In 264 B.C, Rome prepared for war against Carthage. Carthage was founded by the Phoenicians. Phoenicians in Carthage where known to have a strong forces in the seas. They were able to control the western part of Mediterranean including Spain, Northern Africa and the Island of Sicily. Because of this, Rome considered Carthage as a threat to their power . Rome think that Carthage could possibly grab some of their allies and lost its supplies from the Island Sicily. The series of this wars between Rome and Carthage was called as Punic Wars.
The first Punic war started as Rome prepared
for war against Carthage. As a result Carthage was forced to surrender Sicily to Rome which makes Sicily as the first province of Rome outside its territory.Meanwhile Hannibal, the general of Carthage attack Itally from the north as a revenge to Rome. Hannibal fight well at Cannae which resulted to the death of an estimated
of 50,000 Roman soldiers which was mourned by Rome. The attacked of Hannibal resulted to the start of the second Punic war between Rome and Carthage.With the help of some Rome allies, a general of Rome General Scipio attacked the Carthaginian in Spain to apprehend them from giving reinforcement to Hannibal. North Africa was also subjected to the attacked of Rome. Because of this Hannibal returned to protect his home land.
In 202 B.C, Hannibal was lost to General Scipio in the war at Zama, the lost of Hannibal ended the second Punic war.
Rome again became triumphant in the third Punic war. They burned Carthage and sold the remaining Carthaginian into slavery.They poisoned the soils of Carthage to prevent plants from growing and as their revenge for the thousands of soldiers that was killed during the reign of Hannibal.