In the Punic War, Rome fought with. Establishment of the Roman Mediterranean Power

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Carthage

Carthage was founded by immigrants from Phenicia at the end of the 9th century. BC e. and soon turned into the largest city western Mediterranean. Carthage owned most of the Mediterranean coast of Africa, part of Sicily, the islands of Sardinia and Corsica, the southeastern coast of Spain.In the vast possessions of Carthage, the land belonged to wealthy slaveholders, and was cultivated by slaves chained in chains.
Carthaginian merchants not only traded with all countries on the shores of the Mediterranean, but also went out into the ocean. In the V century. BC e. brave navigator

Gannon brought a fleet of 60 ships into the ocean to establish Carthaginian colonies on the coast of West Africa. Gannon managed to penetrate far to the south, where no one had sailed before him. A description of his voyage and the places he visited has been preserved. The Carthaginians also visited the shores of the North Sea, from where they brought tin and amber.
So that the flow of gold and silver never runs out, so that the rich do not lack slaves, Carthage waged wars. Carthaginian army from the III century. BC e. consisted of mercenaries, commanded by the noble Carthaginians.
In the Carthaginian army, military vehicles were widely used: battering rams - large logs, fortified in a wooden frame and serving to crush the walls of an enemy city, and catapults - throwing weapons. The Carthaginian fleet was the most powerful in the Mediterranean.
Carthage was a slave-owning aristocratic republic. The state was ruled by a council of 300 representatives of the slave nobility. Officials were elected to command the fleet and army, who ruled the Carthaginian possessions. The common people in Carthage, as well as in Rome, had to obey the will of the rich slave owners.

Punic Wars in Rome

The first Punic War lasted 23 years (from 264 to 241 BC). At the beginning of the war, Rome managed to capture almost all of Sicily. To prevent the delivery of reinforcements to the Carthaginians, the Romans built a navy. On their ships, they installed bridges, along which the soldiers ran across to the enemy ships.
As a result of a long and difficult war, the Romans won a victory and forced Carthage to give them Sicily and pay a large indemnity.
Immediately after the war, mercenaries revolted in Carthage, to whom the Carthaginians did not pay their salaries. The mercenaries were joined by slaves and the local African population. Military actions from Carthage were led by the commander Hamilcar Barca. He managed, by separating the forces of the rebels, to break them. The war lasted almost three and a half years. Taking advantage of the weakening of Carthage, Rome captured Sardinia and Corsica.

Soon Hamilcar began preparations for a new war with Rome and went to Spain. Having conquered a number of local tribes, he created a well-trained army from the brave and warlike mountaineers. After the death of Hamilcar, his son Hannibal became the head of this army. There is a legend that as a child, his father made him swear to be the eternal enemy of Rome. Hannibal received a good education and went through a harsh school of war under the guidance of his father and other Carthaginian generals. He was a man of outstanding intelligence and military talents.
Hannibal devised a daring plan to attack Rome from land. In the spring of 218 BC. e. Hannibal led his army from Spain to Italy. The Carthaginian army had to make an unprecedented passage across the Alps. Descending into the fertile Po valley, Hannibal won over the local tribes that had recently been conquered by Rome. This allowed him to inflict a series of defeats on the Romans and ensure a quiet winter for himself.
In 217 BC. e. during the campaign to the south, Hannibal surrounded and destroyed an entire Roman army led by the consul. Finding themselves in a difficult position, the Romans elected a dictator
experienced commander Fabius Myksim, who avoided decisive battles with Hannibal and disturbed him with minor skirmishes. With the superiority of the Carthaginian army, especially the Carthaginian cavalry, over the Roman army, Faby Maxim's plan was the only reasonable one. But in Rome they were dissatisfied with the slowness of Fabius Maximus and the command was entrusted to the consuls, who recruited an 80-thousandth army.
The decisive battle of the first period of the war took place in 216 BC. e. on a wide plain near the city of Cannes. Hannibal had half as many foot soldiers as the Romans, but his cavalry numbered 14,000 horsemen, while the Romans had only 6,000 horsemen. Hannibal lined up his infantry in a crescent moon curved towards the enemy. On the flanks were part of the cavalry And the best infantry detachments.
A mass of Roman warriors, built in the form of a quadrangle, attacked the center of the Carthaginians and cut deep into their position. Selected Carthaginian troops found themselves on the flanks of the Roman quadrangle. The cavalry of the Carthaginians struck the Romans in the rear and completed the encirclement of the twice as large Roman army. The Roman army was almost completely destroyed. This battle went down in history as an example of the battle to encircle and destroy the enemy.
The victory at Cannes put Rome in a very difficult position. But it did not bring about the end of the war as Hannibal expected. The Romans gathered a large army again. Now, following the experience of Fabius Maximus, they avoided big battles. Hannibal's forces were melting, and the Carthaginians failed to raise the local tribes and cities of Italy against Rome.

In the struggle against the Carthaginians, the young and capable commander Publius Cornelius Scipio advanced. In Spain, he captured the Carthaginian fortresses and defeated the Carthaginian army. Shortly thereafter, Scipio crossed over to Africa. The Carthaginian government, frightened by the appearance of the Romans, demanded the immediate return of Hannibal from Italy. In a battle near the city of Zama, Hannibal was defeated.
In 201 BC. e. peace was concluded on very difficult conditions for Carthage. Carthage renounced all of its non-African possessions, transferred the fleet and war elephants to the Romans, and pledged to pay a huge indemnity.

