Punic Wars. Causes of the Punic Wars In what year was the 3rd Punic War

24.04.2024 Diagnostics

Fall of the Republic.

Civil wars of the 40s - 30s of the 1st century. BC.

Caesar's dictatorship.

First Triumvirate.

Dictatorship of Sulla.

Civil war in Rome in 80-70 BC.

Military reform Maria.

Reforms of the Gracchi.

Third Punic War.

Plan.

Lecture 19 - 20.

The Rise and Fall of the Republic in Rome.

Rome became the largest Mediterranean power, the hegemon of not only the Western but also the Eastern Mediterranean in the second half of the 2nd century. BC e. as a result of two successful wars with Carthage, deep penetration into the countries of the Hellenistic East, subjugation of Macedonia and Greece. However, Rome could not consider itself the undivided ruler of the Mediterranean Zassein until its old, defeated, but potentially still formidable rival, Carthage, was finally destroyed.

Defeated Carthage managed to recover and strengthen its economic position, since the strength and attention of the Romans was focused on the East. Forced to abandon military conquests and an active foreign policy, Carthaginian merchants and slave owners now invest their funds in agriculture in Africa. In Carthage, lively trade with local tribes begins to flourish, plantation agriculture is widely developing, and the number of workshops and trading enterprises is growing in the cities.

This increase in the political and economic influence of Carthage caused discontent in Rome, especially among the equestrians and that part of the nobility that was associated with foreign trade. A strong and influential party arose that demanded the complete destruction of Carthage, even if this threatened a new war. At the head of this party was Marcus Porcius Cato (the Elder), who zealously promoted this idea and ended each of his speeches in the Senate with the same phrase: “Still, Carthage must be destroyed!”

The reason for the start of the third Punic War, which lasted from 149 to 146 BC. e., was prompted by the aggressive policy of the Numidian king Masinissa, supported by the Romans. He tried to annex part of the Carthaginian territory to his possessions. An armed clash occurred, and although the Carthaginians were defeated, the Roman Senate regarded their actions as a violation of the terms of the treaty of 201 BC. e. and declared war.

The Carthaginians sent envoys to the Roman command asking for peace. The Romans demanded the release of all weapons. When this was accomplished, they declared that the inhabitants should leave the city, as it would be destroyed. This new demand caused an explosion of anger and hatred towards the Romans. Carthage began feverishly preparing for defense; The entire population worked day and night: weapons were forged, city walls were strengthened.

The siege of Carthage dragged on for more than 2 years. In 147 BC. e. Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus, the adopted grandson of Scipio Africanus, took command of the army besieging Carthage. He strengthened discipline in the army, achieved a complete blockade of the city, and in the spring of 146 he launched a general assault. The Romans broke into the city, street battles began, which lasted a whole week until the central fortification, Birsa, was taken.

After the conquest of the city, the Senate commission decided to completely destroy it. Carthage was set on fire, burned for 16 days, then a furrow was drawn in the territory of the destroyed city as a sign that this place was cursed. The Carthaginian possessions were included in the Roman province of Africa.

The influx of a huge mass of slaves accompanied the wars of conquest that were waged by the Romans for almost 120 years in the Western and then Eastern Mediterranean basin.

The huge number of slaves and their cheapness inevitably led to the displacement of the free producer. Since Italy continued to remain an agricultural country, the results of this process were reflected primarily in the field of agricultural production: its direct consequence was, on the one hand, the concentration of land, the formation of large slaveholding estates, i.e. latifundia, and, on the other hand, on the other hand, landlessness and pauperization of the peasantry.

Huge masses of ruined peasants poured into the city. A minority of them took up productive work: they became artisans, construction workers, and the like. They united in special craft colleges, which later included slaves along with freemen. But a significant part of the landless peasants could not find permanent work. Driven to extremes by need, they turned into a declassed layer of the population, into the ancient lumpen proletariat.

Wars of conquest also ensured a continuous influx of monetary capital into Rome.

Thus, conditions arose that led to the widespread development of monetary and usurious capital in the Roman state. One of the organizational forms of development of this capital was companies of tax farmers, the so-called publicans, who farmed out mainly taxes in the Roman provinces, as well as various contracts for public works in Italy itself. They were also engaged in credit and usury operations, especially widely in the eastern provinces, where laws and customs remained in force, preserving the sale into slavery for debts, and where the loan interest was almost unlimited and reached 48 - 50. Trade, taxation and usurious Operations were carried out primarily by representatives of the Roman equestrian class. They turn into a new layer of the Roman slave-owning nobility - into the trading and monetary aristocracy.

After the emergence of Rome as the largest Mediterranean power, the old state apparatus, formed at a time when Rome was a typical city-state, turned out to be unsuitable and did not meet the needs and interests of the new social strata.

