by will sprout

Created on: July 25, 2009

A look at how the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage began.

The Punic wars were fought between Rome and Carthage and lasted for approximately one hundred years, between 264 -146 BC

The first war arose from events in Sicily when a dispute between the Greek colony and Carthaginian settlements resulted in Greece requesting assistance from Rome.

During this time the main military force of the area was that of the Carthaginians, or Phoenicians, and the request for assistance from the Greek colony of Messina was to mark the beginning of the rise of the Roman strength.

The attitude in Messina was one of indecision, whether the problem lay with the Greeks or the Carthaginians. But the introduction of the Roman legions soon escalated into direct confrontation with Rome and the Carthaginians, and it seems as though the Greeks in the Syracuse were not considered by Rome to be a threat to them.

After a short engagement the Romans captured Messina from the Carthaginian soldiers and the Romans took control of Messina.

The occupation of Messina strengthened the hold of Rome and in 262 BC the Roman army began its advance through Sicily, capturing Agrigentum, and although a successful engagement Roman strength was still in question.

The main reason for this was the Roman weakness lay at sea. Throughout this period the Carthaginians retained control of their costal regions and also made attacks upon the coasts of Italy.

In 260 BC the Roman Senate introduced the forming of a Roman fleet, a fleet that would meet the Carthaginians on their own terms; at sea.

Warfare at sea was new to the Romans, they had always had the strength of land armies, and they had yet to gain their sea legs. But by studying a captured war ship from their first encounter they were able to learn, modify and improve a vessel for war.

Within two months a Roman Fleet consisting of 100 ships was manufactured to the delight of the senate.

Yet the production of such a fleet created another problem; an estimated 30,000 men would be required to row them. These men were collected from all the allies of Rome and they were trained and taught on ships that were land based.

The soldiers too needed new training to fight at sea, and Rome began to advance its fighting techniques of war.

An introductional addition to the Roman ships was an invention that had previously been considered by the Greeks called the 'raven.' Basically the raven was a hinged door that fell down crashing into the deck of the

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