Wars of Rome in the East

In the East in the II century. BC e. there were several large warring states: Macedonia, Syrian state, Egypt. Rome, taking advantage of their enmity, defeated each of its opponents one by one. The Romans fought three wars with Macedonia and by the middle of the II century. BC e. conquered the Macedonian kingdom. Greece was also conquered; Rome defeated Syria and took possession of the western coast of Asia Minor.
In 146 BC. e. as a result of the third Punic War, the Romans captured and destroyed Carthage.
At the same time, the Romans waged wars of conquest in the West. The freedom-loving tribes of Spain stubbornly resisted the Roman invaders, but by the end of the II century. BC e. most of Spain was also conquered by the Romans.

Ancient Roman provinces.

Typically, the province was governed by governors, who were appointed for one year from among the senators. The governors had unlimited power and used it for personal gain.

The Romans themselves said about the governors: "They go to the provinces with barrels filled with wine, and return with the same barrels full of silver and gold." The population of the provinces was taxed unbearably. For non-payment of tax, a resident of the province and his entire family could be sold into slavery by the governor. Mines, quarries, salt mines, lands, olive plantations were selected in favor of Rome. The domination of Rome led the peoples of the Mediterranean to poverty and ruin.

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1. Introduction

The Punic Wars of Carthage with the Roman Empire are a clash between the two greatest powers of antiquity. These wars subsequently led to the destruction of Carthage and upset the entire pillar of the then world.

The Roman Empire reached the peak of its glory. Today, according to the survey conducted among the students of the faculty foreign languages Few people remember this event at Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University. (12% of respondents)

Purpose of work:

Explore the history of the ancient world during the Punic Wars.

Work tasks

1. Analyze the socio-economic structure of the Roman

Empire and Carthage.

2. Identify and describe the characteristics of the three Punic Wars.

3. Analyze the consequences of the Punic Wars in the history of the ancient

2. Socio-economic structure of Carthage

Carthage dominated the African Mediterranean coast. It was founded by Phoenician sailors. Its name translates as “ new town”, Although he was older than Rome itself. Carthage was a city of merchants and sailors, and like Rome, a republic. By the 3rd century BC. he became a great maritime power, possessing parts of Spain and North Africa, Corsica, Sardinia and most of Sicily. The Carthaginians had the most powerful fleet in the Mediterranean. Their land army was also very strong, it consisted of mercenaries and warriors from among the conquered peoples. The Carthaginians knew how to use war elephants in battles, which were considered a formidable weapon of their time.

3. First Punic War

3.1. The beginning and course of the war

First Punic War (264-241 BC) Reason for the outbreak of war: about 288 BC a detachment of Mamertines, mercenary soldiers, took possession of the Sicilian city of Messana, which separates Sicily from Italy. When Messana tried to capture another Sicilian city, Syracuse, the Mamertines turned for help first to Carthage, and then to Rome, asking that Rome take them under protection. The Romans took Messana under their protection, which led to war.

The Romans decided to fight for domination of the sea as well and in 260 BC. in a short time they built a fleet of 120 ships. The Romans equipped ships with ladders with sharp hooks at the ends in order to catch on the enemy ship and decide the outcome of the case with hand-to-hand combat, in which the Romans were stronger. After that, a series of defeats and disasters at sea fell upon Rome. Meanwhile, the Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca was winning victories in Sicily. Finally, the Romans managed to build new fleet and crush the Carthaginians in March 241 BC. off the Aegadian Islands off the west coast of Sicily.

3.2. Hamilcar Barca

Hamilcar Barka (born unknown, died 229 BC), Carthaginian commander during the 1st Punic War.

Hannibal's father. In 247-241, he led military operations in Sicily, where he won a number of victories over the Romans, but after being defeated at the Aegadian Islands, he concluded peace with Rome on behalf of his government.

3.3. Results of the First Punic War

The war led to the depletion of human and financial resources of both states. Rome lost about 500 ships at sea and suffered huge losses in people. He received an indemnity from Carthage of 3,200 talents. Sicily, along with the nearby islands, completely passed under the possession of Rome

4. Second Punic War

4.1. The beginning and course of the war

The Second Punic War (218-201 BC) became the most famous (after the Trojan) war in ancient history. This war had far-reaching consequences, as the victory of Rome led to Roman rule over the entire West. The second war was provoked by Rome.

Romans in 218 BC declared war on Carthage. In the same year, probably in May, expecting such a development of events, Hannibal at the head of an army of 35 or 40 thousand people began his glorious transition from Spain to Italy.

In the 2nd Punic War, there were almost no serious naval battles. Despite huge losses in people, Hannibal crossed the Alps and in the second half of 218 BC. reached the north of Italy. The Gauls of northern Italy, just conquered by the Romans, welcomed his arrival, and in the spring many tribes joined Hannibal.

In the campaigns of 217 BC. he won a major victory over the Romans at Lake Trasimene north of Rome, and in 216 BC. destroyed a huge Roman army at Cannes in southern Italy.

4.2. Hannibal Barca

Hannibal Barca (247-182 BC) - Carthaginian commander. Considered one of greatest commanders and statesmen of antiquity. He was a sworn enemy of the Roman Republic and the last significant leader of Carthage before its fall in the Punic War series.

