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The underlying cause was the determination of Rome to dispose of the threat which it percieved from Carthage, against which it had already won two wars.

The official cause was violation of the peace treaty from the Second Punic War which made the Roman Senate arbitrator of all border disputes involving Carthage, so that Carthage had to get approval from the Roman Senate before going to war. Rome then used its ally Numidia as proxy to harrass Carthage, which eventually had to defend itself. This gave Rome a valid excuse to declare war and destroy Carthage, extablishing Rome as undisputed power in the western Mediterranean.

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12y ago

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