Brent Joseph Campbell

The First Punic War The Beginning of Rome’s Dominance The Beginning Times • Let’s start with the founding of Rome, in 753 BC • Kings headed Rome from 753-509 BC • 509-27 BC Rome was ruled as a republic Who is Carthage? • Carthage was a powerful City-State located in the modern country of Tunisia on Africa's north coast • They were a economic power house, and trade was what they thrived at. Carthage and Rome • We can see on the map to the right what each city held for territory. • It was only time until these two powers came to blows. The place that finally did it, the island of Sicily. The situation in Sicily • Sicily is an island located south of the Italian mainland and north of Carthage. • The map on the right shows it has many cultures and people from Greeks to Phoenicians. The Mamertines • The Mamertines were a group of mercenaries, originally from Italy, who had fought for Syracuse in previous wars. • After one of their kings died, Syracuse no longer needed the mercenaries and sent them off. The Mamertines cont. • The Mamertines then wondered around Sicily until they arrived at Messina. • The Mamertines soon killed the inhabitants and took control of Northeastern Sicily. The Mamertines cont • This conflict escalated when the Mamertines appealed to Rome for help, while Syracuse appealed to Carthage for help. • This small conflict between Syracuse and the Mamertines soon became a conflict between Rome and Carthage in 264 BC. Roman Army • Made up of Citizens of Rome. Normally, 4200 infantry and 300 cavalry make up one legion. • Rome had little in terms of a navy when the war broke out. Roman solders, not ships, were her backbone. Carthaginian Military • Carthage was an empire built on trade. Carthage had a strong navy, with ships called Quinqueremes, built with rams. • The Carthaginian army was made up of mercenaries from different regions of Carthage. Carthaginian Empire • With so much territory, Carthage employed mercenaries from all corners of her empire. • This meant an army with solders that had different languages, backgrounds and cultures. This could make communication and loyalty difficult. Battle of Agrigentum • First major conflict in the war started in 262 BC. • Agrigentum was controlled by Carthage, and had a garrison of 31,000-56,000 men. • Rome sent an army of anywhere from 40,000 to 100,000 soldiers. • A siege broke out and both Romans and Carthaginians were starving. • A battle did ensue and Rome lost between 15,000-30,000 troops, over 500 cavalry. Battle of Agrigentum cont. • Carthage only lost around • This worked against Rome 7000 soldiers and a few and it hardened the rest of dozen elephants, but Sicily against Rome. retreated from the city. • Neighboring cities did not • Rome took control and want to suffer the same enslaved the entire town of fate as Agrigentum and 25,000 people. Rome now turned against Rome. had control of Sicily's productive farm lands. Stalemate • After Agrigentum, the war hit a stalemate • Rome attempted to take Carthaginian holding in Corsica and Sardinia, but failed. • Carthage and Rome would then take, lose, and retake smaller cities in Italy. • During this period, Rome captured a Carthaginian ship, a Quinquereme. • Romans copied this ship and used it as their main ship for it’s own navy, helping turn the tide of the war. Battle of Mylae • Naval battle off northern Sicily in 260 BC. • Rome used the Corvus to great success. • First naval triumph for Rome over Carthage. A true turning point in the war. Battle of Mylae cont. • The covus allowed Rome to capture 30 Carthaginian ships. • The corvus allowed superior Roman soldiers to board and slaughter their Carthaginian counterparts. • The Romans were simply better at hand to hand combat and the corvus made full use of this. Battle of Cape Ecnomus • Battle took place in 256BC. • Largest battle of the war at any point. • With 680 ships, and almost 300,000 men between the two sides, this is the largest naval battle in world history. Battle of Cape Ecnomus • Rome was attempting to send a fleet to North Africa to invade Carthage. • Rome was intercepted by a fleet from Carthage south of Sicily. • Rome again employed the corvus to turn the tide. Battle of Cape Ecnomus • The result of the battle was a stunning Roman victory. • Rome successfully divided the Carthaginian fleet into 3 parts and defeated them while they were broken up. Aftermath of Cape Ecnomus • Rome sent it’s fleet for repairs in Sicily, while Carthage sent it’s fleet back to Africa for repairs. • Rome was