Wednesday, November 26, 2008



We don't have permission to use this picture, but we found it from:
http://www.usu.edu/markdamen/ClasDram/images/12/10map04romanrepublic.jpg
The picture shows us : A map that showed where each war started and ended.
In 500 B.C - Victory over Latium
264 B.C - Start of 1st Punic War
241 B.C - End of 1st Punic War
146 B.C - End of the last Punic War.
133 B.C - Territory in Asia minor given to Rome
44 B.C - Death of Julius Casar

Question : Why were the Punic Wars important?

Before Researching we think the answer is :
The Punic Wars were important because they helped show what country had the most power. Also the Punic Wars helped show what country dominated what part of the world.

Our team looked at information :
1.(book) The Punic Wars
2.(website) www.looklex.com/e.o/punic.wr.htm
3.(other) textbook - World History
4.(other) http://www.enotes.com/history-fact-finder/war-conflict-pre-twentieth-century/what-were-punic-wars
5. ( other ) http://www.essortment.com/all/thepunicwars_rifa.htm


In the book we found :

The three wars that were fought during the Punic Wars were between Rome and Carthage. They lasted from 264 B.C to 146 B.C. It changed the course of ancient history. Carthage and her empire in North Africa, was built then destroyed. Before the wars, Romes power was only limited to the Italian peninsula. But then when the end of the war came, Rome was the dominant power in the Mediterranean Sea. It also had a great imperial expansion. The keys players in the war, were Hannibla, Scipio Afriancus and Fabius Maximus.


2. On the website we found :

Information about why each war was important, what lead to them and what the outcome was. The punic wars were important because it gave domination over the western Mediterranean. When they conquered Messana on the north eastern tip of Sicily in 264, they faced the Romans for war for the first time. They had 3 Punic Wars, the 1st war was fought 264-241 BCE . The 2nd Punic War was one of the most important war out of all 3 wars. It was fought during 218-201 BCE. The reason why is was the most important war out of all three because,it was bitterness over both agreements from the the first war ,and the Roman exspansion following the next year



3. Textbook :


In 509 B.C - Rome becomes a republic.

264 B.C - The First Punic War with Carthage begins

218 B.C - In the Second Punic War, Hannibal invades Italy.

44. B.C - Conspirators kill Julius Caesar.

A.D. 284 - Diocletian, who will divide the Roman Empire, becomes emperor.

A.D 476 - Western Roman Empire falls with the ouster of the last emperor, Romulus Augustus.

In the textbook, it said that the Romans went on to conquer the eastern half. Rome took control of Maediona, Greece, and parts of Anatolia. By 70 B.C Rome's empire stretched from Anatolia which was on the East to Spain which was on the West.


4. Other Website :
The Punic Wars were three conflicts between Rome and Carthage (a North African city) that took place from 264 B.C. to 146 B.C. Rome waged these wars to expand its empire. The first of the Punic Wars occurred in 264 B.C. when Rome attacked and conquered Messina (part of the island of Sicily) in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the islands of Corsica and Sardinia, which were part of the Carthaginians territory.


During the Second Punic War (218–201 B.C.), the Carthaginians and Romans fought to control mineral-rich Spain. After the Carthaginian general Hannibal (247?–183?) and his army captured the Roman-allied city of Sagunto, Spain, they traveled north and east. They crossed the Alps (a European mountain range) and invaded Italy, but suffered defeat when they met the Roman army.



5. Other Website.

The Third Punic War (149 146 BC) was in reality a final crushing of Carthage by the Romans. Carthage had never recovered to anything like its former power, but the spiteful Romans still remembered all the pain and suffering Hannibal had inflicted on them.
The North African city was being regularly attacked by its neighbour, Numidia, and ultimately they retaliated. This was enough of an excuse for the Romans to once more declare war on Carthage. The Carthaginians surrendered immediately knowing that resistance would be futile. However, when the Romans insisted the inhabitants of the city should leave, and move further inland, they refused. As a consequence, the Romans destroyed Carthage, killing many women and children. They then sowed salt into the surrounding land to make it unworkable, and sold off the many prisoners into slavery.




Conclusion :

The wars were fought over the control of the central Mediterranean Sea. These wars were fought between the two strongest contenders, Rome and Carthage. During the second Punic War, for a long time it seemed like Carthage would win the war. But then Carthage got destroyed and that ended the city's period as an independent power house and important trade centre. But the city later on because an important trading center inside the Roman Empire. The Punic Wars were overall fought over conflicts between Rome and Carthage. It took place from 264 B.C to 146 B.C. Rome wanted to win these wars to expand their empire. In the second Punic War Rome and Carthage fought to take control of Spain. The third Punic War was fought because Carthage's neighbor, Numidia attacked Carthage and the Romans thought this was a good enough excuse to declare war. When Carthage found out that Rome declared war, they surrendered. But, then the Romans took another step. Romans thought the inhabitants should leave the city, they refused. That when the Romans destroyed Carthage. They killed many women and children, they ruined the lands to make it unworkable and sold off the prisoners into slavery.


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