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246 B.C.- Rome was at the height of it's power and controlled the majority of the Mediterranean, Rome's goal was to prevent threats from nearby islands. Carthage, another great power of the Mediterranean clashed with Roman forces overseas. When a city in Sicily was attacked it appealed to both Rome and Carthage for help, both responded and began fighting each other.

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When Carthage resisted the violence shown by Masinissa, an ally of Rome fearing another war with Rome, Roman forces were dispatched to Africa and, although Carthage desperately offered to give hostages and surrender their arms Rome did not retreat. The city of Carthage prepared itself for siege. Rome appointed command to Scipio Aemilianus (the adopted grandson of Scipio Africanus) who created a blockade the cut off Carthage's supplies from overseas. The struggle did not stop until he had captured each house leading up to the citadel. By the time Carthage surrendered only one fifth of the population remained. The city was destroyed, and the remaining residents sold into slavery.

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Fifty-two years after the end of the second Punic War determined Roman Politicians led by Cato the Censor began to insist that it was vital that Carthage be destroyed. This was enough to spark the third and final war between the great civilizations of Rome and Carthage.

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The second Punic War was one of the greatest and most famous military conflicts in history.  General Hannibal of Carthage was a daring and charismatic leader determined to out think Rome through his well planned tactic.

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General Hannibal's attempt to defeat the Roman Empire

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General Hannibal's attempt to defeat the Roman Empire

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General Hannibal set out with Carthaginian forces of nearly 40,000 men, 4,000 horses, and 37 elephants from Spain through the Alps to Italy and it still remains a mystery as to how he did it. After numerous victories against the Roman empire it looked as if unstoppable Carthage would surely win the war with Roman forces collapsing fast, outsmarted by Hannibal's strategies. Hannibal's daring plan to defeat Rome almost succeeded if not for Scipio Africanus, a young and clever general appointed by the Roman senate to defeat Hannibal's forces. With Scipio in command Rome devised better tactics that gained them major victories and forcing Carthage to surrender. Hannibal was exiled and spent twenty-three years on the run before taking his own life. Carthage was forced to give up Spain and all Mediterranean islands it controlled to Rome. It was also made to pay a large reimbursement and give up independence in any foreign policy.

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By gaining control over the sea Rome was able to defeat Carthage  and Carthage was forced to give possession of Sicily and other islands to Rome. The first Punic war lasted twenty-three years but four years after their defeat it became clear to Carthage that Rome was determined to gain control of every island in the Mediterranean.  In light of this, Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca took an army to Spain to set up a new base of operations. His son Hannibal's conquest of the Roman town of Sagunto in Spain resulted in a second war between Carthage and Rome.