1. The Punic Wars
264BC – 146BC

2. Conquering Italy
• 509BC – 264BC: Roman army
conquers Italian peninsula,
including Etruscans
• 387 BC: Gauls take over Rome
and finally leave when Rome
pays them a lot of money
• Other empires tried to attack
Rome but Rome defeated them
and took their land
• Army was successful because of
organization (legions and
centuries)

4. The First Punic War
• Punic Wars: series of wars between Rome and
Carthage, a city in northern Africa
• Punic: Latin for Phoenician
• Rome wanted Spain and Sicily which were
controlled by Carthage
• Carthage sent army to defend Sicily, Rome sent
army too
• Fought mostly at sea
• 241BC: Last major battle, Rome took Sicily and
other islands in victory

5. • 218BC: Hannibal led the Carthaginians to attack
Rome
• Marched his army across Spain and through the
Alps to Rome
• Troops rode elephants, braved snowstorms and
landslides, and survived attacks
• Over half the army and most of the
elephants were killed in the Alps
• Hannibal’s army fought Rome for
15 years!
The Second Punic War

7. The Second Punic War
• 202BC: Hannibal returned home to defend
Carthage against the Roman army, led by
Scipio
• Scipio defeats Hannibal at the Battle of Zama
• Hannibal goes into exile
• Carthage had to give up Spain and a huge
amount of money
• Led to a period of peace that lasted 50 years

8. The Third Punic War
• 140s BC: Roman senator Cato demanded
the destruction of Carthage because they
were becoming too powerful
• 146BC: Romans burn the city of Carthage to
the ground and salt the land
• Romans killed many of the Carthaginians
and enslaved 50,000
• Rome now controlled North Africa, Spain,
Sicily, Macedonia, Greece and Italy.
• Lasted only 3 years

9. The Aftermath
• Rome expanded its power and territory,
gained riches and slaves
• Families mourned the death of fallen soldiers
• Hannibal had burned many Roman farms, so
many people lost their living and moved to
Rome
• These farms were replaced by imports and
large estates run by the Patricians and worked
by slaves