Hannibal was born in 247 BC. e. in the family of the Carthaginian commander Hamilcar. At the age of nine, he took an oath to be an enemy of Rome. Becoming the commander-in-chief of the Carthaginian troops in Spain, he unleashed the second Punic War by attacking Sagunt. In 217 BC. invaded Italy and inflicted several defeats on the Romans, including at Cannes. But the Romans were able to seize the initiative and go on the offensive in Spain, and then in Africa. Summoned to help Carthage in Africa, Hannibal was defeated at Zama, after which Carthage was forced to make peace with Rome. In 196 BC. was accused of anti-Roman sentiments and went into exile. Committed suicide in 183 BC e., not wanting to surrender to the Romans.

Hannibal is considered one of the greatest military strategists in European history, as well as one of the greatest military leaders of antiquity. Military historian Theodore Iroh Dodge even called Hannibal "the father of strategy", as his enemies, the Romans, borrowed some elements of his strategy from him. This assessment has created a high reputation for him in modern world, he is considered a great strategist, along with Napoleon Bonaparte.

4.3. Scipio African the Elder

Scipio Africanus the Elder (234-183 BC), entirely Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, one of the greatest generals Ancient Rome.. In 210 BC. Scipio, elected commander of the new Roman army sent to Spain. He took the Carthaginians by surprise and captured New Carthage, and in 209 BC. near Bekula won a brilliant victory. In 206 BC. Scipio took possession of almost all of Spain, inflicting a decisive defeat on the Carthaginians at Ilipa. Later that year, Scipio completed the expedition by capturing Hades, the last city in Spain to remain in the hands of the Carthaginians. Upon his return to Rome, Scipio was elected consul in 205 BC. and received the province of Sicily. The 2nd Punic War ended after Scipio's decisive victory over the Carthaginian army in the great battle of Zama. Scipio returned to Rome in triumph and received the nickname "African". Scipio died 183 BC

4.4. Results of the second Punic war

By early 201 BC. the war is officially over. The Carthaginians were forced to conclude peace on the terms of a complete abandonment of possessions in Spain, the payment of 10,000 talents to the Romans, the issuance of the entire military fleet, elephants and Hannibal

5. Third Punic War

The third war suggested itself. Carthage has noticeably lost territory, but it still has a capital - rich and successful. But, alas, this capital did not have a decent army. The Roman senator Cato the Elder insisted on the need to destroy Carthage. He was opposed by another senator - Scipio Nazica, who argued that the fear of Carthage promoted the unity of the Romans. However, Rome forced Carthage to enter another war.

At first it seemed that this war would be an easy affair. The siege of Carthage lasted for about three years; as a result, the city was taken by storm and destroyed. A deep furrow was plowed through the whole city as a sign that it is forbidden to settle in this place forever and ever. The possessions of Carthage in Africa passed to Rome.

6. Consequences of the Punic Wars for the history of the ancient world

As a result of the Punic Wars took place: the establishment of the rule of Rome in the entire Mediterranean; Carthage lost all possessions outside Africa, the navy and was obliged to pay an indemnity, after which it was destroyed, and its inhabitants were killed or sold into slavery. However, the fall of Carthage was one of the reasons for the collapse of the Roman Empire.

Wars became indicative of the strategic battle of great commanders and went down in history of the greatest battles. In our time, many military institutes continue to study the tactics of the great commander Hannibal Barki.

List of references:

Anney Flor. Two books of Roman wars. - M., 1995.

World History: Textbook for Universities / Ed. G.B. Polyaka, A.N. Markova. - M: UNITY-DANA, 2000.

Ladynin I.A. et al. History of the Ancient World: East, Greece, Rome Eksmo Publishing House, 2005.

Mashkin N. A. History of Ancient Rome. M., 1956;

Pazin E. A. History of military art. T. 1.M., 1955.

Revyako K.A. The Punic Wars. - Minsk, 1988.

The main object of conquests during the wars started by Rome during the republican period (late VI - early III century BC) (Early republic) was the land needed to solve the land hunger problem. Wars were a form of intra-Italian colonization. In the republican era, there are practically no cases of the withdrawal of colonies outside Italy, since the Romans sought to maintain internal unity with the Italians and peoples who fell under their control.

Originally the Romans provided their own security in the lands surrounding Rome. Having humbled and weakened the nearest neighbors, there was a need to protect yourself from larger opponents outside the peninsula - then the Punic wars began.

First Punic War (264–241). The expansion of the borders of Rome and its access to Sicily led to an aggravation of contradictions with the Carthaginian state ( punyans - the second name of the Carthaginians), which, being the heiress of the Phoenicians, was very powerful and had great trade ties. Until the beginning of the III century. Rome waged wars on its territory - Carthage also had its own problems, so its first clash with Rome occurred when Rome began to claim hegemony in the Mediterranean, trying to push its borders outside Italy. The slightest pretext was enough for a clash between the two states.