The inconsistency of the republican state apparatus with the new conditions first made itself felt during an attempt to resolve the problem of governing conquered Italy. The Romans failed to create a single, centralized Italian state, but had to limit themselves to organizing a rather motley federation of communities, among which Rome was only the largest, occupying a dominant position, mainly thanks to its military forces.

The organization of administration of the Roman provinces is an even more striking example of the obsolescence of the republican state apparatus and its inadequacy to new tasks. When Rome found itself the owner of vast overseas territories, it immediately revealed that the state apparatus was completely unsuited for the rational exploitation of these territories. The Roman system of provincial government clearly reveals a picture of the unsystematic and primitive methods of provincial government.

There were no general legislative provisions relating to the provinces. Each new ruler of a province, upon taking office, usually issued an edict in which he determined what principles he would be guided by in governing the province.

The Romans sent first praetors and then consuls at the end of their term of office in Rome, as governors or governors of provinces. The governor was appointed to govern the province, as a rule, for a year and during this period not only had full military, civil and judicial power in his province, but in fact did not bear any responsibility for his activities before the Roman authorities. Residents of the provinces could complain about abuses only after the governor handed over his affairs to his successor, but such complaints were rarely successful. Thus, the activities of the governors in the provinces were uncontrolled.

And Roman society itself was torn apart by contradictions. Among the free population there was an intense struggle for land between large and small landowners, represented in Rome, primarily by the rural plebs. A struggle began to flare up between the landowning nobility - the nobility - and the new trading and usurious aristocracy - the horsemen. All these complex, often intertwined lines of struggle are reflected in the political events of the era of crisis and the fall of the republic.

Third Punic War and destruction of Carthage

We already know that Hannibal's attempts to carry out reforms in Carthage failed due to opposition from the oligarchy friendly to Rome. Despite this, Carthage soon recovered from the consequences of the war. The riches of its still vast territory, extending east to Cyrene, continued to be a source of great income for Carthaginian citizenship. The ruling party tried to live in peace with both Rome and its immediate neighbor, Masinissa.

However, the existence of Carthage caused constant anxiety in Rome: the memories of the Hannibal War were too strong for Roman citizenship to soon forget. While Scipionic traditions continued in foreign policy, things did not go beyond vague fears. The situation began to change after the Third Macedonian War. We have seen that it marked the beginning of a major shift in Roman politics: the predator began to show its claws. This immediately affected relations with Carthage.

In 153, old Cato visited Africa as the head of an embassy sent to resolve disputes between Carthage and Masinissa. When he saw with his own eyes the flourishing state of Carthage, the thought of destroying the city became his idée fixe. Cato’s slogan “Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam” (“However, I think that Carthage must be destroyed”) received strong support from those circles of Roman society for which merciless aggression became the banner of foreign policy.

To declare war on Carthage, it was necessary to find a suitable pretext and create an appropriate mood in Roman citizenship. Masinissa could have played an excellent role here. The Treaty of 201 deliberately did not define the exact boundaries between Numidia and Carthage, which served as a source of endless disputes and caused frequent sending of Roman commissions. The more hostile to Carthage they became in Rome, the more impudently Masinissa behaved. In the end, the Carthaginians' patience ran out. At the head of the Carthaginian government were the leaders of the democratic party, who were supporters of a firmer policy towards Masinissa. His friends were expelled from Carthage, and when the Numidians attacked Carthaginian territory, an army was sent against them under the command of Hasdrubal, one of the leaders of the democrats. True, this army suffered a severe defeat from Masinissa (150), but the desired reason for declaring war on Carthage was found - the Carthaginians, in violation of the treaty of 201, began the war without the permission of the Roman Senate.

Military preparations began in Rome. Frightened by its own courage, the Carthaginian government immediately called the quits: Hasdrubal was sentenced to death (he, however, managed to escape and gather his own army on Carthaginian territory), and an embassy was sent to Rome, which blamed all the blame on Hasdrubal and other leaders of the military party. But the Senate recognized the Carthaginians’ explanations as insufficient. Then a second embassy with unlimited powers arrived from Carthage. But war had already been declared and the consular army was boarded (149).

The Carthaginian government, in order to save the city, decided to surrender without any conditions. The Senate announced that it guaranteed the Carthaginians the preservation of freedom, land, property and political system under the condition of handing over within a month 300 hostages from among the children of the ruling families and complying with further orders of the consuls. The hostages were immediately handed over.

When the consuls landed in Utica, which had already surrendered to the Romans, they demanded that Carthage surrender all weapons and ammunition. This order was also carried out. Finally, a terrible order followed: the city of Carthage must be destroyed; its inhabitants have the right to choose a new place to settle, wherever they want, but not closer than 80 stadia (about 15 km) from the sea.

