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Punic Wars
The Punic Wars were a series of military engagements between the ascendant Roman Republic and the former Phoenician colony of Carthage, in what is now Tunisia. The Wars were notable for the Carthaginian General Hannibal's Crossing over the Alps with elephants in the Second Punic War and for Rome's complete razing of Carthage in the Third Punic War.
591 Questions
Why was the city-state of Carthage a threat to ancient Rome?
Originally Carthage and Rome were allies, especially against the invasion of Pyrrhus of Epirus when he tried to defeat Rome and take over Sicily. This alliance was based on Rome's land power and Carthage's sea power which complemented each other.
The turning point came when Carthage tried to extend its influence in Sicily and Rome decided to resist this. This led to the First Punic War, which Rome won by building a fleet to match Carthage's.
Rome's spreading influence led to other states appealing to Rome when they wanted to shake off Carthaginian influence in their area. This led to the Second Punic War where again Rome won.
Rome decided to neutralise Carthage by imposing a crippling 50-year indemnity payment on it. Great traders as they were, Carthage paid it off in 10 years, which left Rome itching to get rid of this competitor to their dominance of the Western Mediterranean. They used proxies in the kingdoms neighbouring Carthage in north Africa, and when it defended itself, Rome used this as an excuse for the Third Punic War. After winning, they came to a final solution - leveling the city, selling the people into slavery, and establishing a military colony of veterans on the site.
Why did Carthage lose the Punic Wars to ancient Rome?
The First - because Rome developed a navy to match Carthage's, and used devices such as the Harpax - a missile which was a grappling hook, allowing Roman ships to reel in opposing ones for baording, and the Corvus, a boarding plank with a spike to catch the opposing ship's deck and allow the superior infantry to fight land battles on the Carthaginian ships.
The Second - Rome was able to retain most of its Latin allies against Hannibal's attempts to detach them, and so had an inexhaustible supply of manpower and supply; and Scipio's master stroke of invading Carthage, obligating Hannibal's withdrawal from Italy.
(There is debate on why Hannibal didn't exploit his victories over Rome by attempting to capture the city - whether he let his troops become lazy and plunder the surrounding farmland instead of going for a final outcome. The fact is he had to plunder Roman territory for food, as he couldn't take that of his own allies without alienating them; that he simply didn't have a siege train to breach the city walls; and if he concentrated his force on the city, he risked Rome using an extended siege to turn his allies back to their side - it was a no win option)
The Third - an isolated Carthage simply couldn't match the forces Rome assembled from Italy and North Africa against her.
Where did the Roman general Scipio save Rome and defeat Hannibal?
Finally, Zama in north Africa 202 BCE.
Scipio Africanus 'saving' of Rome started with the Battle of Ilipa, his most tactically brilliant win, in Southern Spain in 206 BC. With this victory Carthage lost Spain, which was her main source of wealth and where most of her infantrymen were recruited. It paved the way to undertaking Scipio's campaign in Tunisia (which is where Carthage was) and his defeat of Hannibal at Zama.
Where was the battle of cannae fought?
It was fought near the town of cannae in apulia, southeast Italy
Is Scipio an Italian boy's name?
yes it is, i base this off of a story that takes place in Italy and the main character was Scipio, a boy, and a Roman General's name was Scipio as well
Did Athens and Sparta fight in the Punic Wars?
The Punic Wars were between Rome and its allies and Carthage and its allies. They occurred in the 3rd and 2nd Centuries BCE, after Sparta and Athens were no longer military powers of any significance, and the struggle in the western Mediterranean was of no interest to them anyway. Macedonia did intervene on the Carthaginina side in the Second Punic War, and after Carthage's defeat in 204 BCE, Rome attacked and defeated Macedonia in retaliation. This was the beginning of Roman interest, intervention, and conquest of the eastern Mediterranean.
The Romans won all three Punic Wars, each time gaining new lands from Carthage's empire.
What was the type of warship used by Carthage during its wars with ancient Rome?
