How did the Punic Wars affect the mindset of the Romans?

Answer 1

During the First Punic War the Romans, who hardly had a navy to speak of, built a fleet which matched the mighty navy of the Carthaginians in size, but not in skills. By the end of the war they had gained enough experience to match the skills of the Carthaginians. Moreover, a result of the war, Rome gained the territories of the Carthaginians in western Sicily and the Greek city of Syracuse, the main power in the east and south of the island, and a major naval force, was her ally. Soon after the war Rome seized the islands of Corsica and Sardinia from Carthage. The Romans developed a maritime outlook they did not have before. During the Second Punic War the Roman fleet demonstrated that it was superior to that of Carthage and that it was the master of the waves in the western Mediterranean.

The result of the Second Punic War was that the Romans developed a deep hatred and suspiciousness towards Carthage. The hatred was because Hannibal had ravaged and devastated large areas of Italy and caused massive amounts of causalities among the Romans and their Italian allies. There were suspicions about Carthage trying to become a big military power again and a renewed threat to Rome.

The aim of the Third Punic War was was to destroy Carthage because this is what the war part wanted (not all Romans wanted this). Cato the Elder ended every speech in the senate by saying ""Furthermore I consider that Carthage must be destroyed."

Some aristocrats regretted the end of the Second Punic War because they through that the war had awakened the Romans from their slumber and rekindled their hardiness and tenacious fighting spirit.