Plan
Introduction
1 Background
2 Course of the war
3 Summary
4 Interesting fact
Bibliography
Third Punic War

Introduction

The Third Punic War (149 - 146 BC) is the last of the Punic Wars.

1. Background

During the time that has passed since the Second Punic War, the forces of Rome have increased significantly. In the wars, Macedonia, the Seleucid Empire were defeated, Egypt was made dependent. However, Carthage, although having lost its former power, had almost no military forces, caused concern with its rapid recovery. This still large trading center created significant competition for Roman trade. The Romans tried to weaken it, according to the peace treaty, the Carthaginians could not resolve all their disputes by military means, but had to submit them to the Senate for judgment. An ally of Rome - the Numidian king Massinissa, taking advantage of this situation, plundered and captured the Punic territories, and the Romans did not prevent him from doing this.

Mark Porcius Cato the Elder took part in the work of the commissions investigating these conflicts. A participant in the war with Hannibal, he looked with great apprehension at the newly accumulated wealth of Carthage. And, returning to Rome, he became an active supporter of the complete destruction of the primordial enemy. The interests of Rome demanded the same and the Senate supported this idea. It was not difficult to find a reason - with his attacks, Massinissa brought the Carthaginians out of himself and they put up an armed rebuff to him.

2. The course of the war

The Romans immediately prepared for war. The Punians tried to prevent it, they executed the heads of the anti-Roman party and sent an embassy to Rome. But the Roman army had already sailed for Africa. First of all, the consul Lucius Censorinus demanded the surrender of all weapons and 300 noble citizens as hostages. After fulfilling these requirements, the consul announced the main condition - the city of Carthage must be destroyed, and a new settlement founded no less than 10 miles from the sea.

In Carthage, this demand was met absolutely uncompromisingly - the citizens tore the messengers to pieces and were determined to die, but not to accept this terrible condition. In order to gain time, the Romans were asked for a month's delay, and the consul easily agreed to it - he believed that Carthage was defenseless with the issuance of weapons.

With the preservation of complete secrecy, the Carthaginians began preparations for defense. The whole city worked - not a single traitor turned out to be in more than half a million people. Carthage was an excellent fortress, in a month the citizens brought its defenses to the highest possible level, and when the Roman army appeared under the walls of the city, the consuls were surprised to see the enemy ready for battle in front of them. The assault was repulsed with heavy losses for the Romans, the units of the Punic army that left the city disturbed the Romans with their raids. Finally, Massinissa was completely dissatisfied with the desire of the Romans to gain a foothold in Africa and did not provide them with any support. The unsuccessful siege lasted 2 years, when Scipio Aemilianus received command over the Romans. After reorganizing the army, he moved to action. Soon the Carthaginians lost the outer wall, and the harbor of the city was closed by a dam. But the Punians dug a canal and their ships unexpectedly went to sea. Scipio managed to block it and surrounded Carthage with an outer wall.

In the spring of 146 BC. e. The Romans stormed into the city, but a fierce battle went on for another 6 days. Only 55,000 inhabitants survived. The commander of the defense - Hasdrubal and all those who could not count on life fortified themselves in one of the temples, the Romans decided to starve them out. Driven to extremes, the besieged set fire to the temple so as not to die at the hands of the enemy. Only Hasdrubal ran out of the temple and begged for mercy, his wife threw the children into the fire and threw herself into the flames.

The rejoicing in Rome was boundless. The Senate decided to destroy the city. Carthage was again set on fire and burned for another 17 days. A furrow was drawn through its territory with a plow, the area was forever cursed, the earth was sprinkled with salt.

4. Interesting fact

Formally, the Third Punic War ended on February 5, 1985. The mayor of Rome, Hugo Vetere, signed a peace treaty between Rome and Carthage during an official visit to Tunisia. Thus, the 3rd Punic War formally lasted 2131.

Bibliography:

1. Carthage and Rome

Before you start talking about the causes of the Punic wars, you need to figure out how many of these wars there were, between whom they were fought and what their periodization was.
The Punic Wars are a series of major military conflicts between Ancient Rome and Carthage. Throughout history, there have been three major wars between them:
- 264-261 years. BC e.
- 218-201 BC e.
- 149-146 years. BC e.

