The First Punic War (264-241 BCE)

912 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Modern interpretation of punic wars

The First Punic War (264-241 BCE)

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.

The first Punic War started with a request by the locals in Messana for the Romans to aid them in defeating the Carthaginians. Messana was at the southern tip of Italy and would be a great asset to the already superior naval fleet of Carthage. Rome saw this to be a good opportunity to halt the expansion of the Carthaginian Empire and to stop the possible attack on Italy (which was controlled by Rome). Despite this fact the Roman council debated on whether to attack on these premises or not, but eventually it was decided that they would wage war on the Carthaginians. The Carthaginians were then told that they must halt their invasion or war would be waged. They did not stop and Rome declared war.

The first battle was fought entirely in Sicily, in 263BCE, and since the Romans were the superior fighters they took the ground battle and continued to prevail until 256BCE. After the victory over Carthage, the Romans began besieging Greek cities that allied with the Carthaginians. The Romans sacked these cities, which caused them to harden their resistance. Rome realized that to beat the Carthaginians they needed to build a fleet and in 261BCE they began building. To counter the Romans inexperience at sea they used a device called a corvus (a large gangplank with a spike on the underside).

Show More
Related

  • Peloponnesian War

    2670 Words  | 6 Pages

    Dating back to 449 B.C., Sparta and Athens always had an alliance, but as time grew that balance slowly began to fall as one felt threatened by another. Before any sight of unsteadiness the Spartans and Athenians had a bound partnership. Beginning after their domination of the Persian war, the two states slowly became aware of one another’s growing power. More time went by, and the Spartans began to grow conscious of the other states, feeling wary and paranoid around them (Fox, 170). No state was particularly to blame for the strain on their peace treaty, nor for the war, it came as the two states developed. Eventually the two states had clashed enough and declared war. Although the Spartans gave the Athenians a chance to back down and temporarily stall war, the two states would never be equal, their allies resented one another far too much. The growing urge for power was bound to take over sooner or later. Finally, after 7 years of uneasy tension, Sparta could wait no longer and declared war against Athens (Fox, 167). Although the Athenians and Spartans lived together in peace for so long, they existed in a fragile balance that was bound to eventually lead to war.

    Read More

  • Caesars Conquest Of Gaul

    2383 Words  | 5 Pages

    Gaius Julius Caesar, born 100 B.C.E. in Rome to the impoverished patrician Julian Clan, knew controversy at an early age. Nephew to Populare Gaius Marius, he was earmarked by the Optimate dictator Sulla for prosciption after his refusal to divorce his Populare wife, Cinna. Fleeing Rome, and not returning until after Sulla’s resignation in 78 B.C.E, upon his return he gained a position as a pontificate, an important Roman priesthood. Slowly but surely throughout his lifetime he worked his way up the political ladder, eventually becoming Consul, and finally Dictator Perpeteus – Dictator for life. One of the most influential political and military leaders of all time, Caesar was also a highly intelligent man and an exceptional orator. However, acquiring this absolute power was no mean feat, and Caesar had well equipped himself through previous expeditions with all the resources necessary to gain power in Ancient Rome.

    Read More

  • The Civil War: Why Was The Civil War Inevitable?

    714 Words  | 2 Pages

    Julius Caesar is well-known for being the Roman general and statesman who turned the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire (Biography.com Editors). The Civil War in Rome was essentially inevitable. During the years 49-45B.C the Civil War began for a variety of reasons. Some issues that lead to the Civil War were government issues, crossing the Rubicon and the power of the Roman citizens. Throughout my essay I will explain in detail the reasons why the Roman Civil War was no longer an option and why it had to happen.

    Read More

  • Dworkin's Wishful-Thinkers Constitution

    2875 Words  | 6 Pages

    ABSTRACT: Developing ideas first put forth in my Abortion Rights as Religious Freedom, I argue against Ronald Dworkin's liberal view of constitutional interpretation while rejecting the originalism of Justices Scalia and Bork. I champion the view that Justice Black presents in his dissent in Griswold v. Connecticut.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Sweat By Zora Neale Hurston

    759 Words  | 2 Pages

    In literature, the significant themes of a story can sometimes be developed within dramatic death scenes. With that being said, Zora Neale Hurston 's presents an unappreciated housewife and her high-class husband 's sinful ways which ultimately lead to the husband 's unplanned death, in her short story “Sweat”. The concluding death scene can best be described as illustrating the theme as “what goes around comes around”. Sykes was abusive and tried plotting his wife, Delia 's, death by using a rattlesnake, but his plan backfired and it was Sykes that was killed in the end.

