Some Thoughts on the Punic Wars…

We have been at war for five years with the great trading powers of Carthage, on the tip of North Africa. Because they have business all over the Mediterranean Sea, they boast that it is their “Carthaginian Lake” and they can control it. Of course, Rome feels differently! Carthage’s navy has many fast ships to transport their men to battles on land, yet we have had no navy at all – until now. We were able to capture a Carthaginian ship and have used it as a model to build our own. We then lifted out ships with some additional features to aid our army, like ramming rods and boarding bridges. We shall soon be able to sail right up to our enemy, ram their ships, and board them to fight hand to hand, a skill at which we excel! The Roman warrior is the strongest in the world, and we are all more than willing to die to serve our homeland! You will very soon hear that Carthage is begging for peace!

(from a letter by a Roman soldier to his brother, 259 B.C.)

After we were forced to accept the horrible defeat of the First Punic War, Rome took from us our colonies in Sicily and forced us to pay reparations. Now we shall make the Romans pay for their greed! Traveling from Spain through the Alps with 50 war elephants was a most difficult route to take to Rome, but Scipio and his Roman armies expect us to attack by sea so this journey provided an elemental of surprise. The snows and freezing temperatures killed nearly half of my men and most of our elephants. Still, when we arrived in the northern part of the Roman peninsula, the Roman armies were no match for us, even in our weakened state! Instead they fled to their fortified cities and refused to fight! The cowards! We will spend as long as it takes to destroy their farms, ambush their armies, and persuade their allies that Rome is not worthy of support. Carthage will prevail, and Rome will beg for our mercy!

(from Hannibal’s journal, 212 B.C.)

Some Thoughts on the Punic Wars…

My innovative tactics have worked magnificently! While Hannibal marched his troops up and down the Roman peninsula, keeping our armies inside their fortified walls, we staged our surprise attack on Carthage, forcing him to return to defend his city. At Zama, just outside Carthage, our Roman army has defeated him once again, and now they are asking for a peace settlement to end this Second Punic War. Long live Rome! This time we will take the Spanish colonies from our enemy, and once more make them pay for the damage they wrought. Generations of Romans will tell tales of the glory of this day, and Rome will rule even more of the Mediterranean region.

(message from Scipio, the Roman General, 202 B.C.)

Today is a glorious day for all Romans. Our forces are moving to take the final measures to crush our enemy, Carthage, the most hated of cities in all the world! I am most certain that the Senate understands the importance of putting an end to these greedy foreigners who might one day seek to challenge Rome’s right to control the Mediterranean. Through we have stripped them of their power and resources, we must continue onward to completely destroy the city and burn the surrounding fields. We must plow up the earth and salt the land so no crops will ever sustain life there! We must ensure that Rome will never have to worry about Carthage again! We in the army trust that we have the Senators’ support.

(Speech to the Senate by a Roman soldier, 149 B.C.)

Some thoughts on the Punic Wars

Passage 1

  1. Read the first passage. Is this a letter written by someone from Rome or Carthage? _____Rome______
  2. How long were Rome and Carthage at war? _____5 years____
  3. How did Rome get the knowledge to build ships?
    ______They captured a Carthaginian ship and used it as a model to build their own______
    ______
  4. What will Rome be able to do once they have a navy?
    ___They can sail to the enemy ships, board them, and attack using hand to hand combat______
    ______

Passage 2

  1. Read the second passage. Is this a letter written by someone from Rome or Carthage?
    _____Carthage______
  2. What did the Romans force Carthage to do when Carthage lost the First Punic War?
    _____They took the colonies in Sicily and forced them to pay reparations ______
  3. Why did the Carthaginians travel through the Alps instead of by sea?
    __To surprise attack the Romans who were expecting the Carthaginians to attack by sea______
    ______
  4. What was the journey through the Alps like for the Carthaginians?
    ___Snow and freezing temperatures killed nearly half of the men and most of the elephants___
    ______
  5. What did Rome do when the Carthaginians arrived?
    ____They fled to their fortified cities and refused to fight______
    ______
  6. Who is the general of the Carthage army? ______Hannibal______

Passage 3

  1. Read the third passage. Is this a letter written by someone from Rome or Carthage?
    ______Rome_____
  2. What did the Roman General Scipio do while the Carthaginian soldiers were marching into Rome?
    Attacked Carthage by surprise, forcing the Carthaginian army to return home to defend the city
    ______
  3. Where did the Roman army defeat the Carthaginian army? ____Zama, near Carthage______
  4. Who won the Second Punic War and what did the Carthaginian army ask for as a result?
    ______Rome won; Cartage asked for a peace settlement______
  5. Who is the general of the Roman army? ______Scipio______

Passage 4

  1. Read the forth passage. Is this a letter written by someone from Rome or Carthage?
    ____Rome______
  2. Why are the Romans fighting against the Carthaginians?
    ______To prevent them from controlling the Mediterranean area______
  3. What has the Roman army already done to attack Carthage army?
    _____stripped Carthage of power and resources______
  4. Why do you think a Roman soldier is giving this speech to the Senate?
    ______To gain support from the government; so the government can help fund the army_____
    ______
    ______