Causes of the First Punic War
Before the outbreak of the first war between the Carthaginians and the Romans, these two peoples were staunch allies. However, Rome planned to expand its influence, and first of all, he began to conquer Italy, which did not suit Carthage at all. And when Rome captured Sicily, relations between the states finally deteriorated. Sicily is an important strategic point that gave control over the Mediterranean Sea.
The war was difficult for both sides, but nevertheless the Roman Republic managed to win and the island of Sicily became its reward.

Causes of the Second Punic War
After the defeat in the first military conflict, Carthage forever lost the island of Sicily and the income from it, and also lost the monopoly on trade with the Mediterranean Sea, which seriously hit the power of Carthage.
But after the defeat, Carthage began to seize Spain and, with the help of its resources, was able to restore its power. Moreover, Spain is a rather advantageous springboard for an attack on Italy.
At this time, the Romans conclude an alliance with Sagunt and Spain, which was hostile to Carthage. Also, one cannot ignore the personality of Hannibal, who saw his destiny in the war against Rome, he fiercely sought to give revenge to Rome and defeat him.
Hannibal also saw that now the number of soldiers of Rome was not so large - a little more than 60 thousand. At the same time, this large army was divided into three smaller ones, controlled by consuls. At the time of the outbreak of the war, Hannibal had a little more than 50 thousand soldiers. He knew that to strike at Rome when her troops were scattered was now the easiest thing to do.
As for the main reason for the start of the war, it is the establishment of dominion in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Second Punic War without controversy proved to be the largest and most bloody. The remaining two wars were only "rehearsals". Both sides suffered huge losses. But, like last time, Rome won. However, there were moments when Rome almost fell into the hands of Hannibal and only a miracle helped Rome.
As a result of the war, Carthage lost almost its entire fleet and had to pay a huge indemnity for 50 years. And Rome became the strongest state in the Mediterranean.

Causes of the Third Punic War
Rome was afraid that Carthage would be able to restore its power, although it was severely undermined during the Second Punic War. Rome in this period was significantly strengthened, conquered Greece, Egypt.
Although Carthage lost its military power, it still remained a major trading center, which prevented the flourishing of Roman trade.
And Rome was not worried in vain, Carthage quickly began to accumulate its wealth again. The Roman politician Mark Porcius Cato said at one of the meetings of the Senate: "Carthage must be destroyed." And most of the senators adhered to his opinion.
This time, it was Rome that initiated the conflict, while the first two Punic Wars were initiated by Carthage.
As a result of the conflict, the city of Carthage was completely burned to the ground. It burned for several weeks. Although the Carthaginians defended themselves fiercely (for more than two years), they all fell under the onslaught of the Roman army. The Romans cursed this land forever.

From the time of the battle of Zama, Carthage concentrated on its internal affairs, trying in no case to do anything that could turn the Romans against it. However, the most insignificant reason was enough for the Romans - they could not forgive Hannibal for his victories, which humiliated the dignity of Rome.

Mark Porcius Cato

The main enemy of Carthage among the Romans was Cato. As a member of the Senate commission, he in 157 BC. visited Carthage and was very surprised at what he saw. After the defeat, the city revived and experienced an economic boom. He no longer spent money on the management of the empire and on the maintenance of mercenaries. In former times, his wealth was brought to him by trade in the Western Mediterranean, but Rome seized his possessions in Spain, Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia. Now the prosperity of Carthage depended on agriculture in the interior of North Africa. Carthage exported food and developed a profitable trade with Italy. The Roman envoys became very alarmed by these signs of rebirth. Appian writes: “They began to inspect a country that was carefully cultivated and had large sources of income. Entering the city, they saw how powerful it had become and how much its population had increased after the extermination caused to it by Scipio not long before.. This seemed unbearable to Cato, and he began a campaign to destroy Carthage.

Carthage, for half a century, behaved towards Rome as a devoted ally and did not make a single attempt to pursue an independent foreign policy. He delivered a large amount of grain as a gift during the wars with Macedonia and with Antiochus. Despite the fact that by this time Carthage had already restored its major military and commercial ports, he strictly adhered to the terms of the peace treaty. After the battle of Zama, none of the Carthaginian citizens made any military career. The city had no army, no navy, no resources to rebuild them. Besides, Carthage had no desire to challenge Rome again.

