Punic Wars Essay

The three Punic Wars took place over nearly a century, beginning in 264 B.C. and ending with the destruction of Carthage in 146 B.C. The wars were fought between the dominant power Rome and the maritime city-state Carthage. The first Punic War commenced in 264 B.C. when Rome impeded in a feud on the island of Sicily which was one of Carthage’s controlled lands. The war ended with Rome in control of both Sicily and Corsica. In the second Punic War the Carthaginian general Hannibal invaded Italy and notched a few impressive victories before being defeated at the hands of Rome’s Scipio Africanus in 202 B.C. In the third and final Punic War the Romans conquered and demolished the city-state of Carthage in 146 B.C. Perhaps two of the most important battles in the Punic War are the Battle of Zama
(202 B.C.) and the Battle of Cannae (216 B.C.). In the Battle of Zama the Roman army constituted a force that was superior both in terms of arms and skills, when compared to the Carthaginians. Hannibal, convinced that his men would not be able to break the Roman lines, refused to lead his army into battle. The Battle of Zama dealt a decisive blow to the Carthaginian forces and was a pivotal point in Rome’s success. The Battle of Cannae the Carthaginian army killed 45,500 Roman infantry along with 2700 cavalry in what was one of the biggest victories for Hannibal and his allies in the Punic War. When you think of famous generals of the Punic War, Hannibal and Scipio Africanus the Younger come to mind most. Hannibal was a Carthaginian general and a military genius who took his armies into Italy and had several victories in the second Punic War.
Scipio Africanus the Younger was a Roman general who led Rome heroically in the final Punic War against Carthage. Preceding the Punic War Rome’s land only extended to Italy but after the Punic War Rome’s territory had extended to Macedonia, Greece, Spain, Asia Minor, Egypt, North Mediterranean, and the Shores of Adriatic. The effect the Punic War had on the poor was rough. During the Punic War Hannibal spent fifteen years in Italy not only fighting the Romans but also ravaging their lands. By the time he was defeated, the Italian Countryside was devastated. The small farmers who made of the bulk of the bulk of the italian population had seen their lands destroyed and made worthless. The Punic War not only had an effect on the poor but also on money. The coins reduced in weight and lost value after the Punic War. Looking back on it, the Punic War was crucial in gaining important territories for Rome but it also made life much harder for the poor. Nevertheless, the Punic War is the largest war in history and a very important part of
history.