By request Messana (city in Sicily) in 264 Rome intervened in her internal war with Syracuse and took possession of not only Syracuse, but also Messana itself. The west of the island was occupied by Carthage,established fortified bases in cities Lilybey, Panorm and Drepan... The Romans advanced towards the Carthaginian cities and laid siege to them, but at sea they were unable to compete with the new enemy, who in the first sea battle defeated the Roman fleet. In Rome, the situation was the same as under Themistocles during the Greco-Persian wars, when the need arose to create a powerful military squadron, which was immediately built. IN 260 at Milach the Romans inflicted on Carthage first major defeat at sea.

Inspired by the victory, the Romans moved the hostilities directly to North Africa and 256 g. besieged Carthage, who was ready to surrender, but Rome did not satisfy the peace conditions proposed by the besieged. The Punyans began to defend themselves to the last, and the Romans, as close to victory as never before, were defeated. The fleet hurrying to their aid was killed in the storm, and the defeat was worse than ever.

Peace has been made in 241 g. Carthage liberated Sicily, paid a huge contribution (almost 80 tons of silver) and gave out Roman prisoners. Thus ended the first Punic war reflecting the approximate equality of power, since almost twenty years both powers fought without a definite advantage on one side or the other.

Second Punic War (218–201). In Carthage, revanchist sentiments were strong, ideas arose for the forcible return of the territories conquered by Rome, which led to second Punic War (218–201 ), the most terrible for Rome, for the first time found itself on the brink of death. Carthage relied on an offensive war, moving troops to Rome through the Iberian Peninsula.

IN 219 the Carthaginians captured Sagunt (modern Sagunto), which was a Roman ally in almost completely occupied by the Punians the east coast of Spain, what was the reason for a new war. A brilliant military leader became the head of the Carthaginian troops Hannibal . The trek started from Spain. Hannibal with elephants and a huge army made a heroic crossing the Alps, having lost almost all the elephants and three quarters of the army in the mountains. Nevertheless, he invaded Italy and inflicted a series of defeats on the Romans in 218 (at rivers Ticine and Trebiya) and in 217 (ambush at Lake Trasimene). Hannibal bypassed Rome and moved further south. The Romans avoided major battles and harassed their enemies with small skirmishes.

The decisive battletook place near the city Cannes in 216 g., it was included in all textbooks of military art. Hannibal defeated the the army of the Romans, led by two warring consuls: plebeian and patrician. Hannibal put the weak units in the center of his army, and concentrated the main forces on the flanks, lining up the army in the form of an arc, with the curved side towards the Romans. When the Romans hit the center and broke through it, the flanks closed and the attackers were "in the sack", after which the beating of the Roman soldiers began. Neither before nor after 216 was Rome suffered a defeat equal to this.

It is not clear why Hannibal did not immediately go to Rome, since after the defeat at Cannes, all the necessary conditions were created for this. If Hannibal, wasting no time, moved to the capital, he would have every chance of capturing it. Obviously, the Carthaginians relied on the collapse of the Roman-Italic alliance, which withstood the test of war, since most of the Italian cities did not go over to Hannibal's side, and the anti-Roman coalition did not take shape.

IN 211 in the war the turning point has come. The Romans took the main stronghold of the Carthaginians in Italy, town Drip , and Hannibal, who did not suffer a single major defeat in Italy, found himself in complete isolation, abandoned even by Carthage who did not send help. Final collapse came after the nomination a personality equal to Hannibal in terms of military talent. FROM 210 at the head of the Roman troops became Publius Cornelius Scipio the Younger . He rather successfully fought with the Carthaginians in Spain and advocated the transfer of hostilities to North Africa, wanting to expel Hannibal from Italy. After the landing of Scipio in Africa in 204, Hannibal was hastily recalled to his homeland.When Zame in 202 Mr. Scipio used the same technique as Hannibal at Cannes - this time "In a bag" turned out to be sucked in carthaginian army. It was broken and Hannibal fled. In the next one, 201 g., Carthage capitulated. Under the new conditions of the world, he was deprived of his overseas possessions, had no right to maintain a navy, and had to pay an indemnity for fifty years. Only a small area in Africa remained behind him.

Third Punic War (149-146). Carthage managed to recover from the defeat, and he launched a wide trade. Rome was wary of his new reinforcement in the Western Mediterranean. Prominent Senator Mark Porcius Cato vividly expressed these fears: "Carthage must be destroyed." Rome gave Carthage a tough ultimatum, all points of which were satisfied, except for the clearly not feasible: transfer of the city inland. The Romans sent an army to North Africa, which, after a long siege, took Carthage in 146 d. The city was razed to the ground, and the place where it was was plowed up. From now on here a Roman province was createdAfrica , whose land was transferred to the state property of Rome.

From the beginning of the 2nd century, by the time the Punic wars ended, Rome became the only major power in the Mediterranean. Until the middle of the II century. he still fought with Macedonia and the kingdom of the Seleucids, but, according to a contemporary Greek historian Polybius, from this time began the world domination of Rome.

The Punic Wars - three wars between the Romans and the Carthaginians ("Punas", that is, the Phoenicians), which lasted, intermittently, from 264 to 146 BC. e. When Rome turned into a great power that united Italy under her rule, she could not put up with the rule of Carthage in the western half of the Mediterranean Sea - the rule that was ensured for Carthage by the first treaties with Rome.

The vital interests of Italy, its security and trade did not allow Sicily, where the struggle between the Greeks and the Carthaginians had been going on for a long time, was in the hands of the latter. For the development of Italian trade, it was necessary that the Strait of Messana was in the hands of Rome.