Masinissa

By this time, the restless Numidian king Masinissa was almost 90 years old. However, he did not lose his energy. Masinissa admired the Carthaginian cultural treasures and wanted them to be accepted by his subjects. However, he sought to capture the Carthaginian lands. Under the terms of the peace treaty of 201, he had the right to reclaim any area beyond the borders of Carthage that had ever belonged to Numidia. The terms of this treaty were expressed very vaguely, and Masinissa constantly invaded those possessions that the Carthaginians considered their own. The Council of Elders of Carthage repeatedly complained to the Roman Senate, which sent its envoys to resolve disputed issues. It was in this group of messengers that Cato found himself. They invariably supported the king or delayed the decision, regardless of who was right or wrong in each case.

Returning to Rome, the commission began to assert that this city would again pose a threat to the security of the republic. One day Cato spoke on this subject from the speaker's rostrum in the Forum. He deliberately opened his toga, and a large appetizing Carthaginian fig fell to the floor. "The earth that bears these fruits,- he said, - l He lives three days' sail from Rome". From that moment on, he ended any speech with the same phrase: "Praeterea censeo Carthaginem esse delendam" ("I also believe that Carthage must be destroyed"). But in saying this, he was guided not only by his own prejudices. Carthage, expanding its trade, competed with the Italian wine and oil merchants, and the Italian landowners (and Cato was one of them) suffered from this. But of course, personal interest is always covered by the toga of patriotism.

Political opponents of Cato did not agree with his opinion regarding the growth of the power of Carthage. At the same time, they argued that if Rome did not have a strong and dangerous enemy, then it would become weak and decay would overtake it.

Nevertheless, a growing number of Romans supported Cato, and for this they had their own, more cynical reasons. They knew that the war could bring them significant benefits. Plutarch tells the story of a wealthy young Roman who organized an unusual feast. In the center stood a honey cake, shaped like a city. The Roman said to his guests: "This is Carthage, let's rob it". Rome became greedy and ruthless. The Senate secretly approved the war and was only waiting for an excuse to start it.

The denouement was brought about by two events. In 151, Carthage paid the last installment of the required payments, "depriving" the Roman Republic of a profitable source of income. After that, the council of elders of Carthage lost patience with Masinissa, who invaded the Carthaginian land too far.

Carthage created an army to stop the robberies of Masinissa and went on the offensive. Rome was not informed about this. The Numidian king cornered and laid siege to the Carthaginian troops. The Carthaginian army, gradually weakening from disease and lack of food, had to surrender. Under the terms of the truce, the Carthaginians were allowed to leave, taking with them only one tunic each. During the exit from the siege, the Numidian cavalry attacked the defenseless people and destroyed most of them. Out of twenty-five thousand people, a miserable handful of warriors returned to Carthage.

Numidian cavalry

When the members of the senate learned of these events, they immediately set about recruiting troops without giving any explanation. They only said what was needed. "to be able to quickly use the recruited army according to circumstances". Carthage sent messengers to explain the reasons for the war and put their generals to death. The Romans, however, did not accept the explanation. One of the senators asked why Carthage condemned its commanders not at the beginning of the war, but at the end, when they were defeated? This question remained unanswered. The messengers asked at what cost they could obtain forgiveness. "If You Satisfy the Roman People", came the vague reply. The second Carthaginian embassy begged for precise instructions. The Senate sent him back with the words: "You know well what we need". And although Carthage lost the battle and was completely helpless, and besides doing everything to keep the peace, Rome declared war on him.

The Carthaginian authorities decided that their only hope was unconditional surrender. A third delegation made its way to Rome, which only learned that war had already been declared. However, the senate cynically accepted the surrender and demanded three hundred child hostages.

Rome did not experience any difficulties in recruiting warriors for the legions, since everyone understood that Carthage could not win, and rich trophies, treasures and slaves were waiting for the warriors. In 149, an army of 80,000 infantry and 4,000 horsemen crossed the sea and landed in Africa. The consuls received a secret order to completely destroy Carthage immediately after its capture. On the side of Rome stood the large Phoenician port of Utica, located 11 km from Carthage, which had large harbors convenient for mooring ships and landing troops.

