| The ancient history if full of wars and battles. Among | | | | with "assault bridge" also known as corvus. The bridge |
| the most famous wars and probably the largest ones | | | | was used to latch onto enemy ships bringing them to a |
| in the ancient world are the so called Punic Wars (264 | | | | standstill. Then the Roman legionaries were able to |
| to 146 BC). They were a series of three wars | | | | board the Carthaginian warships and enter into |
| between Rome and Carthage. The wars were called | | | | hand-to-hand fighting, a skill that they were most |
| Punic since the Latin word for Carthaginian was Punici. | | | | comfortable with. So in 241 BC Carthage signed a |
| Carthage was a large city located on the coast of | | | | peace treaty giving Rome the total control of Sicily. But |
| Tunisia. It was founded be the Phoenicians in the 9th | | | | then Rome had a very powerful navy. In 238 BC |
| century BC. At that time Carthage’s navy was the | | | | Rome took the islands of Corsica and Sardinia from |
| largest in the ancient world but it did not have | | | | Carthage. From that time on, the Romans took the full |
| permanent army. For fighting in wars Carthage was | | | | control of the Mediterranean. |
| hiring mercenaries but the officers were Carthaginian. | | | | In 219 BC Hannibal attacked the city of Saguntum |
| The Carthaginians were famous for their abilities as | | | | (near modern Valencia) which was under the special |
| sailors. | | | | protection of Rome and started the Second Punic |
| The First Punic War (264-241 BC) was fought on land | | | | War (218-201 BC). Actually, the Saguntines provoked |
| in Sicily and Africa and after more than twenty years | | | | the attack since they attack tribes who were |
| Rome at last conquered the island of Sicily. Carthage | | | | Carthaginian protectorates and massacre pro-Punic |
| was forced to pay Rome a massive tribute. The war | | | | factions in their city. Carthage refused to hand over |
| began as a conflict between Hiero II of Syracuse and | | | | Hannibal as Rome asked and Rome declared war on |
| the Mamertines of Messina. The Mamertines betray | | | | Carthage. Then Hannibal crossed the Alps with war |
| the Carthaginians by asking the Roman Senate for | | | | elephants and invaded Italy from the north as well as |
| support against Carthage. Then Romans sent soldiers | | | | defeated the Roman army in several battles such as |
| to Messina. The Carthaginians answered with an aid to | | | | the Battle of the Trebia, the Battle of lake Trasimene |
| Syracuse. The war for the control of Sicily between | | | | and the Battle of Canne. But meanwhile Scipio turned |
| Carthage and Rome has begun. | | | | to invade Carthage and in 203 BC Hannibal returned to |
| Since the Carthaginians believe that they are more | | | | Africa to face him. In the Battle of Zama in 202 BC |
| powerful as sailors, they tried to avoid battles on land. | | | | the Romans defeated Hannibal in open battle. |
| In the beginning they manage to defeat the Roman | | | | Carthage was made to pay a huge indemnity and |
| navy but very soon Rome expanded its navy and | | | | was not allowed to have a huge army and navy. |
| made a fleet of over than a hundred ships provided | | | | |