The opportunity to take possession of the strait soon presented itself: Campanian mercenaries, so the name. "Mamertines" (that is, "the people of Mars"), took possession of Messana. When Hieron Syracuse oppressed the Mamertines, the latter turned to the Romans, who accepted them into the Italic confederation.

Carthage understood the danger that threatened them from the establishment of the Romans in Sicily. The Carthaginians were able, having reconciled the Mamertines with Hieron, to bring their garrison into the Messanic fortress, under the command of Hannon. Then the Romans captured Hannon and forced the Carthaginians to cleanse Messana.

The first Punic War began (264 - 241 BC) Both Rome and Carthage were at that time in full bloom of their powers, which were about the same. On the Roman side, however, there were several advantages: their dominion in Italy did not arouse the same hatred with which the peoples exploited by it treated Carthage; the army of the Romans consisted of citizens and allies and the main bulk of it were the settlers, while the troops of Carthage were not civil militias, but were multi-tribal armies, where the Carthaginians were usually officers.

A significant part of the Carthaginian troops consisted of mercenaries. These shortcomings were partly offset by the fact that the Carthaginians had more money and they had a strong fleet. The war began in Sicily with the Carthaginian attack on Messana, which was repulsed by Appius Cdavdius Caudex. Then Valerius Maximus "Messala" won a victory over the combined forces of the Carthaginians and the Syracusans, which resulted in the acquisition of some cities in Sicily and the conclusion of peace with Hieron.

Later, the Romans took Akragas (Agrigent), so that only some of the coastal fortresses, where Hamilcar Barca established himself, remained in the hands of the Carthaginians. Since successful actions against them were possible only with a fleet that could cut them off from the sea, the Romans equipped, according to Carthaginian models, a significant fleet (100 pentères and 20 triremes). They invented drawbridges with grappling hooks, which made it possible to use the superiority of the Roman infantry at sea, which, having linked the drawbridge with the enemy, could engage in hand-to-hand combat.

Having failed at first, the Romans soon won a significant victory at sea (under Mila, under the command of Guy Duilius). In the spring of 256, the Romans decided to land in Africa, which took place (after the naval battle) under the command of Mark Atilius Regulus and L. Manlius Wolson. At first, things went so favorably in Africa that the Senate considered it possible to leave Regula only half of the former army. Such a weakening of the Roman forces led to disaster: Regulus was defeated by the Carthaginians (under the command of the Greek Xanthippus) and he was captured. Only the pitiful remnants of the Roman army returned to Italy; Regulus himself died in captivity.

The destruction of the Roman fleet from the storm forced the Romans to equip a new fleet, but it was also destroyed by the storm. Meanwhile, in Sicily, the war was going well for Rome: they took Panorm and by 249 the Carthaginians had only Lilybey and Drepan. The Romans laid siege to Lilybei. After that, luck for a time betrayed them: Publius Claudius suffered a severe defeat, near Drepan, from Atarbalus. Another Roman fleet was hit by the storm. Hamilcar established himself on Mount Erkte and on Eriks. The Romans once again created a fleet and won in 241, near the island of Aigusa, a victory that cost the Carthaginians 120 ships.

Now that the sea was in the hands of the Romans, Gazdrubal Barka became convinced that it was impossible to stay on the island further. This led to the conclusion of a peace, according to which the Romans acquired all of Carthaginian Sicily and the islands located between Italy and Sicily. Sicily became a Roman province. In addition, Carthage pledged to pay an indemnity of 3,200 talents in 10 years. Immediately after the end of the war with the Romans, Carthage had to endure a difficult struggle with mercenary troops, which lasted almost 3 years and 4 months.

In connection with this uprising was the acquisition of Sardinia by the Romans: the Sardinian mercenaries succumbed to Rome, and the Romans were able to capture the Carthaginian part of the island. This again led to war, which the Romans abandoned only after receiving a reward of 1,200 talents.

In the following years, Hamilcar Barca, the head of the patriotic party, which considered a war with the Romans inevitable, created in Spain compensation for Carthage for the loss of Sicily and Sardinia. Thanks to him and his son-in-law and successor Gazdrubal, the south and east of Spain became Carthaginian; here they created (mainly from the natives) an excellent army, which was at the full disposal of its commander-in-chief, and the silver mines provided significant funds.

Rome soon drew attention to the strengthening of their enemy, entered into an alliance in Spain with the Greek cities of Sagunt and Emporia and demanded that the Carthaginians not cross the Ebro River. In 220 (or in 221), Gazdrubal died, and his place was taken by the election of the army, the son of Hamilcar,; inherited from his father enmity to the Romans. Hannibal decided to take advantage of the favorable circumstances for the Carthaginians for the war with Rome. Cisalpine Gaul was not yet pacified by the Romans, and the disagreements with Macedonia caused by Illyrian affairs threatened them with war in the East. Hannibal attacked Saguntum allied with Rome and took it, after an eight month siege.

When the ambassadors of Rome received a refusal to extradite Hannibal in Carthage, war was declared. Meanwhile, as Rome hoped to lead her in Spain and Africa, Hannibal drew up a plan according to which Italy was to become the main theater of operations: Hannibal hoped to deliver a decisive blow to the Romans there, making the operational base of Cisalpine Gaul, which had just been conquered by the Romans. He hoped for active help from the Gauls and even from the Italian allies, who were weary of submission to the Romans.