Ruins of Utica

The news of the invasion shocked the Carthaginian government. It again sent messengers to ask for peace, this time to the Roman camp. The consuls demanded that the city be completely disarmed. The Carthaginians did this, and soon rows of wagons with weapons for 20,000 people and many catapults were drawn towards the Roman camp. The consuls praised the Carthaginians for doing so well so far, and issued the last order of the senate: “Surrender Carthage to us, leave Carthage for our peace of mind, settle in any place in your country eighty stages (about 15 km) from the sea, since it was decided to tear this city to the ground”.

The Carthaginians were horrified by this demand and rejected it. If their city must perish, they will perish with it. The people will not be able to live without the main element of their way of life - the sea. People have changed. They stoned the returned envoys and any pro-Roman politicians they could find. The Carthaginians also killed all the Roman merchants who, unfortunately, ended up in the city. Carthage made a desperate decision - he would resist Rome. Armed with the courage that gave them despair, the Carthaginians locked themselves in the walls of their city, made weapons from almost nothing and began to fight, not thinking about surrendering to the enemy. The triple line of city fortifications, high walls and towers - all this created significant difficulties for the besiegers.

For two years, all attempts by the astonished Romans to defeat the distraught enemy ended in nothing. From the point of view of the Romans, the only glorious episode of the war was associated with the valiant and far-sighted Scipio Aemilianus, who, at the age of 35, served as a military tribune. Among other things, he forced the Carthaginian Numidian cavalry to retreat.

Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus the Younger

Two old men - Cato and Masinissa - who bear almost the entire responsibility for starting this war, died before its outcome became known. Both of them spoke very highly of the young Scipio. Despite his dislike for the Scipio family and the constant attacks on his grandfather, Scipio Africanus, Cato, seeing the young Scipio, recognized his talent. He contributed to Scipio being elected consul and commander of the army, despite his young age, which formally did not allow him to hold this position. The Numidian monarch, seeking to protect his kingdom, conquered with such difficulty, handed it over to his three sons, ordering them to obey Scipio, no matter how he divided the lands and power between them.

In 147, Scipio had the supreme power (imperium). He strengthened the discipline of his troops and instead of training began to carry out attacks on the city walls. He completely blocked the city, building fortifications on the isthmus that connected it to the mainland, and laying a long embankment in the sea that closed the entrance to the harbor. After that, the fall of Carthage was only a matter of time.

When there was very little food left in the city, the Carthaginian commander-in-chief, Hasdrubal, assumed dictatorial powers.

Before the decisive attack, Scipio performed the rite of evocation (evocatio), as Camillus once did before the destruction of the city of Veii. During the ceremony, he called on the Carthaginian deities to leave their temples and move to new sanctuaries in Rome. Now Carthage has become a "godless" city, with which you can do whatever you want. After that, the legions marched from the Roman embankment to the highest place in the city - Byrsa. Scipio ordered the buildings to be set on fire and destroyed to make room for the advance of the foot soldiers. The struggle continued day and night, for almost a whole week. Some of the soldiers raked garbage, corpses and even the wounded from the streets. Finally, people came out of Birsa and called on Scipio to show mercy to the survivors. The consul agreed, and 50,000 exhausted and hungry men, women and children left the city. Their fate will now be decided in the slave markets.

About 900 Roman defectors remained in the city, who were denied forgiveness. They had no choice but to fight to the death. They occupied the temple of the god of healing, Asclepius, which stood on a sheer cliff and was very well defended. Hasdrubal and his family also took refuge there.

Hasdrubal realized that his position was hopeless, and slipped unnoticed through the Roman battle lines. Scipio accepted his surrender and showed it to the defectors. Seeing Hasdrubal, they began to shower Scipio with curses and set fire to the temple. Hasdrubal's wife had stricter principles than her husband. She stabbed her children, threw them into the fire, and then stepped into it herself. The defectors also burned themselves alive.

When the resistance ceased and the war ended in victory, Scipio surveyed the whole city and burst into tears, like Marcellus in Syracuse. The long and majestic history of Carthage came to an end. Will Rome ever suffer the same fate? He addressed his friend, the historian Polybius, who was standing with him, with the lines of Homer from the Iliad:

I myself know well - and with my heart and spirit I know:
The day will come, and sacred Troy will perish. perish
Together with her, Priam and the people of the spearman Priam.

However, a flash of noble feelings did not prevent the victorious commander from destroying Carthage to the ground and solemnly cursing the place where this city once arose, which from now on will have to become a pasture for sheep. Carthage was razed to the ground, and its territory became a Roman African province. The Romans of that time demanded that cities should never be built on this site again. However, a hundred years later, New Carthage was founded - now Roman. The old Carthaginians, descendants of the Phoenicians, disappeared from the face of the earth forever.

