The Punic Wars Essay - 2878 Words

Romans were a very powerful people, and their influence grew and spread very quickly. Through organized armies and great tactics they pushed themselves up the Italian peninsula, seizing land and territory from the Etruscan League. Rome now owned most of the Italian peninsula except for what was owned by the Gaelic Tribes. (Barker) They grew into quite the power and all of Europe recognized them as a powerful force. Their influence grew and spread across the Mediterranean Sea and it forced the meeting of the two greatest forces of the Mediterranean Sea. It is 264 BC and hostilities between the Carthaginians and the Roman republic are on the rise. The fate of the island of Sicily hangs in balance. The Romans hunger for power and land,†¦show more content†¦Those who could not afford the expensive equipment served the military as light infantry, who mainly wielded javelins and would hurl them into enemy lines. The Carthage army wore very strong armor which included chainmail, bronze or iron greaves, full helmets, and the iconic shield that has been on most of the battlegrounds of the ancient world, the Hoplon. Hoplons were used by the Greeks for many generations. It is a sturdy shield of ingenious design with rounded wood covered in bronze. Many Carthaginian soldiers painted religious symbols on their armor and shield, such as the symbol of Tanit. (Basar) All of this; however, pales in comparison to their ultimate weapons. Riding into battle the fearsome African war elephants were a sight that would strike incredible fear into any heart. They were sometimes even armored with chain mail and had men shooting arrows from the tops of them. The Romans were also a force to be reckoned with. They will, after all, go on to conquer most of the known western world and much of that comes from good equipment and training. The core of a roman legionary soldier was his armor. Romans wore armor depending on what type of troop they were. The most common armor of this time period was called Lorica Musculata. This armor was made of strong solid bronze that would fit over the chest and back of the soldier. These chest plates were made in accordance to a Greek style,Show MoreRelatedThe Punic Wars973 Words   |  4 PagesThe Punic Wars were made of three major wars. The last war was kind of a punishment for Carthage from Rome. The two powers in these wars were Rome and Carthage. Rome was controlling the main peninsula of Italy while Carthage was controlling the islands and trade of the Mediterranean. Rome and Carthage were once on a friendly term until things went south well. The Punic Wars have major historical content that involve b oth leaders on opposite side as well as the battles among the two city-states. TheseRead MoreEssay on the Punic Wars650 Words   |  3 PagesThere were three Punic or Carthaginian Wars is Roman history. These were between 264 and 146 BC. These wars were the first great wars of Roman expansion outside Italy. The enemy of Rome had a large empire that stretched along the coast of North America and southern Spain and some parts of Sicily. This empire was known as Carthage. The purpose of these wars was to decide which power would become the dominant force around the Mediterranean Sea. The first Punic War lasted from 264-241 BC. It wasRead MoreThe Battle Of The Punic Wars2439 Words   |  10 PagesThe Punic Wars, a century-long conflict between Rome and Carthage started in 264 B.C. and continued until 146 B.C. when Carthage gets destroyed. Carthage, a Phoenician colony, came to be a superpower of the Mediterranean and posed a threat to the Romans. The First Punic War focuses on gaining control over the islands of Sicily and Corsica. The two powerful countries entered into a dispute between the Sicilian cities of Messana and Syracuse and established their presence on the island. Neither superpowerRead MoreThe Battle Of The Punic Wars1506 Words   |  7 PagesCivilization Professor Smail THE PUNIC WARS During the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C., three wars were fought between Rome and Carthage. The name given to describe the wars Punic, is a divided word from the Latin and Greek words for Phoenician. The city of Carthage, situated in what is now Tunisia in North Africa, was founded in 814 B.C. by the Phoenicians. The first two wars were the longest 23 years and 17 years, separated by an interval of 23 years. The last and third war lasted only three years. ItRead MoreThe Battle Of The Punic Wars3659 Words   |  15 PagesIntroduction The Punic Wars were a defining moment in the expansion of the Roman Republic, with the Second Punic War (218 – 201 BC (Grant, 1960)) playing the part of a corner stone in the bridge to create the powerful Roman Empire. Moreover, this was the first time that Rome had expanded into territories outside of Italy which was pivotal in the development of the Roman Republic, and furthermore the Rome Empire, as it marks the beginning of an imperial Roman power (Rickard, 2001). Accordingly, this war has capturedRead MoreCauses of the Second Punic War1722 Words   |  7 Pagesonce again after the First Punic War (264 to 241 BC). There was no clear victor and the terms set by the Romans were extremely harsh. Even though the main cause of the second war was the war on Saguntum you must go back all the way to the ending of the First War. The war on Saguntum was seen by Polybius to be just the first incident in the war. In this essay I will look into the causes of the Second Punic War with the intention of backing up Polybius argument that the war on Saguntum was just theRead MoreOutcomes From The Second Punic War994 Words   |  4 Pages Outcomes from the Second Punic War The second Pà ºnic war (herein after referred to as, â€Å"the War†) came to a close in 201 BCE, following Scà ­pio’s victory over Hà ¡nnibal at the battle of Zà ¡ma. After seventeen years of warfare, and at a great loss of life on both sides, Rome defeated Cà ¡rthage and came out on top as the new superpower in the Mediterrà ¡nean region. The outcome of this war brought consequences to Cà ¡rthage and created opportunities for Rome (Morey, 1901). The Cost to Cà ¡rthage Economic Cà ¡rthageRead MoreEssay about Punic Wars929 Words   |  4 Pages Discuss the Roman Punic Wars, in terms of their circumstances and overall effect on Rome’s economic and social development Also discuss the ensuing â€Å"Gracchan turbulence† from the same perspective. The circumstance for the Roman Punic Wars towards Rome was a simple human reaction. If an outsider such as Italy, Carthage, or Greece make threats towards Rome, Rome will simply fight. The Punic Wars lasted in 3 stages, all resulting to the obsessive pride and higher standings of Rome. Rome’s initialRead More Carthage And The Punic Wars Essay1228 Words   |  5 Pagesenemy of Selinius. Carthage, in a lightening fast campaign sacked both Selinius, and the large Greek city of Agrigento. The Carthaginians failed in their attempt to siege Syracusa. After the siege upon Syracusa, the Syracusians built many weapons of war, including the catapult. They then sacked the important Carthaginian city of Moyta. For over the next one hundred years the Carthaginians battled the Syracusians. Rome and Carthage allied and eventually defeated the Syracusians’ army at that time ranRead MoreThe Battle Of The Second Punic War2071 Words   |  9 PagesCarthage and the Roman Republic fought the second Punic War for control of the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea, considered the entire civilized world at the time. The battles of the second Punic War show Hannibal Barca to be not only the greatest military leader of his age, but perhaps one of the greatest generals of all time. By examining one of Hannibal’s most spectacular victories, the paradigm for a battle of annihilation, military professionals can learn how the Roman commanders might