When this inhuman demand became known in the city, anger and despair swept over the population. In a blind rage, the crowd killed the Italians in the city, the officials on whose advice the hostages and weapons were issued, as well as the innocent ambassadors who brought the terrible ultimatum.

The city was disarmed, but its location and powerful fortification system made it possible to withstand the longest siege. It was only necessary to gain time. An embassy was sent to the Roman consuls with a request for a month-long truce, supposedly to send ambassadors to

Rome. Although the truce was officially refused, the consuls, having no doubt at all that the city would not be able to defend itself, postponed the assault for some time.

Thus the Carthaginians received a precious reprieve. Hasdrubal, who occupied almost the entire Carthaginian territory with his army, was given an amnesty and they turned to him with a plea to help his hometown in a moment of mortal danger. To replenish the city militia, slaves were freed. The entire population forged weapons day and night, built throwing machines, and strengthened walls. Women donated their hair to make ropes for cars. Food was brought to the city.

All this happened right next to the Romans, who did not suspect anything. When, finally, the Roman army appeared under the walls of the city, the consuls saw with horror that they were too late and that Carthage was ready for defense.

The first two years of the siege (149th and 148th) passed for the Romans without any success: it turned out to be impossible to take the city by storm, there was a lot of food in it, and the field Carthaginian army prevented the complete isolation of the city. The Romans did not even manage to paralyze the activities of the Carthaginian fleet. The long and unsuccessful siege only led to a decline in discipline in the Roman army. Masinissa almost did not help the Romans, as he was dissatisfied with their appearance in Africa: he himself intended to take possession of Carthage. Moreover, he died at the end of 149, and the difficult question of his inheritance arose.

Among the senior Roman officers there was only one truly talented person: the military tribune Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus, the son of the winner at Pydna, adopted by the son of Scipio Africanus. He first advanced in Spain, near Carthage he acquired a reputation as a brilliant officer, who more than once rescued the command with his resourcefulness and courage in difficult moments of the siege. One fact shows how respected Scipio was: when the 90-year-old Masinissa was dying, he asked Scipio to come to Numidia to divide power between his three sons. Scipio successfully completed this difficult diplomatic assignment, for which he achieved the sending of auxiliary Numidian troops to Carthage.

In 148, it became clear to everyone in Rome that it was necessary to bring to an end the shamefully protracted siege of Carthage as quickly as possible and at any cost. To do this, they decided to repeat the successful experiment that they had once done with Scipio Africanus. In 147, Scipio Aemilianus was elected consul, although his age and experience were not yet suitable for this position (he was about 35 years old), and by a special decree he was entrusted with waging war in Africa.

Arriving in Carthage with reinforcements, Scipio first of all cleared the army of traders, prostitutes, and other rabble. Having improved discipline and order in the army, he stormed the outskirts of Carthage and then, through systematic siege operations, achieved the complete encirclement of the city from sea and land. The Carthaginian field army was defeated and destroyed. In the winter of 147/46, all communication between the besieged and the outside world was interrupted. There was famine in the city.

By the spring of 146, famine and disease had caused such devastation in Carthage that Scipio was able to launch a general assault. On one section of the wall, which was hardly defended by a garrison weakened by hunger, the Romans managed to penetrate the harbor. Then they took possession of the market adjacent to the harbor and began to slowly move towards Birsa, the Carthaginian fortress located on a steep cliff. The battle lasted for six days and nights in the narrow streets of the city. The Carthaginians, with the courage of despair, defended multi-story buildings turned into fortresses. The Romans were forced to break through walls and walk along beams spanning streets or across roofs. The brutal warriors spared no one. Finally, the Romans approached Byrsa. The remnants of the population took refuge there - about 50 thousand people. They began to beg Scipio for mercy. He promised to save their lives. Only 900 people, most of whom were Roman defectors, did not want to surrender: they set fire to the temple located in the Kremlin, and almost all died in the fire. Those who surrendered were sold into slavery, and the city was given over to the soldiers for plunder.

Appian painted a terrible picture of the last days of Carthage (Libyan Affairs, XIX, 128-130): “Everything was full of groans, crying, screams and all kinds of suffering, as some were killed in hand-to-hand combat, others were thrown from the roofs to the ground while still alive, and some fell on straight raised spears, all kinds of pikes or swords. But no one set fire to anything because of those on the roofs, until Scipio approached Byrsa. And then he immediately set fire to all three narrow streets leading to Birsa, and ordered others, as soon as any part was burned, to clear the way there so that the constantly changing army could pass more conveniently.

