Both, Carthage and Rome, were powerful and prospering states. But their success was different.
According to Morey, Carthage “was originally a colony of Tyre, and had come to be the capital of a great commercial empire on the northern coast of Africa.” (Morey, 1901, para. 2). Rome and
Carthage shared some traits, which I discuss in the following paragraphs.
Discussion
The first similarity was in the structure of the states’ governments. For example, the government of Carthage similarly to Roman government, had two chief magistrates, a council of elders, and an assembly. The corresponding structures in Rome, respectively, had two consuls, the Roman senate, and the Roman comitia (Morey, 1901). But those similarities were only structural.
Functionally
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Politically they differ too. In contrast with Rome, Carthage did not include their subject states into the state.
Another distinction was the management in Carthaginian army. While Rome elected her generals every year, Carthage had a permanent and proficient military leader. Among the other, Carthage
“had a powerful navy, a mercenary army and, through tribute, tariffs, and trade, enough wealth to do as she pleased.” (Mark, 2011, para. 1). So, I would say that the military structure played a big role in Carthage’ power which was based on trade, commercial supremacy, and her army, including the fleet. Her subject colonies were located in northern Africa and in the Greek part of
Sicily and Italy. “She was, in fact, the great merchant of the Mediterranean.” (Morey, 1901, para.
4)
As Morey said in his “Outlines of Roman History”, “We can thus see how Rome and Carthage became rivals for the possession of the countries bordering upon the western Mediterranean
Sea.” (Morey, 1901, para. 4)
And though their power was the same in many aspects, the appearance of it can be observed in very different spheres. The power of Carthage was shown in her success and prosperity, but the power of Rome fully revealed in times of
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4)
So, the War started, and Rome, being a land power, was winning land battles during the first several years. Carthage, in contrast with Rome that did not have a fleet and knew nothing about sea battles, had ships and was the dominant naval power in the region (Royston, 2011). Romans understood that to fight successfully with that enemy, they also need a fleet, and fast. Those few ships that, according to Morey, Rome had, could not do much against the naval power of
Carthage. Moreover, the Carthage’s fleet consisted of quinquiremes that were more effective on war than the triremes. Very soon, Romans built and equipped more than a hundred vessels like the one they found wrecked on the Italian shore and trained their soldiers into sailors. The most important invention was the drawbridge. It allowed Romans to apply the battle tactics they used on land and which proved to be an effective one. That device could be attached to an enemy’s ship using hooks (Mark, 2011). With such an equipped war fleet, Rome became the first
1. Tim Cornell, John Matthews, Atlas of the Roman World, Facts On File Inc, 1982. (pg.216)
Morey, William C. "Outlines of Roman History, Chapter 19." Forum Romanum. 1901. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. .
Not only did he conquer them but offered them a means of integration through the construction of roads and security in trading routes and the ability to govern themselves at the cost of a tributary payment. “Upon their submission I restored their territories to them, subject to the payment of tribute”. This integration of the conquered nation resembles that of the Roman Empire as they as well offered similar integration methods for the
and Sparta, who was an ally of Corinth due to it being a source of
Antony Kamm ~ The Romans: An Introduction Second Edition, Published in 2008, pages 47, 93
Rome, even at its beginnings, proved to be a force to be reckoned with. It’s rapid growth and accumulation of power and repeated victories over powerful neighbors set Rome in a position of great authority and influence. As the leader of early Rome, Romulus’ effective command of his men and governance of his people provided the foundation for the building of a great city. Livy emphasizes Romulus’ possible divine origins and strong ties to deities as a validation and reinforcement of his ability to rule. A nation’s sole defense cannot be just bricks and mortar, it requires an army and a will and Romulus was able to successfully take action against the aggressors when action was needed.
Since the beginning of time, man has waged war on his neighbors, his friends and his enemies. In many cases these wars were caused by power-hungry nations that were in the process of expanding their empire and ended up stepping on the toes of another superpower or ally of a superpower. In the case of the first Punic War between Rome and Carthage, Carthage was extending its empire and they stepped on Rome’s toes. During the course of this war the winner was unclear but at times victory seemed eminent for both sides until Rome finally won. The Romans had control in the first part of the war but this would not last. After the Romans first win they decided that they needed a victory over the city of Carthage but this would turn the tides in favor of the Carthaginians. For some 15 years after this defeat of Rome the tides went back and forth between the two but would eventually lead to the Romans victory. After the victory, Rome made some very harsh demands and Carthage filled those demands even though some of them were very extreme.
Although both Roman and Greek civilizations shared similarities in the areas of art and literature, their differences were many and prominent. Their contrasting aspects rest mainly upon political systems and engineering progress, but there are also several small discrepancies that distinguish between these two societies. This essay will examine these differences and explain why, ultimately, Rome was the more advanced civilization of the two.
So, in 264 B.C. the assembly voted to send a force to expel the Carthage (or Punic)
Dio, Cassius. "Roman History - Book 50." 17 June 2011. University of Chicago. 31 October 2011 .
...territories the Romans tried to mimic and improve to make their own way of life.
Shelton, J.A. (1998). As the Romans Did: A Sourcebook in Roman Social History. (2nd ed.) New York: Oxford University Press.
The Second Punic war, beginning in 218 BC, was the second major war between the Roman Empire and the Carthage. Around the same time, the Roman Empire deployed troops to the Northeastern peninsula of Spain to keep reinforcements, from the Carthaginian South, from getting to Hannibal’s armies in Italy to assist them. In A Histor...
Another sizeable contributing factor to the expansion of the Roman Empire was the sacking of Rome by the Gauls in 390 B.C.. “The Romans were completely dumbfounded by the wild and undisciplined charge of the howling Gauls. The Roman’s tightly packed phalanx, a military formation they had adopted from the Greeks of southern Italy, collapsed, and the Romans fled” (Kidner, 129). The sacking left the Romans determined to prevent and avoid any similar outcomes in the future.
...s the collision on Carthage from which Rome emerged ruler of the western Mediterranean. Then there is the third the subjection of the Hellenistic states that gravitated Romans in close contact with the Greek civilization.