Polybius's Punic War

a. What is the primary source you have chosen and why you have chosen it?
The primary historic source that I chose was Ancient History Sourcebook. This is because the source provides the primary information without any alteration thus the work remains as it had been published earlier on. The source also points out different issues and it explains in detail the reasons why they happened (Polybius. 264 BC). This therefore makes the source relevant as it is significant since it provides information in a very broad way (Hoyos, 56).Punic wars were a sequences of three different wars which involved Rome and Carthage from among 264 BC up to 146 BC. Romans wanted to expand their territories which meant that Sicily would be affected. A part of Sicily
On the other hand, he wanted to provide a historical information about what had actually happened leading to the Punic War between Rome and Carthage (Goldsworthy, 76). This was to show the world how different factors may lead to war even though the cause of the war may not be intended. This consequently leads to the outbreak of war between two different countries. Polybius had the knowledge of the war the between Rome and Carthage. Polybius’ mainly goal was to write a story which would explain to the people in future what events really took place that led to the outbreak of the war(Bagnall, 42). Polybius was also in Rome as a detainee and he therefore knew how each and every event took place in Rome since he was the military advisor of Scipio who defeated the Carthage (Polybius. 264 BC). On the other hand, Polybius had the passion for writing historical information and he therefore decided to write this document. He also took part in writing different historical information about what he had passed through after being detained (Hoyos,
The war was fought in water thus it involved the navy (Polybius. 264 BC). The war was mainly caused by a local conflict between Hiero II Syracuse and the Maritimes who were from Messina. The Carthaginian navy were later betrayed by the Maritimes after the Maritimes asked for military aid from the Romans thus turning against the Carthage. The Carthaginians were therefore compelled to support Syracuse after the Romans sent a garrison to secure Messina. Tension was consequently high between the two parties since both countries wanted to control of Sicily, “This seemed their only hope of safety left: and they imagined that such a step must win them favour at Rome…” (Bagnall, 43). The Roman Navy had been defeated before by their counterparts the Carthaginians during the battle of the Island of Lipari. This move forced Rome to look for ways of avoiding another defeat hence expanding its navy. Within a very short time, Romans had built up its army thus it hard also increased its warships five times more. This was because they knew very fighting the Carthaginians required a very distinctive tactic since the Carthaginians were the super powers. The Romans also changed their fighting tactics which the Carthaginians could not match thus emerging as the victors in the war hence taking control of Sicily, “Those who thus surrender themselves to the Roman authority, surrender all