And then a spectacle of other horrors presented itself, since the fire burned everything and spread from house to house, and the soldiers did not dismantle the houses little by little, but, bearing down with all their might, brought them down entirely. This caused an even greater roar, and along with the stones, both the dead and the living, mostly old men, women and children, who had taken refuge in the secret places of the houses, fell into the middle of the street; some of them were wounded, others half-burnt, and let out desperate cries. Others, thrown and falling from such a height along with stones and burning beams, broke their arms and legs and were broken to death. But this was not the end of the torment for them: the soldiers who cleared the streets of stones, with axes, axes and hooks, removed what had fallen and cleared the way for passing troops; Some of them used axes and axes, others used the points of hooks to throw both the dead and those still alive into the pits, dragging them like logs and stones, or turning them over with iron tools - the human body was the garbage that filled the ditches. Of those being dragged, some fell headfirst, and their limbs, protruding from the ground, writhed in convulsions for a long time; others fell feet down, and their heads stuck out above the ground, so that the horses, running, broke their faces and skulls, not because the riders wanted it, but due to haste, since the stone removers did not do it of their own free will; but the difficulty of the war and the expectation of an imminent victory, the haste in the movement of troops, the cries of heralds, the noise of trumpet signals, tribunes and centurions with troops, replacing each other and quickly passing by, all this, due to the haste, made everyone mad and indifferent to what they saw .

They spent six days and six nights in such labors, and the Roman army was constantly changing so as not to get tired of insomnia, labor, beatings and terrible sights... Much more devastation went on, and it seemed that this disaster would be even greater when on the seventh day, some, crowned with the wreaths of Asclepius, turned to Scipio, resorting to his mercy... They asked Scipio to agree to only grant life to those who wished to leave Birsa on these conditions; he gave consent to everyone except the defectors. And immediately 50 thousand people came out along with their wives along the narrow passage between the walls that was open to them.”

Hasdrubal, with his family and the Roman defectors, took refuge in the temple of Aesculapius, preparing to burn himself. But at the decisive moment, the Carthaginian commander could not stand it. He ran out of the temple and on his knees began to ask Scipio to save his life. Hasdrubal's wife, seeing this, sarcastically wished her husband to save her life, pushed her children into the fire, and after them threw herself into the flames.

A commission sent from the Senate, together with Scipio, was supposed to finally decide the fate of Carthage. Most of it was still intact. Apparently, Scipio himself and some senators were in favor of preserving the city. But in the Senate, Cato’s irreconcilable point of view prevailed (he himself died in 149, not living to see his dream come true). Scipio was ordered to raze the city to the ground and, having condemned the place on which it stood to eternal damnation, drive a furrow through it with a plow.

The same fate befell those African cities that sided with Carthage to the end. Others, such as Utica, who surrendered to the Romans at the beginning of the war, received freedom and retained their lands. The possessions of Carthage were converted into the province of Africa. The heirs of Masinissa not only retained their lands, but also received part of the Carthaginian territory.

Thus, during the terrible year 146, two flourishing centers of ancient culture perished: Corinth and Carthage.

Many Romans, who survived the fear and disasters of Hannibal's War, forever harbored hatred for Carthage. A symbol of this attitude towards the enemy was the life and work of Marcus Porcius Cato the Censor (234-149). “The last of his acts in the public sphere,” writes Plutarch (Cato, 26-27), “is considered the destruction of Carthage. In fact, he was wiped off the face of the earth by Scipio the Younger, but the Romans started the war primarily on the advice and insistence of Cato, and this was the reason for its start. The Carthaginians and the Numidian king Masinissa were at war, and Cato was sent to Africa to investigate the causes of this discord... Finding Carthage not in a deplorable situation and not in disastrous circumstances, as the Romans believed, but teeming with youths and strong men, fabulously rich, overflowing with all sorts of things weapons and military equipment and therefore firmly relying on his strength, Cato decided that now was not the time to deal with the affairs of the Numidians and Masinissa and settle them, but that if the Romans did not capture the city, which had been hostile to them since ancient times, and now embittered and incredibly strengthened, they would again find themselves in the face of exactly the same danger as before. Returning without any delay, he began to convince the Senate that past defeats and troubles, apparently, had not so much reduced the strength of the Carthaginians as recklessness, made them not more helpless, but more experienced in the art of war, that by attacking the Numidians they were beginning the fight against the Romans and , waiting for an opportunity, under the guise of properly fulfilling the terms of the peace treaty, they are preparing for war.