After providing troops to Libya and Spain (where he left about 15,000 to his brother Gazdrubal), Hannibal crossed the Pyrenees with 50,000 infantry and 9,000 cavalry. With considerable difficulty, he was able to cross the Rhone (in particular, it was difficult to ferry war elephants) and, heading northeast, entered the Alps. Crossing the Alps (Lesser Saint Bernard) was extremely difficult. Hannibal descended into Cisalpine Gaul with only half an army.

The first clashes were unfortunate for the Romans. Publius Scipio was defeated on the banks of the Ticino, and Tiberius Sympronius (whose troops were intended to land in Africa) on the banks of the Trebia. Hannibal crossed the Apennines and made a rather difficult trek through the low-lying area irrigated by the Arno River, then in flood. Near Lake Trasimene, in Etruria, he exterminated the Roman army of Gaius Flaminius and, without even trying to approach Rome, which there was very little chance of taking, he headed east, then greatly devastated the southern regions.

Despite this devastation and defeat of the Romans, Hannibal's hopes for the deposition of the Italic allies were still in vain: with few exceptions, the allies remained loyal to Rome. The dictator Fabius Maximus decided to stick to a new plan of war: he systematically avoided big battles with Hannibal in the open field and pinned all his hope on depriving the enemy army of the ability to easily get food and fodder and on the natural decomposition of the Carthaginian army. This system, which gave Fabius the nickname "Procrastinator", was condemned by many in Rome. Against her, by the way, was the chief of the cavalry, Mark Minucius.

The people dissatisfied with Fabius appointed Minucius the second dictator. Hannibal overwintered near the city of Geronia, moved to Apulia, and there at the beginning of the summer of 216 it happened. At the head of the Roman troops were consuls Lucius Aemilius Paul (candidate of the aristocratic party) and Gaius Terentius Varro, who was promoted to consul by the people's party (the rights of the commander-in-chief passed in turn from one consul to another). On the day of his command, Terentius Varro began the battle. It ended with the complete rout of the Roman army; 70,000 Romans were out of action; among the dead were the consul Aemilius Paul and 80 senators.

In Carthage, they decided to send reinforcements to Hannibal, about whom the oligarchic party hostile to him and the war cared very little until that time. Even more important, it seemed, should have been Macedonian assistance to Hannibal. Syracuse also joined the enemies of Rome. Eventually, even many of the southern Italian Roman allies began to defect to the side of the Carthaginians. So, the very important city of Capua departed from the Romans. Rome strained every effort to create a new army and did not stop even before joining the legions of several thousand slaves.

Hannibal spent the next winter in Capua. In light skirmishes, happiness soon began to pass to the Romans, and meanwhile, the necessary reinforcements did not come to Hannibal: Carthage again left Hannibal without active support. Meanwhile, in Spain, the brothers Gnaeus and Publius Scipio acted so successfully (victory at Iberus, 216) that Gazdrubal did not have the opportunity to bring his troops from there to reinforce his brother. Macedonia also did not send its contingents to Italy: Rome armed enemies in Greece against it - the Aetolians, Sparta, Messene, Elis, etc.

The struggle in Greece for a long time distracted the attention of Macedonia and, after some time, she made peace with Rome. In 212, Mark Marcellus took Syracuse, then Akragas passed to the Romans, and by 210 all Sicily was again in their hands. In Italy, the position of the Romans in 214 and 213 was very good, but in 212 Hannibal was able to occupy Tarentum; the fortress, however, remained in the hands of the Romans. Metapont, Furies and Heraclea also passed to the Carthaginians. The Romans laid siege to Capua; Hannibal could not push them back, because the Romans had dug well in front of the city.

To force the Romans to lift the siege of Capua, Hapnibal undertook a sabotage: he approached Rome itself, but did not dare to attack the city. And this attempt to save Capua ended in nothing: Rome did not lift the siege, and in 211 the city surrendered, while the Romans severely punished the Capuans and canceled their old city structure. The capture of Capua was a great success; he made a very strong impression on the Roman allies. 209 - was returned by the Romans and Tarentum (it was taken by Q. Fabius Maximus).

The death of Marcellus, killed in a battle with the strongest enemy (in 208), did not improve the position of the Carthaginians. Their army was melting; they needed significant reinforcements. For a long time, Hannibal was waiting for them from Spain, where, after the first successes, things went unfavorably for the Romans. The Carthaginians, with the help of the king of Gala and his son Masinissa, forced the African ally of Rome, the king of Sifax, into peace, and this made it possible for Gazdrubal to turn all his forces to Spain.

In addition to him, Gazdrubal, the son of Gizgon, and Magon also operated in Spain. They were able to take advantage of the division of the Roman forces and the betrayal of the native troops who were in the Roman service and inflict a separate defeat, first at Publius, and then at Gnaeus Scipios. Both Scipios fell in battle (212); almost all of Spain was temporarily lost to Rome.

