Carthage, wiped off the map, will be rebuilt in the image of a Roman city in -29 and will remain in possession of the Empire.