The navy of ancient Carthage was a powerful force that ancient Rome had to contend with in the Punic War period. One of the mainstays of Carthage's navy was the warship called the triremes. Generally speaking this was a fast and powerful vessel having 300 rowers which powered it across the Mediterranean seas. The ship was manned with 150 soldiers. At any given time during the first two Punic Wars, Carthage had over 350 of them.
What are concepts learned while studying the Punic Wars?
The strategy of the indirect approach, concentration of force.
Can you List 5 facts about the 2 Punic war?
1. There were 3 Punic Wars.
2. They were between Rome and Carthage.
3. Rome won all 3.
4. After the third war, Rome destroyed the city and sold its people into slavery.
5. This made Rome the uncontested power in the Western Mediterranean.
What happened with the military commander called Muttines in the Punic Wars?
Muttines, in the Punic Wars, was demoted by Hanno.
What two major effects did the Punic wars have on the political situation in Rome?
The landowning citizens who made up Rome's army were so depleted in battles that the un-propertied class were enlisted to repel the subsequent Germanic invasions, and these, having no farm to return to after service, relied on their general to get them land, which gave the generals a power base,
They used this backing to exert influence and gain power, and this led to the civil wars.
What to major affects did the Punic wars have on the political situation in Rome?
As a result, many of the soldier-farmers were left without property, became unemployed and poor, and moved to the big cities
Were did Hannibal take his elephants to the alps?
Yes, he did. In 218 B.C., he had ~10,000 man with ~38 elephants. Only one survived their attack- the one General Hannibal had often ridden.
By the way, if you see this... email me for the next clue for the treasure hunt. It's my full name (including middle) with '@gmail.com' at the end. Good luck!
What was the lnog-trem impact of the punic wars?
During the Middle and Late Roman Republic there was mass impoverishment. Loss of land by peasants was a big problem from the Second Punic War (218-201 BC) on. Many small farms were ravaged by Hannibal's forces during his invasion of Italy and many more were neglected due to the peasants' prolonged military service during that war. The owners of large landed estates took advantage of this to buy land on the cheap from distressed peasants. They were also advantaged by the abundant supply of slave labour created by the war (slaves were war captives). The majority of slaves were bought by rich landlords and were employed in the fields of the large estates. This abundant supply of labour facilitated the productive expansion of the estates. This trend continued and Rome was flooded by dispossessed peasants who migrated there to eke out a living, swelling the masses of the poor.
The issue of poverty became a political hot potato and was a factor behind the series of civil wars which led to the fall of the Roman Republic and its replacement by absolute rule by emperors. These wars were partly clashes between powerful men and partly clashes between populares and optimates. The former was a political faction which championed the cause of the poor and wanted reforms to help the poor. The latter was a conservative political faction which favoured the aristocracy and opposed the reforms.
What did they do in the second Punic war than the first Punic war?
In the First Punic War, Rome defeated Carthage and gained Sicily.
In the Second Punic War, Rome defeated Carthage comprehensively and imposed crippling financial penalties with limitations designed to remove its threat as a competitor.
Carthage was resilient and paid the penalties, was attacked by Rome's allies, resisted and was destroyed in the Third Punic War.
What was the most significant outcome of the Punic wars?
Results of the First Punic War. Rome imposed a heavy indemnity on Carthage, to compensate her for her losses. She also forced Carthage to give up all claims to Sicily. Thus, as the result of this war, Rome won an easy income and a new province
The Punic Wars were against Carthage.
There were many emperors in that perior - Octavian, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Vespasian, Titus, Domitian and so on.
Was Archimedes in the first Punic War?
He was about 30 at the time and so would be liable for military service but his biography has been lost and we have no details of his earlier life.
What did the Roman general Fabius do during the Second Punic War?
After repeated Roman losses of battles with the invading Carthaginian forces led by Hannibal, he maintained a successful strategy of avoiding battle but staying in the hills ready to pounce, always a threat, while avoiding another disastrous direct engagement and another defeat which might finally persuade Rome's allies to go over to Hannibal.
His saving of the situation gained him the title Maximus - The
Greatest. Other successful commanders such as Pompey got only Magnus -
The Great.
