# data[].attributes.body
The Punic Wars were fought between Rome and Carthage from 264 BC to 146 BC. Carthage was a large City located on the coast of North Africa. This sounds like a long way away at first, but Carthage was just a short sea voyage from Rome across the Mediterranean Sea. Both cities were major powers at the time and both were expanding their empires. As the empires grew, they began to clash and soon war had begun. There were three major parts of the Punic wars and they were fought over the course of more than 100 years,
http://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_roman_wars_battles.php

# data[].attributes.body
This war started when 78 gladiators, including their leader Spartacus, escaped and started a rebellion. Soon they had over 120,000 escaped slaves and others traveling with them invading the countryside. They successfully fought back many Roman soldiers until finally an army with a full 8 legions was dispatched to destroy them. The fighting was long and bitter, but eventually Spartacus' army was defeated. http://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_roman_wars_battles.php

# data[].attributes.body
This war is also called the Great Roman Civil War. Julius Caesar's legions fought against the Senate supported legions of Pompey the Great. The war lasted for four years until Caesar finally defeated Pompey and became Dictator of Rome. This signaled the end of the Roman Republic. The famous moment in this war was when Caesar crossed the Rubicon River. This meant he was going to war against Rome. Today the term "crossing the Rubicon" is still used to say that someone had reached the point of no return and can not go back.
http://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_roman_wars_battles.php

# data[].attributes.body
In this battle the Roman Legion under Titus Flamininus soundly defeated the Macedonian Army led by Philip V. This battle was important because the successors of Greek leader Alexander the Great had now been defeated. Rome had become the dominant world power.
http://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_roman_wars_battles.php

# data[].attributes.body
The Roman army, famed for its discipline, organistion, and innovation in both weapons and tactics, allowed Rome to build and defend a huge empire which for centuries would dominate the Mediterranean world and beyond.http://www.ancient.eu/Roman_Army/

# data[].attributes.body
Between seven and eight years in all. It was probably begun about 73-75 A.D. and was almost completed in 79 when Vespasian died, for Vespasian's older son Titus dedicated it in 809 with 100 days of games on one day of which 5000 men and animals were said to have been slaughtered.

# data[].attributes.body
In this battle Octavian's forces, led by Marcus Agrippa, defeated the combined forces of Roman general Marc Antony and Egyptian Pharaoh Cleopatra VII. As a result Octavian became the sole power in Rome and would soon become Rome's first Emperor. He would change his name to Augustus when he became emperor.

Read more at: http://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_roman_wars_battles.php

# data[].attributes.body
The Ancient Romans fought many battles and wars in order to expand and protect their empire. There were also civil wars where Romans fought Romans in order to gain power. Here are some of the major battles and wars that the Romans fought.

# data[].attributes.body
The Roman soldiers used a variety of weapons including a pugio (dagger), gladius (sword, see picture to the right), hasta (spear), javelin, and bows and arrows. The soldiers were trained to fight with their weapons and practiced on a regular basis. They would sometimes spar with each other using wooden swords.

# data[].attributes.body
There were about 30 legions in the Roman army. Each legion had between 4,000 and 6,000 soldiers, called legionaries. Each legion had ten cohorts. Each cohort was made up of six troops of about 80 legionaries, called centuries.

# data[].attributes.body
All in all, they were really costly wars (although Caesar probably killed around1,000,000 people due to the civil wars)

First Punic War (264–241 BCE): From the descriptions of Polybius and Livy, estimations are 150,000 Roman and 120,000 Carthaginians (First Punic War).North African peoples such as the Berbers in the area around Carthage were loosely associated with Carthage. In the midst of the First Punic War some tribes would rebel against Carthage, opening a second front while the Carthaginians battled the Romans in Sicily.