Sivaram N.

The First Punic War

The conflict between the Romans and Carthaginians was inevitable. Both of the empires were growing and it was only a matter of time before they collided. The First Punic war was fought totally on the Isle of Sicily. The huge island was in between Rome and Carthage. The Carthaginians controlled most of it, but when the city of Messana the Romans intervened with Carthage for the first time. They laid siege to several cities. When Carthage tried to relieve the cities with its navy, the Romans destroyed that navy. The First Punic War had not true victor. The Carthaginians lost Sicily which they didn’t really want, and they had to pay for some of the war expenses of the Roman Army which they could afford. After Rome took Sicily they didn’t feel threatened by Carthage to the East, but now they wanted Carthage out of the West. The Romans then seized the Isle of Corsica. This infuriated the Carthaginians. They sent the Generals Hamilcar and Hadrusbal to Spain. Their they made friends with the Spaniards, and built up a huge army on the Iberian Peninsula. Carthaginian influence moved up the Iberian Peninsula as the Carthaginians army in Spain grew.

Sicily

Image courtesy of  The Illustrate History of the Roman Empire