Death of Carthage. Joseph Mallord William Turner. 1817

By the heroic defense of their native city, the Carthaginians earned the sympathy and admiration of all subsequent generations, and the war of Rome against Carthage is regarded as a cowardly and unworthy act. The Romans had no real justification for the Third Punic War, and even less reason to destroy the city. They were very fond of talking with a grin about "Punic fidelity" (Punica fides), but their own reputation as a fair and honest partner in the 2nd century BC. turned out to be pretty sloppy. Apparently, they themselves understood what they had done. It is no coincidence that the Romans began to rewrite their legendary past, trying to restore their good name.

The first histories of Rome were written in Greek. Thus they won the confidence of the Greeks and proved that they were not barbarians and possessed all the virtues of a civilized life. Cato was the first to write a history of Rome in Latin. It was called Origins. It was voluminous in seven books, which, unfortunately, have not survived to our time. Based on what is known about this work, and from the fragments that have survived, it can be said that the "Principles" represented a grandiose experience of collective self-justification. The man who constantly called for the destruction of Carthage, brought to the forefront of his work typical Roman virtues: valor, law-abiding, honesty, respect for the family, the state and the gods.

Only one book is devoted to the first centuries of the existence of Rome, and the events of the first half of the 2nd century until the fateful year 149 occupy two whole books. Such a detailed description of the recent past enabled the author to explain, justify and praise the victory of Rome, which led to the genocide. The author presented a list of seven obligations of Carthage to Rome, which, according to the author, he violated. The Carthaginian version of events was practically not considered.

Carthage must be destroyed

By the middle of the II century. BC e., having suffered a heavy blow during the Second Punic War, Carthage was able to almost recover from defeat and again turned into a crowded rich city. Sea and land trade began to flourish again, sea, replenishing the treasury. The Roman Senate watched the restoration of Carthage very carefully. Many vociferous patricians, especially Cato the Censor, did not like this situation.

Remark 1

He was thirty-two years old when the Romans defeated Hannibal's forces at the Battle of Zama. But then Cato watched in horror as the economy of Carthage revived. Constantly frightened by the fact that the military power of Carthage could be reborn like a phoenix from the ashes, Cato objected to the very existence of Carthage. He ended each of his speeches in the Senate with the words: "Carthage must be destroyed."

The Romans were well aware that sooner or later rich Carthage, having regained its strength, would want revenge. And of course, the Romans never forgot about the invasion of Hannibal's army into Italy. In addition, for numerous Roman merchants, usurers and businessmen, Carthage was a strong competitor, so they were extremely interested in weakening it, and even better, in completely eliminating it.

Reason for war

For fifty years after the end of the Second Punic War, the actions of Carthage were limited to the framework of a peace treaty.
For those who agreed with Cato that "Carthage must be destroyed," the fact that the aging but still vigorous Numidian king Masinissa provided them with an excuse to start a third war played into the hands. Taking advantage of the fact that Carthage was bound by the terms of the enslaving peace treaty, Masinissa again invaded the territory of Carthage in North Africa. When Rome repeatedly ignored the demands of Carthage to curb the ambitions of Masinissa, Carthage in 150 BC. e. declared war on Masinissa. It was a weak excuse, but formally, by declaring war on an ally of Rome, Carthage violated the terms of the peace treaty with Rome.

Third war with Carthage

• demanded a huge ransom
• ordered the inhabitants to leave the city and settle anywhere, but not closer than ten miles from the sea.

The last requirement outraged the Carthaginians. Being born sailors, they refused to leave the city and decided to fight. Thus began the Third Punic War (149-146 BC).

Rome organized the siege of Carthage, and this meant that one could not expect a swift victory, which the consuls certainly counted on. Over the course of three years, the Romans gradually destroyed the defenses of Carthage. Carthage held on surprisingly staunchly, although it lost support from the sea from the Phoenicians.

Carthage destroyed

The arrival of Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus, the son of an eminent general and adopted grandson of Scipio Africanus, meant the preparation of the Roman forces for the final decisive assault.

Thousands of Carthaginians died in street fighting. The survivors were sold into slavery, the city was razed to the ground, and the empire that had existed for many centuries ceased to exist.