They say that after finishing his speech, Cato deliberately opened his toga, and African figs fell onto the floor of the curia. The senators marveled at their size and beauty, and then Cato said that the land that gives birth to these fruits lies three days' sail from Rome. However, he called for violence more openly; expressing his judgment on any issue, he always added: “It seems to me that Carthage should not exist.” On the contrary, Publius Scipio Nazica, responding to a request or speaking out on his own initiative, always said: “It seems to me that Carthage should exist.” Noticing, apparently, that the people are becoming excessively arrogant and are already making many miscalculations, that, reveling in their successes, filled with pride, they are leaving obedience to the Senate and stubbornly pulling the entire state with them where their passions lead them, - noticing this, Nazica wanted at least this fear of Carthage to be a bridle restraining the insolence of the crowd: he believed that the Carthaginians were not so strong that the Romans could not cope with them, but also not so weak as to treat them with contempt. The same thing worried Cato, but he considered dangerous the threat looming from the state, which was previously great, and now still sobered and punished by the disasters it had experienced, while the Roman people were rioting and, intoxicated by their power, making mistake after mistake; It seemed dangerous to him to begin treating internal ailments without first completely getting rid of the fear of an attack on Roman rule from the outside. With such arguments, they say, Cato achieved his goal: the third and last Punic War was declared” (translated by S. P. Markish).

by Yeager Oscar

CHAPTER ONE The First Punic War (264–241 BC). - Rise of the Carthaginian mercenaries; Istrian and Gallic wars. - Second Punic War (218–201 BC)

From the book World History. Volume 1. The Ancient World by Yeager Oscar

First Punic War (264–241 BC) Beginning of the war This struggle of peoples over the beautiful island, which lay right in the middle between their states, lasted 24 years. As soon as the Romans decided to intervene in Sicilian affairs, the new Syracusan ruler immediately

From the book World History. Volume 1. The Ancient World by Yeager Oscar

Second Punic War (218–201 BC) Hannibal's campaign in Italy On Hannibal's side in relation to his opponents there was a great benefit: the power in his hands was monarchical, the plan of action had long been thought out, as if ready for the army already in action. He had an ally in Italy,

From the book World History. Volume 1. The Ancient World by Yeager Oscar

CHAPTER THREE General state of affairs: Gnaeus Pompey. - War in Spain. - Slave war. - War with sea robbers. - War in the East. - Third war with Mithridates. - Conspiracy of Catiline. - Return of Pompey and the first triumvirate. (78–60 BC) General

From the book The Capitoline Wolf. Rome before the Caesars author Gasparov Mikhail Leonovich

FIRST PUNIC WAR - What a battlefield we leave to the Romans and Carthaginians! - said Pyrrhus, leaving Sicily. His words turned out to be prophetic. Only ten years passed after the Pyrrhic victory, and a brutal war for Sicily began between Rome and Carthage. Romans

From the book History of Rome (with illustrations) author Kovalev Sergey Ivanovich

From the book Roman History in Persons author Osterman Lev Abramovich

Second Punic War Three years after the end of the first war, taking advantage of the fact that Carthage was distracted by the fight against the rebel mercenaries, the Romans, violating the treaty, also took Sardinia into their hands. By this they aroused the hatred of the Carthaginians against themselves and

From the book 500 famous historical events author Karnatsevich Vladislav Leonidovich

END OF THE THIRD PUNIC WAR. THE DESTRUCTION OF CARTHAGE The history of the Punic Wars had its sad but logical conclusion. The ideas of international parity were still very far away, and a stronger enemy sought to simply destroy, wipe out more

From the book Myths of the Ancient World author Becker Karl Friedrich

16. Second Punic War or the war with Hannibal. (218...201 BC). a) Conquest of Saguntum and campaign in Italy. During the last Gallic war, the Romans did not lose sight of Carthage. Since their humiliation, the Carthaginians, to compensate for the losses caused by their loss

From the book History of Rome author Kovalev Sergey Ivanovich

The Third Punic War and the destruction of Carthage We already know that Hannibal's attempts to carry out reforms in Carthage failed due to opposition from the oligarchy friendly to Rome. Despite this, Carthage soon recovered from the consequences of the war. His wealth is still

author Badak Alexander Nikolaevich

The First Punic War In the middle of the 3rd century BC, the unconditional superiority of Carthage was observed in the Western Mediterranean. The forces of the Western Hellenes, who waged a long and intense struggle with the Carthaginians for a dominant position, were undermined

From the book World History. Volume 4. Hellenistic period author Badak Alexander Nikolaevich

Second Punic War Hannibal was well aware that the capture of Saguntum would lead to an inevitable conflict with Rome. Nevertheless, he besieged and after eight months of siege took this city. As a result, in the spring of 218, the second Punic War began, which many ancient

From the book World History. Volume 4. Hellenistic period author Badak Alexander Nikolaevich

