HIS Punic Wars

Question 1

Carthage

Answer 1

a city state in North Africa, founded by the refugees from Phoenician Tyre in the 9th century BCE; Romans called them Poeni.

Question 2

Carthagean control and Tension between Carthage and Italy

Answer 2

Dominated the western Mediterranean, clashed with Greeks over Sicily.

Tension: Carthage controlled western Sicily as Rome conquered southern Italy.

Question 3

First Punic War

Answer 3

Began as a regional conflict in Sicily; escalated to full war. Defeats of Carthage in Sicily led to transfer of fighting to North Africa. Indigeneous people assisted Italy.

Carthage dominated at sea until Rome captured a ship and built a fleet.

Hamilcar Barca threatened southern Italy.

Rome won at Battle of the Aegates (241 BCE); seized Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica as first provinces.

Question 4

Second Punic War

Answer 4

Casus belli: Hannibal conquered Saguntum (Roman ally).

Alpine crossing: 50,000 infantry, 9,000 cavalry, elephants; lost half his infantry. But added Celts to his army

Victories: Reached Rome (Hannibal ante portam) but lacked siege engines.

Question 5

Hannibal

Answer 5

son of Hamilcar, leading commander of Carthagean armies

Question 6

Hannibal ante portam ! - consequences of

Answer 6

• Hannibal is at the gates !
  Hannibal defeated Roman armies 3 times in a row -> free way to Rome, but lacked siege engines, so continued southwards

Direct threat to Rome = election of a dictator - Quintus Fabius Maximus
Careful steps against Hannibal

Battle at Cannae (216 BCE) -> heaviest defeat of Rome in republican period
-> Hannibal pillaged Italy, but couldn’t attack Rome due to lack of supplies.

Question 7

End of 2nd Punic War

Answer 7

Last Battle took place in Hispania, which Romans conquered in 206 BCE, Carthageans couldn’t supply Hannibal.

Publius Cornelus Scipio (Roman commander in Hispania) landed in Africa in 204 => Hanibal was called from Italy

Battle of Zama (202 BCE) – Roman victory

The only defeat Hanibal experienced from the Romans
Carthage lost its navy and had to pay reparations => economic problems

Question 8

3rd Punic War

Answer 8

The Romans wanted to destroy Carthage once and for all.
Conquest of Carthage -> fighting for every street.

Finally Romans ended their main enemy in the Mediterranean, and became hegemons in the Western Mediterranean.

Question 9

Three Macedonian Wars

Answer 9

=First (215-205 BCE)
-> Connected to Hannibal’s War
-> no direct fighting, used Greek allies ->(Aetolian league, Sparta)
=Second (200-197 BCE)
->Struggle between the Hellenistic states => war between Rome and Macedonia, Roman victory.
=Third (171-167 BCE)
-> The Romans conquered not only the Kingdom of Macedonia, but they also subjected Greece to their rule
->Destruction of Corinth