The dispatch of reinforcements there and the appointment of the young and capable Publius Cornelius Scipio (the son of the deceased Publius) as commander-in-chief soon, however, again gave Rome an advantage in Spain. 209 - Scipio captured New Carthage, but, despite the victory at Bacula, he could not prevent Gazdrubal from leaving to help his brother in Italy. A new victory at Bekula over the troops of Gazdrubal, Gizgon's son, and Magon, gave all of Spain to the power of Rome: Magon was forced to send the remainder of the Carthaginian troops to Italy; the last Carthaginian city, Hades, surrendered to the Romans.

However, while Scipio was doing so well in Spain, Rome itself was in grave danger. 208 - Gazdrubal, crossing the Pyrenees, passed through Gaul, crossed the Alps and moved to join his brother. The Battle of Metaurus (Gaius Claudius Nero) saved the Romans from the danger of joining the Carthaginian forces: Gazdrubal's army was destroyed, he himself fell (207). Hannibal's position was becoming rather difficult, especially since the successful end of the war in Sicily, Sardinia and Spain and the conclusion of peace with Macedonia freed the hands of his enemies.

The Senate finally gave Publius Cornelius Scipio permission to land in Africa, but Scipio still had to create the army necessary for this. It consisted of two legions disgraced at the Battle of Cannes, and many volunteers. The year 205 passed in preparations, and in 204 the army sailed from Lilibey to Africa, on 400 transport ships and 40 military. Scipio landed near Utica and defeated Sifax, who had betrayed Rome. The supporters of peace in Carthage began negotiations with the Romans, which, however, did not lead to anything.

Then the government of Carthage summoned Hannibal and Magon to Africa. The Battle of Zama (October 19, 202 BC Zama, Africa) destroyed the last hopes of the Carthaginians and led to the conclusion of peace, according to which Carthage burned its warships, renounced Spain and the Mediterranean islands, pledged not to wage wars outside Africa at all. and in Africa not to fight without the permission of Rome. Moreover, the Carthaginians had to pay an indemnity of 200 talents every year for 50 years. Thus, the second war ended in favor of Rome, despite the genius of Hannibal: the Roman state turned out to be more durable than Carthage.

In Africa, as a consequence of the victory of Rome, the Sifax kingdom was transferred to a friend of the Romans, Masinissa. In Carthage, defeat led to democratic reforms. The patriots hoped to once again come to grips with Rome when it got stuck. Therefore, the Romans demanded the extradition of the head and hope of this party - Hannibal, who was supposed to flee. Power in Carthage was again in the hands of the oligarchic party, which tried in every possible way to maintain good relations with Rome in order to preserve for Carthage, at least, its trade and wealth.

For Rome, the time from 201 to 149 was not in vain: the victories of the Roman army over Antiochus of Syria and in Macedonia, their successes in Greece raised the power of Rome to unprecedented heights. But Rome was still afraid of its age-old enemy, and Italian merchants saw the Carthaginian merchants as dangerous competitors. Therefore, in Rome they were very pleased with the fact that Masinissa did not give rest to Carthage, who had no right to defend himself with weapons from capture by the Numidian king. These seizures became more and more shameless, and the complaints of the Carthaginians in Rome did not lead to anything: it was not in the interests of Rome to tie Masinissa's hands.

In the end, Carthage's patience ran out and he went to war with Masinissa. This gave Rome a long-desired excuse to put an end to the enemy, whose rapid rise in prosperity Cato, who constantly spoke, was so amazed at. 149 - Rome sent a large army to Africa (consuls Manius Manilius and Lucius Marcius Censorinus). The Carthaginian Peace Party wanted to keep things out of the war and agreed to give the Romans satisfaction.

The Romans acted meanly: they agreed to peace on condition that the requirements were fulfilled, and when Carthage fulfilled them, the consuls set new conditions, more difficult. So, the Romans first achieved the extradition of the hostages, after arms, and then they already presented their last demand - that the Carthaginians should move out of Carthage to some locality that lies no closer than 80 stadia from the sea.

In such conditions, a new settlement could not be a trading city. The Carthaginians refused to comply with this demand; the siege of Carthage began. The Carthaginians, with all sorts of efforts, created a new fleet and weapons and decided to defend themselves to the last. The main command over them was taken by Gazdrubal. At first, the Romans failed in their attempts to take the city by storm and were forced to begin a proper siege. 149 and 148 passed for the Romans to no avail. In 147, the consul, Publius Cornelius Scipio Emilianus, the son of Emilius Paulus, who was adopted by the surname Cornelius Scipionov, landed in Utica.

Scipio covered the besieging army with two lines of fortifications and completely cut off Carthage from land with them, which made it extremely difficult to supply provisions and led to the flight and surrender of a significant part of the inhabitants of Carthage. The rest locked themselves in the old city and in the fortification of Birse. Having built a dam, Scipio closed access to the harbor and from the sea, but the Carthaginians dug a new entrance to the harbor and built a fleet, which, however, could not provide a supply of supplies. 146 spring - the Romans were able to penetrate, in the end, into the city, occupy the trading area and moved to Birce.

For a long time, the struggle continued in the city, part of which was burned at the same time. On the 7th day, the Carthaginians surrendered and locked themselves in Bierse. A small detachment (mostly Roman defectors) locked themselves in one of the temples, along with Gazdrubal. Gazdrubal himself surrendered, but his wife, children and everyone else died in the fire. The Romans plundered the city, and at the same time received a huge booty; then they burned Carthage and plowed over the place where he stood.