    Read More

  • Justice Chase's Argumentative Analysis

    1909 Words  | 4 Pages

    I think that Corwin was correct because we can see both sides of the debate in several other cases in history, in which the Chasian view was not the majority, but ended up being a stronger argument if we were to look back in time from the present day. It would be interesting to use the principles argued in Calder v Bull as a lens in regards to the cases of Dred Scott v. Sanford, Plessy v Ferguson, and Lochner v New York. In all these cases, the dissenting opinions, which were in line with Chase’s view, are the way in which courts are more likely to act today. The majority opinions however, made sure that the statutes did not violate the constitution, but did not argue whether those legislations were unreasonably denying citizens their health, safety, or happiness. We can say, taking the previous concepts into account, that the general purpose of the American Constitution is shortsighted the moment we lose the focus of interpreting it as a “social compact”. The questionable

    Read More

  • The Peloponnesian War

    2333 Words  | 5 Pages

    Throughout the Ancient Greek world, there have been many wars and standoffs. However, there has been only one which changed the course of Greek history forever; the Peloponnesian War. Caused by the growing tension between Athens and Sparta, it came and left, leaving only destruction in its wake. The defeat of Athens in the Peloponnesian War caused the downfall of Greece, and the end of the Classical Age.

    Read More

  • Interpreting the Constitution

    1486 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...to which Constant referred. Breyer explained that things can be defined in themes so he said that his theme is “active liberty” – which resonates throughout the Constitution. While on the other hand Justice Antonin Scalia believes that a text should be construed strictly, and it should be not be construed leniently; it should be construed reasonably, to contain all that it fairly means. Scalia also stated that if that logic fails to produce what in the view of the current Supreme Court is the desirable result for the case at hand, then, like good common law judges, the court will distinguish its precedents, or narrow them, or if all else fails overrule them, in order that the Constitution might mean.

    Read More

  • Bodybuilding Persuasive Essay Topics

    864 Words  | 2 Pages

    Proper diet is the first thing you will need for balancing weight loss and bodybuilding. Before you can start building muscles, you must lose excess body weight. This can be done by changing your diet and eating unprocessed wholesome foods. Ensure that your diet includes nutritious foods rich in protein like chicken, turkey, fish, lean meats and plant proteins.

    Read More

  • Hannibal Barca

    791 Words  | 2 Pages

    Even before the war started, Hannibal knew what he was going to do. Since Carthage had no navy, there was no hope of going directly from Carthage to Italy over the Mediterranean Sea. Hannibal thought up a dangerous but ingenious plan. In order to get to Italy over land, Hannibal and his army would have to travel from Carthage-controlled Spain across the Alps and into the heart of the enemy. Hannibal left in the cold winter of 218 B.C. with 50,000 infantry, 9,000 cavalry, and 37 war elephants. While crossing the Alps, “Hannibal’s force suffered greatly from the elements and the hostility of the local tribesmen” (Beshara, 3). By the time they reached Italy, after only fourteen days, over 9,000 men had perished along with most of the elephants, but this number was soon replenished after 14,000 northern Gaul rebels joined Hannibal’s army. This group of 60,000 men proved superior to the Roman forces, and after at least three recorded major victories, the Roman senate was exasperated. An army of 80,000 Roman soldiers was sent to stop Hannibal’s army of now 50,000 once and for all. In July of 216 B.C., the Romans engaged the Carthaginians in “the neighborhood of Cannae on the Italian east coast” (Lendering, 2). Greatly outnumbered, Hannibal realized that he would have to win by strategy, and that is exactly what he did. As the two lines met, Hannibal’s cavalry gained the flanks and, moving up the sides, attacked the rear of the Roman line.

    Read More

  • The Fall of The Roman Republic

    878 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ultimately, the Roman Republic’s downfall lay in its lack of major wars or other crises, which led to a void of honor and leadership. War united all of Rome’s people, and provided the challenge to its leaders to develop honor and leadership by their causes and actions. The lack of war allowed the Roman Republic to stagnate and become self-indulgent. By the end of the Punic Wars, which combined these elements, Rome was sure to fail. Without a common thread uniting its society, the Roman Republic unraveled because it had nothing left holding it together.

    Read More

  • Cause And Effect Of The First Punic War

    565 Words  | 2 Pages

    The First Punic War lasted from 264 to 241 BC, and was primarily fought for the control of Sicily. At that time, within the region of Sicily, the city of Messina had been taken over by the Mamertines but were threatened by the neighboring King of Syracuse. In a desperate attempt to remain undefeated, the mercenaries appealed to both Rome and Carthage for help. Although both cities dispatched soldiers, Rome claimed victory and thus the

    Read More

  • Bodybuilding Supplements

    800 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ody parts at the right time while still getting sleep and eating a sensible food. Many people don't understand that you don't grow at the gym; you grow while you are sleeping. If you're hitting the weights every day in the week, than a good night's rest is in order to avoid fatigue and failure. an important difference between an individual who reaches his goals and another who is not doing any effort, his only effort is loudmouthed on the person who tries to be fit without even knowing the amount of sweat he had during workout in the gym." Knowing is enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough: we must do actually i don't think that you will be fit in two or three weeks you can't climb the ladder of success with the hands in the pocket. If there is a will there is a way you have to think of your future from now, you have to push up now for a glory future forever.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Exercise

    701 Words  | 2 Pages

    Making a goal of exercising 2 or 3 times per week will strengthen the body,

    Read More

  • Weight Loss Essay: Losing Your Body And Your Face

    749 Words  | 2 Pages

    Perform strength-training exercises at least twice a week on nonconsecutive days. (See References 3) Working against resistance stimulates muscle tissue. Maintaining and building muscle tissue during weight lo...

    Read More

More about The First Punic War (264-241 BCE)

Open Document