ready to invade Africa, and Carthage defend it. Rome made a successful landing in Africa in 255 BC and started looting the countryside. • Carthage tried to make peace in 255 BC. • Rome had harsh terms in the peace talks, and this emboldened the Carthaginian resistance. Xanthippus of Carthage • With Roman soldiers now • Xanthippus had a good in Africa, the Carthaginians idea of how to reform the needed to make a bold Carthaginian army to move. successfully defend the city of Carthage from the • They decided to bring in a Romans. mercenary general from Sparta named Xanthippus • He met them in battle at to lead the army. the Battle of the Bagradas River in 255 BC. • This proved a smart move as Xanthippus reorganized the army. Battle of the Bagradas River • Xanthippus completely rearranged the army, as well as picking flat ground the fight on. • The flat ground allowed the strong Carthaginian cavalry to fight on terrain that worked for them. • Xanthippus also put with elephants at the front and had them charge the Roman line, instead of keeping them in the back. • Roman was defeated and their leader, Marcus Atilius Regulus, was captured. Battle of Cape Hermaeum • After the Roman were • The corvus was again key defeated, 500 of their in helping secure Roman soldiers fled to the coast. A victory. Roman fleet came to pick • The Carthaginian lost 114 them up, and this lead to ships captured and 14 the Battle of Cape sunk, a devastating defeat. Hermaeum. • In the battle, the Roman ships were too much. Aftermath of Battle of Cape Hermaeum • Once the battle ended, the • The Roman counsels Roman ships turned north survived the storm, and back to Italy and were held a triumph for the devastated by a huge victory at the Battle of storm. Cape Hermaeum anyway. • 384 of 464 ships sunk, and 100,000 men died. A new Roman fleet • Rome quickly recovered after the storm in 255BC. • A new fleet was built consisting of 220 new ships. • Rome used it’s industrialized power to gain an advantage after disaster. Another lost fleet • 150 of the 220 ships in this new fleet were lost to a storm in 253 BC. • The ships had been raiding the North African coast before the storm. Battle of Panormus • The fighting moved back to land with the Battle of Panormus in 250 BC. • Carthage attempted to take the city using a large force and war elephants. • Rome successfully countered the elephants and drove the Carthaginians back. Siege of Lilybaeum (250–241 BC) • Rome started a long siege of Lilybaeum in 250BC. • Carthage kept the harbour open, and blockade runners kept the city supplied. • Impatient Rome looked for a quick victory as they siege dragged on. Battle of Drepana (249 BC) • Publius Claudius Pulcher was commanding a Roman fleet that was blockading Lilybaeum when he decided to move his ships north at night to attack the Carthaginian fleet at Drepana. • The Carthaginians were able to move out to sea, turn around, and pin the Roman ships against the beach, destroying them all. • This put the seas back into Carthaginian hands. Aftermath of Drepana and Battle of Phintias (249 BC) • Rome sent the last of their • Rome did not attempt to ships to resupply their men build another fleet after blockading Lilybaeum. this latest setback until This fleet was intercepted 242 BC, and instead and attacked by Carthage focused on Sicily itself. at Phintias. Most Roman ships escaped, but were destroyed by yet another storm. Stalemate (249-241 BC) • This period saw no major battle between the two sides. • Carthage withdrew many of its ships and sent Hamilcar Barca to lead a guerrilla style force in Northern Sicily. • Hamilcar was able to keep Rome at bay while Carthage still held the western edge of the island of Sicily. Battle of the Aegates (241 BC) • Carthage sent a fleet filled with supplies to Lilybaeum in 241 BC. • This supply heavy convoy was intercepting by yet another Roman fleet. • The overburdened Carthaginian ships were no match for the Romans, and were heavily defeated. • This defeat was the final blow, and ended the war. Treaty of Lutatius • Signed in 241 BC, and amended in 237 BC, this treaty ended the First Punic War. • According to the treaty, Carthage was to surrender it’s Sicily holdings, Sardinia and Corsica, as well as pay 3,200 talents of silver over 10 years. The Barca Family • Hamilcar left Sicily frustrated at the passage of events. • He married and had children, notably a son named Hannibal Barca. He made his son swear a blood oath to get revenge on Rome. Hannibal would indeed play a role in the Second Punic War.