The Third Punic War Rome became the largest Mediterranean power, the hegemon of not only the Western but also the Eastern Mediterranean in the second half of the 2nd century. BC e. as a result of two successful wars with Carthage, deep penetration into the Hellenistic countries

author

First Punic War (264–241 BC) The war over Sicily broke out between Rome and Carthage in 264 BC. e. The reason for it was the dramatic events in Messana, the second most important (after Syracuse) city in Sicily. Campanian mercenaries (so-called Mamertines), back in 284

From the book History of the Ancient World [East, Greece, Rome] author Nemirovsky Alexander Arkadevich

Rome's subjugation of Greece and the Third Punic War (149–146 BC) Having dealt with Macedonia, Rome adjusted its foreign policy course in the East. From now on, the Romans were interested in weakening their recent allies - Pergamum and Rhodes. Supporting

From the book 50 Great Dates in World History author Schuler Jules

Destruction of Carthage 146 BC. e. As a result of the Third Punic War (from the word Poeni or Puni - in Latin "Phoenicians"), Carthage, a colony of the Phoenician city of Tyre, which created a maritime empire in the Western Mediterranean, was taken and destroyed by the Roman army in 146 BC.

Since the Battle of Zama, Carthage focused on its internal affairs, trying in no way to do anything that could turn the Romans against it. However, the most insignificant reason was enough for the Romans - they could not forgive Hannibal for his victories, which humiliated the dignity of Rome.

Marcus Porcius Cato

Cato became the main enemy of Carthage among the Romans. As a member of the Senate commission, in 157 BC. visited Carthage and was very surprised by what he saw. After the defeat, the city was revived and experienced economic growth. He no longer spent money on running the empire or maintaining mercenaries. In earlier times, trade in the Western Mediterranean brought him wealth, but Rome captured his possessions in Spain, Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia. Carthage's prosperity now depended on agriculture in the interior of North Africa. Carthage exported food and developed profitable trade with Italy. The Roman envoys were very alarmed by these signs of revival. Appian writes: “They began to explore the country, which was carefully cultivated and had large sources of income. Entering the city, they saw how powerful it had become and how much its population had increased after the extermination inflicted on it by Scipio shortly before.”. This seemed unbearable to Cato, and he began a campaign for the destruction of Carthage.

Carthage, for half a century, behaved towards Rome as a devoted ally and did not make a single attempt to pursue an independent foreign policy. He supplied large quantities of grain as a gift during the wars with Macedonia and with Antiochus. Despite the fact that by this time Carthage had already restored its large military and commercial ports, it strictly adhered to the terms of the peace treaty. After the Battle of Zama, none of the Carthaginian citizens made any military career. The city had neither an army, nor a navy, nor the resources to restore them. Moreover, Carthage had no desire to challenge Rome again.

Masinissa

By this time, the restless Numidian king Masinissa was almost 90 years old. However, he did not lose his energy. Masinissa admired Carthaginian cultural values and wanted them to be adopted by his subjects. At the same time, he sought to seize Carthaginian lands. Under the terms of the peace treaty of 201, he had the right to regain any area outside the borders of Carthage that had ever belonged to Numidia. The terms of this treaty were expressed very vaguely, and Masinissa constantly invaded those possessions that the Carthaginians considered theirs. The Council of Elders of Carthage repeatedly complained to the Roman Senate, which sent envoys to resolve controversial issues. It was in such a group of envoys that Cato found himself. They invariably supported the king or delayed the decision, regardless of who was right or wrong in each case.

Returning to Rome, the commission began to argue that this city would again pose a threat to the security of the republic. Cato once spoke on this topic from the speaker's platform at the Forum. He deliberately opened his toga, and a large, delicious Carthaginian fig fell to the floor. “The earth that bears these fruits,- he said, - l He lives three days' sail from Rome.". From that moment on, he ended every speech with the same phrase: "Praeterea censeo Carthaginem esse delendam" (I also believe that Carthage should be destroyed). But in saying this, he was guided not only by his own prejudices. Carthage, expanding its trade, competed with Italian wine and oil merchants, and Italian landowners (Cato was one of them) suffered from this. But of course, personal interest is always hidden behind the guise of patriotism.

Cato's political opponents did not agree with his opinion regarding the growing power of Carthage. At the same time, they argued that if Rome did not have a strong and dangerous enemy, then it would become weak and would suffer decay.

However, a growing number of Romans supported Cato, and for this they had their own, more cynical reasons. They knew that war could bring them significant benefits. Plutarch tells the story of a rich young Roman who organized an unusual feast. In the center stood a honey pie, its outline similar to a city. The Roman said to his guests: “This is Carthage, let’s rob it”. Rome was becoming greedy and ruthless. The Senate secretly approved the war and was only waiting for a reason to start it.

