The First Punic War

By Talbot Holmes

http://www.heritage-history.com/www/heritage.php?Dir=wars&FileName=wars_punic.php

Overview

Who: Rome, Carthage, and the Mamertines

What: War over Messana

When: 264 to 261 BCE

Where: Cities involved in the conflict

About Carthage

-located in N. African on the Gulf of Tunis

-founded by the Phoenicians

-was a sea power

-fought 3 wars with Rome

The Roman Empire

-strong military power

-was engaged in multiple wars and disputes during the 200s

-largely agricultural and mainly interested in Italy

-dropped many other matters when Punic Wars started

Initial Conflict

-Mamertines threatened and ask for help

-Carthage occupies Messana

-Once threat is gone, Mamertines ask for Rome's assistance with Carthage

Why Messana?

-prime location on the sea -proximity to Rome-expansion of the empires

http://100falcons.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/the-crow-or-the-first-punic-war-part-one/

Battles and Strategies

-Rome won alliance with Hieron

-Romans gained towns throughout North-Eastern Sicily

-Carthage was strong opponent

Battles Cont.

-Rome wasn't much of a sea power at start of war

-had to build a navy to defeat Carthage

-Roman Navy, although new, played important role in defeat of Carthage

Resolution

-Carthage finally surrendered to Rome

-Rome gained Sicily and began to develop navy due to The First Punic War

-Carthage lost foothold in land across the Mediterranean

Questions?

http://www.hannibalthewarrior.com/First_Punic_War.asp

Bibliography

"The First Punic War (264-241 BC)." The First Punic War (264-241 BC). Historia, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2013.

<http://www.dl.ket.org/latinlit/historia/republic/punic2.htm>.

"First Punic War." First Punic War. UNRV History, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2013. <http://www.unrv.com/empire/first-

punic-war.php>.

Knox, Skip. "Results of the First Punic War." European History. Boise State University, n.d. Web.

<http://europeanhistory.boisestate.edu/westciv/punicwar/04.shtml>.

Morey, William C. "Outlines of Roman History" Outlines of Roman History, Chapter 14. London & New York:

n.p., 1900. Print.

Rickard, J. "First Punic War, 264-241 BC." First Punic War, 264-241 BC. History of War, n.d. Web. 21 Apr.

2013. <http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/wars_punic1.html>.

Lazenby, J. F. The First Punic War: A Military History. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 1996. Print.