And Rome has a new province. People were forbidden to settle in the place where Carthage was located, and some of the former subjects of Carthage moved to Numidia. But in 122 BC. e. a Roman settlement appeared on the site of Carthage, the remains of which can still be seen today.

Remark 2

Carthage was not the only city destroyed in 146 BC. e. Farther east, one of the gems of Greek culture, the city of Corinth, was razed to the ground after a series of conflicts that took place in the region between the Second and Third Punic Wars.

By the mid-260s BC. The Roman Republic finally subjugated the Apennine Peninsula. The further expansion of Rome made inevitable its clash with Carthage, a powerful state in Northwest Africa (Libya), which controlled most of Sicily and the main sea lanes in the Western Mediterranean.

First Punic War (264–241 BC)

In 284 BC a detachment of mercenaries from Campania (Mamertines) captured Messana, a large policy (city-state) on the east coast of Sicily. After the king of neighboring Syracuse, Hieron I, began a war with the Mamertines, they converted in 265 BC. for help to Rome. The Roman People's Assembly decided to include Messana in the Italian Union; spring 264 BC the Roman army crossed into Sicily and, despite the opposition of the Carthaginians, occupied the city. In response, Carthage declared war on Rome. The Syracusans, together with the Carthaginians, laid siege to Messana, but failed. In 263 BC The Romans defeated Hiero I and forced him into an alliance with them. In 262 BC they took Acragas (Agrigent), the most important Carthaginian fortress in Sicily; the Carthaginians were forced into the western part of the island. To cope with the Carthaginian fleet, which devastated the coast of Italy with impunity, the Romans built by 260 BC. 20 warships. In 260 BC the Carthaginian fleet defeated the Roman squadron at the Aeolian Islands, but then was defeated at Cape Mila.

Unable to achieve a decisive advantage in the struggle against the Carthaginians for Sicily in 259-257 BC, the Romans decided to transfer military operations to Africa. In 256 BC, having inflicted a defeat on the Carthaginian fleet at Cape Eknom, they landed in the Klupey Bay (east of Carthage). Having suffered a series of failures, the Carthaginians turned to the Roman commander Atilius Regulus with a request for peace, but the Roman conditions turned out to be too difficult, and, having mobilized all the resources, they gathered a large mercenary army under the command of the Spartan Xanthippus. In the spring of 255 BC Xanthippus utterly defeated the Roman expeditionary army. Although the Roman fleet prevailed over the Carthaginian squadron at Cape Germ, most of it then died during a storm.

From 254 BC Sicily again became the main arena of hostilities. In 254 BC the Romans captured the large Carthaginian fortress of Panorm on the northwestern coast of Sicily and built a new fleet, which, however, was again destroyed by a storm the following year, 253 BC, during a raid on the coast of Africa. By the beginning of the 240s BC. the Romans gradually subjugated all of Sicily and blockaded the last two Carthaginian strongholds - Lilibey and Drepana. But an attempt to take Lilybaeum in 249 BC. failed, and in 248 BC. The Roman fleet was once again the victim of a storm. Headed in 247 BC. Carthaginian troops in Sicily, the energetic Hamilcar Barca launched active operations against the Romans, making constant raids on the coast of Italy. The situation changed only when the Romans built a new fleet with a great effort (imposition of an emergency tax). In March 241 BC this fleet defeated the Carthaginian squadron at the Aegat Islands. Realizing the inevitability of the fall of Lilibey and Drepana, Carthage was forced to make peace, ceding its Sicilian possessions to Rome and pledging to pay a large indemnity. As a result of the First Punic War, the Roman Republic became the strongest state in the Western Mediterranean.

Second Punic War (218–201 BC)

The First Punic War did not break the power of Carthage, and a new clash was inevitable. In 238 BC, taking advantage of the unrest in Carthage, the Romans took Sardinia from him and annexed Corsica. In 237 BC the Carthaginians sent Hamilcar Barca to Iberia (Spain), who, having gathered a strong army and taking advantage of the wars of Rome with the Gauls and Illyrians, conquered the eastern coast of the Iberian (Pyrenean) peninsula. After the death of Hamilcar in 228 BC. his work was continued by his son-in-law Hasdrubal (killed in 220 BC), and then by his son Hannibal. In an effort to limit the expansion of the Carthaginians, the Romans got them in 226 BC. obligations not to extend their possessions north of the river. Iber (modern Ebro).

