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The Punic Wars

The Punic Wars. World History. Essential Question: Why were the Romans able to conquer Italy & the Mediterranean World?. The Roman Army. All citizens were required to serve Army was powerful: Organization & fighting skill

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The Punic Wars

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  1. The Punic Wars World History

  2. Essential Question: Why were the Romans able to conquer Italy & the Mediterranean World?

  3. The Roman Army • All citizens were required to serve • Army was powerful: • Organization & fighting skill • Legion- military unit of 5,000 infantry (foot soldiers) supported by cavalry (horseback)

  4. Rome Spreads its Power • Romans defeat Etruscans in north and Greek city-states in south • Treatment of Conquered: • Forge alliances • Offer citizenship • By 265 B.C., Rome controls Italian peninsula

  5. Rome’s Commercial Network • Rome establishes a large trading network • Access to Mediterranean Sea provides many trade routes • Carthage, powerful city-state in North Africa, soon rivals Rome

  6. Punic Wars(264-146 B.C.) • Three Wars between Rome and Carthage • 1st Punic War- Caused by trade rivalry. Rome gains control of Sicily, Corsica & Sardinia

  7. FIRST PUNIC WAR • Primarily a naval war • Tactics involved maneuvering your ship in such a way so that you could ram and sink enemy • Carthage was very good at this because of long experience as naval power • Rome had small navy and little experience in naval warfare • Defeated time and time again by larger and more experienced Carthaginian navy

  8. ROME WINS THE FIRST ONE • Rome finally turned the tables on Carthage by changing rules of naval warfare • Equipped ships with huge hooks and stationed soldiers on ships • Would hook enemy ship, pull it nearby, and board it with soldiers http://www.heritage-history.com/books/horne/rome/zpage326.gif • Converted naval warfare into mini-land battles, something Rome was very good at. They won First Punic War as a result.

  9. 2nd Punic War- Carthaginian General Hannibal’s “surprise” attack through Spain & France • 60,000 soldiers and 60 elephants • Romans experience severe losses, but eventually ward off attacks & invade North Africa

  10. Hannibal's troops crossing the Rhone River on their way to attack northern Italy.

  11. Video clip • BBC- Hannibal's Elephants

  12. ROME WINS SECOND PUNIC WAR • Unable to defeat Hannibal in Italy, a Roman army sailed across the Mediterranean, landed in North Africa, and headed for Carthage • Hannibal was forced to leave Italy to protect Carthage • Defeated at the Battle of Zama, fought outside the walls of Carthage Hannibal

  13. After 2nd war, Carthage was finished… • Hannibal committed suicide • Conquered people sold into slavery • Economy shattered • Lost almost all territory to Rome

  14. Carthage must be destroyed! Cato Rome had already beaten Carthage twice… why wasn’t Cato satisfied? http://www.the-romans.co.uk/gallery2/full/15.cato.jpg

  15. Punic Wars(264-146 B.C.) • 3rd Punic War- Rome seizes Carthage The destruction of Carthage during the Punic Wars. New York Public Library Picture Collection

  16. ROME WINS A THIRD TIME • Due to Cato’s persistent efforts, Rome declares war against defenseless Carthage • Wins easily • Entire population of city sold into slavery • Everything of value carried back to Rome • Everything else burned and dumped into the sea • Site sown with salt so that nothing would ever grow there again • Carthage completely disappeared

  17. Imperialism • Imperialism= establishing control over foreign lands and peoples • Gradually, Rome also conquered and made alliances with parts of Alexander’s old empire: Macedonia, Greece, Asia Minor, and Egypt, as well as Spain

  18. Effects of Expansion • Huge increase in wealth: conquests brought in money from loot, taxes, and trade. • Newly wealthy families bought latifundia (large estates) and forced captured people to work as slaves. • Small farmers could not compete with goods from the latifundia  many went into debt and had to sell their land. • Unemployed mobs went to Rome riots. • Corruption increased. Less focus on hard work.

  19. Journal- on back of notes • Normally Rome treated conquered people with justice. Why did Rome treat Carthage so brutally? • Do you think this treatment was justified?

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