Carthage is a city-state that was founded by the Phoenicians in approximately 814 BC. By the third century BC it had the most powerful army in the Mediterranean with huge naval fleets. They incorporated the people that they conquered into the army as auxiliary soldiers, and used mercenaries extensively. Carthaginian traders sailed as far away as England for Cornish tin. By 200 BC Carthage had expanded across much of north Africa, moving closer and clsoer to the Roman empire.
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| Photo: © C. Renaud |
In 264 BC, a dispute broke out in the city of Messana. The Carthaginians sent their fleet to aid the side they agreed with, and the Romans did the same. Carthage then withdrew their fleet to avoid conflict with the Romans. Rome in turn sent a large army to the region. Carthage, feeling threatened, sent an army of almost 50,000 soldiers. Then, in 262 BC, Rome attacked and defeated the Carthaginians in a series of small, quick victories. However, the war raged on for another 20 years because neither side knew how to withdraw from the unsought conflict.
The unique aspect in these battles was that they were fought on land and sea simultaneously. Never before had such complicated conflicts arose. Rome had never fought naval battles and made so many mistakes, loosing over 600 ships throughout the 20 year war. Carthage made its own share of mistakes by electing new generals every year. The new generals had little experience, causing the deaths of thousands of soldiers.
Rome eventually prevailed in 241 BC, and Carthage accepted the harsh terms of the truce which included delivering all catapults, totaling almost 2,000, all armor, totaling almost 100,000 sets, and their generals over to Rome. The city-state, however, remained virtually unaffected by the conflict and continued to prosper.
After two more Punic wars, Carthage was finally destroyed. They held out against the Roman army for three years before their city was annihilated.
Image Credit http://www.carthage.edu/outis/carthage3.html
Travis S. Ruff