The denouement was brought closer by two events. In 151, Carthage paid the last installment of the required payments, “depriving” the Roman Republic of a profitable source of income. After this, the council of elders of Carthage lost patience with Masinissa, who had invaded Carthaginian soil too far.

Carthage created an army to stop the looting of Masinissa and went on the offensive. Rome was not notified of this. The Numidian king cornered and besieged the Carthaginian troops. The Carthaginian army, gradually weakening from disease and food shortages, had to surrender. Under the terms of the truce, the Carthaginians were allowed to leave, taking with them only one tunic each. During the exit from the siege, the Numidian cavalry attacked defenseless people and destroyed most of them. Out of twenty-five thousand people, a pitiful handful of warriors returned to Carthage.

Numidian cavalry

When members of the Senate learned about these events, they immediately began recruiting troops, without giving any explanation. They only said what was necessary “to be able to quickly use the recruited troops according to the circumstances”. Carthage sent messengers to explain the reasons for the war and put its commanders to death. The Romans, however, did not accept the explanations. One of the senators asked why Carthage condemned its commanders not at the beginning of the war, but at the end, when they were defeated? This question remained unanswered. The envoys asked at what cost they could achieve forgiveness. "If you satisfy the Roman people", came the vague answer. The second Carthaginian embassy begged for precise instructions. The Senate sent him back with the words: “You know well what we need”. And although Carthage lost the battle and was completely helpless, and also did everything to maintain peace, Rome declared war on it.

The Carthaginian authorities decided that their only hope was unconditional surrender. A third delegation made its way to Rome, which only learned that war had already been declared. However, the Senate cynically accepted the surrender and demanded three hundred child hostages.

Rome did not experience any difficulties in recruiting warriors for the legions, since everyone understood that Carthage could not win, and rich trophies, treasures and slaves awaited the warriors. In 149, an army of 80,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry crossed the sea and landed in Africa. The consuls received secret orders to completely destroy Carthage immediately after its capture. The large Phoenician port of Utica, located 11 km from Carthage, which had large harbors convenient for berthing ships and landing troops, sided with Rome.

Ruins of Utica

The news of the invasion shocked the Carthaginian government. It again sent envoys to ask for peace, this time to the Roman camp. The consuls demanded that the city completely disarm. The Carthaginians did this, and soon rows of carts with weapons for 20,000 people and many catapults reached the Roman camp. The consuls praised the Carthaginians for having carried out everything so well so far, and announced the last order of the Senate: “Surrender Carthage to us, leave Carthage for our peace of mind, settle in whatever place you want in your country, eighty stadia (about 15 km) from the sea, since it has been decided to raze this city to the ground.”.

The Carthaginians were horrified by this demand and rejected it. If their city must perish, they will perish with it. The people will not be able to live without the main element of their way of life - the sea. People have changed. They stoned the returning envoys and all the pro-Roman politicians they could find. The Carthaginians also killed all the Roman traders who unfortunately found themselves in the city. Carthage made a desperate decision - it will resist Rome. Armed with the courage that despair gave them, the Carthaginians locked themselves within the walls of their city, made weapons from almost nothing and began to fight, not thinking about surrendering to the enemy. The triple line of city fortifications, high walls and towers - all this created significant difficulties for the besiegers.

For two years, all attempts by the astonished Romans to defeat the maddened enemy ended in nothing. From the Roman point of view, the only glorious episode of the war was associated with the valiant and far-sighted Scipio Aemilian, who at the age of 35 served as a military tribune. Among other things, he forced the Carthaginian Numidian cavalry to retreat.

Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilian Africanus the Younger

The two old men, Cato and Masinissa, who were almost entirely responsible for the outbreak of this war, died before its outcome became known. Both of them spoke very highly of young Scipio. Despite his hostility towards the Scipio family and constant attacks on his grandfather, Scipio Africanus, Cato, seeing the young Scipio, recognized his talent. He helped ensure that Scipio was elected consul and commander of the army, despite his young age, which formally did not allow him to hold this position. The Numidian monarch, trying to protect his kingdom, won with such difficulty, handed it over to his three sons, ordering them to obey Scipio, no matter how he divided the lands and power between them.

In 147, Scipio gained supreme power (imperium). He strengthened discipline among his troops and, instead of training, began to carry out attacks on the city walls. He completely blockaded the city, building fortifications on the isthmus that connected it to the mainland, and building a long embankment into the sea that blocked the entrance to the harbor. After this, the fall of Carthage was only a matter of time.

When there was very little food left in the city, the Carthaginian commander-in-chief, Hasdrubal, assumed dictatorial powers.