The restoration of the city in this place was forbidden on pain of damnation. Most of the prisoners were sold into slavery; the Carthaginian region became a Roman province, the capital of which was Utica. Thus ended the Punic Wars. The consequence of the Punic Wars was the disappearance of the largest power that had held back Rome before. Only the victory over Carthage made possible the extension of Roman rule to all the shores of the Mediterranean.

The main object of conquests during the wars started by Rome during the republican period (late VI - early III century BC) (Early republic) was the land needed to solve the land hunger problem. Wars were a form of intra-Italian colonization. In the republican era, there are practically no cases of the withdrawal of colonies outside Italy, since the Romans sought to maintain internal unity with the Italians and peoples who fell under their control.

By request Messana (city in Sicily) in 264 Rome intervened in her internal war with Syracuse and took possession of not only Syracuse, but also Messana itself. The west of the island was occupied by Carthage,established fortified bases in cities Lilybey, Panorm and Drepan... The Romans advanced towards the Carthaginian cities and laid siege to them, but at sea they were unable to compete with the new enemy, who in the first sea battle defeated the Roman fleet. In Rome, the situation was the same as under Themistocles during the Greco-Persian wars, when the need arose to create a powerful military squadron, which was immediately built. IN 260 at Milach the Romans inflicted on Carthage first major defeat at sea.

Inspired by the victory, the Romans moved the hostilities directly to North Africa and 256 g. besieged Carthage, who was ready to surrender, but Rome did not satisfy the peace conditions proposed by the besieged. The Punyans began to defend themselves to the last, and the Romans, closer than ever to victory, were defeated. The fleet hurrying to their aid was killed in the storm, and the defeat was worse than ever.

Peace was concluded in 241, Carthage liberated Sicily, paid a huge contribution (almost 80 tons of silver) and gave out Roman prisoners. This is how the first Punic War ended, reflecting the approximate equality of forces, since for almost twenty years both powers fought without a definite advantage on one side or the other.

Second Punic War (218–201). In Carthage, revanchist sentiments turned out to be strong, ideas arose for the forcible return of the territories conquered by Rome, which led to the second Punic war (218–201), the most terrible for Rome, which for the first time found itself on the brink of destruction. Carthage relied on an offensive war, moving troops to Rome through the Iberian Peninsula.

IN 219 the Carthaginians captured Sagunt (modern Sagunto), which was a Roman ally in almost completely occupied by the Punians the east coast of Spain, what was the reason for a new war. A brilliant military leader became the head of the Carthaginian troops Hannibal . The trek started from Spain. Hannibal with elephants and a huge army made a heroic crossing the Alps, having lost almost all the elephants and three quarters of the army in the mountains. Nevertheless, he invaded Italy and inflicted a series of defeats on the Romans in 218 (at rivers Ticine and Trebiya) and in 217 (ambush at Lake Trasimene). Hannibal bypassed Rome and moved further south. The Romans avoided major battles and harassed their enemies with small skirmishes.

The decisive battle took place near the city of Cannes in 216, it was included in all textbooks of military art. Hannibal, with much less forces, defeated the army of the Romans, led by two rival consuls: a plebeian and a patrician. Hannibal put the weak units in the center of his army, and concentrated the main forces on the flanks, lining up the army in the form of an arc, with the curved side towards the Romans. When the Romans hit the center and broke through it, the flanks closed and the attackers were "in the sack", after which the beating of the Roman soldiers began. Neither before nor after 216 was Rome suffered a defeat equal to this.

IN 211 in the war the turning point has come. The Romans took the main stronghold of the Carthaginians in Italy, town Drip, and Hannibal, who did not suffer a single major defeat in Italy, found himself in complete isolation, abandoned even by Carthage, who did not send help. Final collapse came after the nomination a personality equal to Hannibal in terms of military talent. FROM 210 at the head of the Roman troops became Publius Cornelius Scipio the Younger. He rather successfully fought with the Carthaginians in Spain and advocated the transfer of hostilities to North Africa, wanting to expel Hannibal from Italy. After the landing of Scipio in Africa in 204, Hannibal was hastily recalled to his homeland.When Zame in 202 Mr. Scipio used the same technique as Hannibal at Cannes - this time "In a bag" turned out to be sucked carthaginian army. It was broken and Hannibal fled. In the next one, 201 g., Carthage capitulated. Under the new conditions of the world, he was deprived of his overseas possessions, had no right to maintain a navy, and had to pay an indemnity for fifty years. Only a small area in Africa remained behind him.

Third Punic War (149-146). Carthage managed to recover from the defeat, and he launched a wide trade. Rome was wary of his new reinforcement in the Western Mediterranean. Prominent Senator Mark Porcius Cato vividly expressed these fears: "Carthage must be destroyed." Rome gave Carthage a tough ultimatum, all points of which were satisfied, except for the clearly not feasible: transfer of the city inland. The Romans sent an army to North Africa, which, after a long siege, took Carthage in 146 d. The city was razed to the ground, and the place where it was was plowed up. From now on here a Roman province was created Africa , whose land was transferred to the state property of Rome.

From the beginning of the 2nd century, by the time the Punic wars ended, Rome became the only major power in the Mediterranean. Until the middle of the II century. he still fought with Macedonia and the kingdom of the Seleucids, but, according to a contemporary of events, the Greek historian Polybius, from that time began the world domination of Rome.