In 219 BC Hannibal captured the Iberian city of Sagunt, allied to Rome. In response, the Roman Senate declared war on Carthage. In 218 BC unexpectedly for the Romans, Hannibal made the most difficult transition from Northern Iberia through the Alps to Italy and defeated two Roman armies on the river. Ticin (modern Ticino) and on the river. Trebia; he was supported by the Ligurian and Gallic tribes. Having established control over Northern Italy, Hannibal in 217 BC. invaded Central Italy; spring 217 BC he inflicted a severe defeat on the consul Gaius Flaminius at Lake Trasimene, but then moved not to Rome, but to Apulia, hoping to win over the Italian communities to his side. However, the majority of Italians remained loyal to Rome. Hannibal's situation became more complicated when the Romans elected Fabius Maximus as dictator, who applied a new tactic - he avoided a general battle and exhausted the enemy in small skirmishes. But in 216 BC. The Romans abandoned this tactic. In June 216 BC the consul Terentius Varro gave the Carthaginians a decisive battle at Cannae and suffered a terrible defeat; many cities in Bruttia, Lucania, Picene and Samnia, as well as the second largest city in Italy, Capua, went over to Hannibal; The Macedonian kingdom of Syracuse entered into an alliance with Carthage. In such difficult conditions, Rome mobilized all its forces; he managed to prevent the falling away of a significant part of the Italian allies and raise a new army. In an effort to distract the Carthaginians from Italy, the Romans opened new fronts in Spain and Sicily. Nevertheless, until the end of the 210s BC. they failed to make significant progress. In Italy, Hannibal in 213 BC. thwarted an attempt by the Romans to capture Capua, and in 212 BC. won several victories in Lucania and Apulia and captured the largest South Italian port of Tarentum. In Spain, the Roman army, although it won in 214-213 BC. a series of victories, in 212 BC. was completely destroyed by Hasdrubal, brother of Hannibal, in the battle on the river. Ebro. The Romans were more successful in Sicily, where the consul Claudius Marcellus in 212 BC. took Syracuse.

The turning point in favor of the Romans occurred in 211 BC, when they captured Capua; this was not prevented by Hannibal's demonstrative campaign against Rome ("Hannibal at the gates!"). In 210 BC Cornelius Scipio the Elder was sent to Spain, who in 209 BC. took New Carthage, the center of the Carthaginian possessions in the Iberian Peninsula. In the same year, in Italy, Fabius Maximus returned Torent to Rome. In 207 BC The Romans defeated the army at the Seine of Gaul, which Hasdrubal brought from Spain to help Hannibal. In 206 BC the Carthaginians were forced to finally clear Spain.

In the spring of 204 BC. Scipio landed in North Africa, and in 203 BC. defeated the Carthaginians on the Great Plains, which forced the Carthaginian authorities to recall Hannibal from Italy. In 202 BC with the support of the Numidian king Masinissa, Scipio won a decisive victory over Hannibal at Zama. In 201 BC Carthage had to accept difficult peace conditions: he ceded Spain and all his island possessions in the Mediterranean to the Romans, handed over almost the entire fleet to them, pledged to pay a huge indemnity for fifty years and not to wage wars without the consent of the Roman Senate. As a result of the Second Punic War, Rome became the hegemon of the Western Mediterranean, and Carthage lost its importance as a great power.

Third Punic War (149–146 BC)

Carthage quickly paid an indemnity to Rome and regained its former importance as the largest transit center, which caused serious concern in the Roman ruling circles; Senator Cato the Elder was a particularly fierce opponent of Carthage, ending each of his speeches with the words: “Carthage must be destroyed!”. Taking advantage of the fact that the Carthaginians, contrary to the terms of the world 201 BC. created an army to repel the attack of the Numidians, the Roman Senate declared them in 149 BC. war. The Carthaginians agreed to disarm, but categorically rejected the demand of the Romans to tear down the city and move inland, and decided to resist to the last. The Roman army laid siege to Carthage and, after a desperate three-year defense, took it in the spring of 146 BC. By decree of the Senate, the city was burned, and the place on which it stood was cursed; possessions of Carthage became part of the Roman state as the province of Africa.

Ivan Krivushin