Carthage

1. Carthage Dispute over control of Sicily and trade routes in the western Mediterranean brought Rome into conflict with the powerful North African city-state of Carthage Carthage had been founded as Phoenician colony 500 years earlier Result was the three Punic Wars 264-146 BC

2. FIRST PUNIC WAR • Primarily a naval war • Tactics: maneuver ship to ram and sink enemy • Carthage: Very experienced naval power • Rome: possessed a small, inexperienced navy • Defeated repeatedly by Carthaginian navy

3. ROME WINS THE FIRST ONE • Rome would not surrender • Finally turned tables on Carthage by changing rules of naval warfare. • Equipped ships with “corvi” (boarding bridges) and stationed soldiers on board. • Would “hook” enemy ship and board it with soldiers. • Converted naval warfare into mini-land battles. • Something at which Rome excelled • Won First Punic War

4. SECOND PUNIC WAR "Hannibal ad portas" (“Hannibal is at the Gates!”) • Carthagian general Hannibal surprises Romans, • Leads army from Spain, through southern France and the Alps, • Invades Italy from the north • Defeats Roman armies sent to stop him several times but hesitates to attack Rome itself • Too well fortified • Settles instead on war of attrition in hope of destroying Roman economic base

5. ROME WINS • Unable to defeat Hannibal in Italy, a Roman army sailed across the Mediterranean, landed in North Africa, and headed for Carthage • Led by patrician general Scipio AemiliusAfricanus • Hannibal forced to leave Italy to protect Carthage • Defeated at the Battle of Zama, fought outside the walls of Carthage Hannibal

6. Hannibal-the-Conqueror "I swear that so soon as age will permit . . . I will use fire and steel to arrest the destiny of Rome." ~~Childhood Hannibal Quote Born about 247 - Died 183BC

10. *Carthaginian general • *Brilliant strategist • *Developed tactics of outflanking and surrounding the enemy with the combined forces of infantry and cavalry • As a boy of 9, begged his father, HamilcarBarca, to take him on the campaign in Spain • Hamilcar, made him solemnly swear eternal hatred of Rome. • "I swear that so soon as age will permit . . . I will use fire and steel to arrest the destiny of Rome." Hannibal Barca (247-183 BC)

11. Livy’s portrait of Hannibal's physique and character at this time: • “…to the old soldiers he seemed a Hamilcar reborn, as he possessed the lively expression and penetrating eyes of his father; the younger men were won over by his bravery, endurance, simplicity of life, and willingness to share all hardships with his troops.” Hannibal as a Leader

12. Hannibal conceived an invasion of Italy from the north. • Counted on disaffected allies. • Crossed the Iberus (Spain)-bloody battles with Spanish tribes. • Marched with about 40,000 men across the Pyrenees. • Transported his army and elephants across the Rhone River. Hannibal Confronts Rome:

13. 15 days marched through rugged mountain passes • Enormous army • Soldiers of diverse origin and language • 38 war elephants • Suffered enemy attacks, landslides, and early autumn snow • Captured the imagination of historians and poets alike Hannibal Crosses the Alps:

14. Met the army of the consul Publius Scipio at the TicinusRiver • Most of his elephants and half his army were lost in the crossing of the Alps. • Hannibal's Numidiancavalry helped win a decisive victory • Caused loss of ~20,000 Roman soldiers • Scipio seriously wounded, withdrew towards Rome. • Tactics of ambush & outflanking against superior numbers. Hannibal Reaches Italy:

15. Spent winter in Po Valley (Northern Italy) • Gained many recruits among the Gauls • Provoked pursuit of new consul Gaius Flaminius • Rushed down from ambush on opposing hills • Hannibal's troops annihilated almost entire army Hannibal’s Conquest of Italy:

16. Rome is in a state of panic, expecting Hannibal to appear at the gates of the city any day. • Following year, new consuls, new aggressive war policy. • Hannibal defeated the aggressive Romans in the worst defeat they had ever suffered in the battle of Cannae. Rome in Panic:

17. Romans elect a dictator, Fabius Maximus, who adopts a new tactic against Hannibal. • He shadowed the Carthaginian army as it ravaged Italy, gradually wearing it down with small attacks. Romans Elect Dictator:

18. Hannibal sent his brother, Mago, to Carthage to inform the Council of Nobles of the victory at Cannae. • Dramatically empties a huge pile of gold rings taken from the thousands of fallen Roman troops at Cannae onto the floor before the council. • Asks for fresh troops, supplies, and money. Hannibal Requests Aid from Carthage:

19. The Barca clan had jealous enemies in the Council including a man named Hanno. • “But even now, what is it that your are rejoicing at? ‘I have slain the armies of the enemy; send me troops.’ What could you want if you had despoiled an enemy camp and plundered all of Italy?” Jealousy in Carthage:

20. Carthage sent reinforcements and 500 talents of silver. • Capua & many other cities in Southern Italy revolted against Rome. • The tactics of Fabius weakened his army, and prevented him from attacking Rome itself. End of Italian Campaign:

21. Gradually forced to change his policy from offensive to a defensive. • Lack of decisive action against Rome frustrates his Italian allies. • Recalled in 203 BC to defend Carthage against the victorious army of Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder (Scipio Africanus Major). Hannibal Recalled:

22. Back in Carthage after 16 years of victorious warfare • Hannibal defeated by Scipio Africanus at Battle of Zama • Ironically, Hannibal victim of his own strategy: • Scipio outflanked & surrounded Carthaginians • Aid of King Masinissa'sNumidian cavalry • Hannibal escaped with a few horsemen • Rome and Carthage sign a peace treaty in 201BC Hannibal Defends Carthage:

23. THIRD PUNIC WAR • Carthage finished after Second Punic War • Hannibal committed suicide • Economy shattered • Lost all territory to Rome • But some Romans feared it might revive someday and challenge Rome again • Notably Cato the Elder • Pushed for another war that would wipe Carthage off the face of the map Cato the Elder

24. ROME WINS A THIRD TIME • Due to Cato’s persistent efforts, Rome declares war against Carthage • Wins easily • Entire population of city sold into slavery • Everything of value carried back to Rome • Everything else burned and dumped into the sea • Site sown with salt so that nothing would ever grow there again • Carthage completely disappeared