Before the decisive attack, Scipio performed a ritual of evocation (evocatio), as Camillus once did before the destruction of the city of Veii. During the ritual, he called on the Carthaginian deities to leave their temples and move to new sanctuaries in Rome. Now Carthage became a “godless” city with which you could do whatever you wanted. After this, the legions marched from the Roman embankment to the highest point of the city - Birsa. Scipio ordered buildings to be set on fire and destroyed to make way for the infantry to advance. The fight continued day and night for almost a whole week. Some soldiers raked garbage, corpses and even wounded from the streets. Finally, people came out from Byrsa and called on Scipio to show mercy to the survivors. The consul agreed, and 50,000 exhausted and hungry men, women and children left the city. Their fate will now be decided in the slave markets.

About 900 Roman defectors remained in the city and were denied forgiveness. They had no choice but to fight to the death. They occupied the temple of the god of healing, Asclepius, which stood on a steep cliff and was very well defended. Hasdrubal and his family also took refuge there.

Hasdrubal realized that his position was hopeless and slipped through the Roman battle lines unnoticed. Scipio accepted his surrender and showed it to the defectors. Seeing Hasdrubal, they began to shower Scipio with curses and set fire to the temple. Hasdrubal's wife had stricter principles than her husband. She slaughtered her children, threw them into the fire, and then stepped into it herself. The defectors also burned themselves alive.

When resistance ceased and the war ended in victory, Scipio looked around the entire city and burst into tears, like Marcellus in Syracuse. The long and magnificent history of Carthage is over. Will Rome ever suffer the same fate? He turned to his friend, the historian Polybius, who stood with him, with the lines of Homer from the Iliad:

I know it well myself, both in my heart and in my spirit:
The day will come, and sacred Troy will perish. Will die
Together with her, Priam and the people of the spearman Priam.

However, an outburst of noble feelings did not deter the victorious military leader from razing Carthage to the ground and solemnly cursing the place where this city once arose, which would henceforth become a pasture for sheep. Carthage was razed to the ground, and its territory became the Roman African province. The Romans of that time demanded that no more cities be built on this site. However, a hundred years later, New Carthage was founded - now Roman. The old Carthaginians, descendants of the Phoenicians, disappeared from the face of the earth forever.

Death of Carthage. Joseph Mallord William Turner. 1817

By the heroic defense of their hometown, the Carthaginians earned the sympathy and admiration of all subsequent generations, and Rome's war against Carthage is considered a cowardly and unworthy act. The Romans had no real justification for the Third Punic War, and even less reason to destroy the city. They were very fond of talking with a grin about “Punic fidelity” (Punica fides), but their own reputation as a fair and honest partner in the 2nd century BC. turned out to be pretty wet. Apparently, they themselves understood what they had done. It is no coincidence that the Romans began to rewrite their legendary past, trying to restore their good name.

The first histories of Rome were written in Greek. Thus they gained the trust of the Greeks and proved that they were not barbarians and had all the advantages of a civilized life. Cato was the first to write a history of Rome in Latin. It was called "Origines". It was voluminous in seven books, which, unfortunately, have not reached our time. Based on what is known about this work, and from the surviving fragments, it can be said that the Principia was a grandiose exercise in collective self-justification. The man who constantly called for the destruction of Carthage brought to the forefront of his work typical Roman virtues: valor, obedience to law, honesty, respect for family, state and gods.

Only one book is devoted to the first centuries of the existence of Rome, and the events of the first half of the 2nd century until the fateful year 149 take up two. This detailed description of the recent past enabled the author to explain, justify and praise the Roman victory that led to the genocide. The author presented a list of seven obligations of Carthage to Rome, which, in the author's opinion, he violated. The Carthaginian version of events was practically not considered.

Changes Opponents Commanders Strengths of the parties Losses

Lua error in Module:Wikidata on line 170: attempt to index field "wikibase" (a nil value).

Third Punic War(- BC) - the last of the Punic Wars, as a result of which Carthage was completely destroyed.

Background

In January 1985, the mayors of Rome and Carthage signed a symbolic peace treaty, bringing the conflict to a formal end.

Write a review of the article "The Third Punic War"

Notes

Literature

Karinsky D. D. ,. Punic Wars // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
Revyako, K. A. Punic Wars. - Minsk, 1985.
Shifman I. I., "Carthage". - St. Petersburg: St. Petersburg University Publishing House. 2006. isbn 5-288-03714-0. With. 478-505.

View this template





Parties

Related events

Excerpt characterizing the Third Punic War

I was wearing a light yellow silk dress and knew that this color suited me very well. But if there was one person in the world in front of whom I did not want to look attractive, it was certainly Caraffa. But there was no time left to change clothes, and I had to go out that way.
He waited, calmly leaning on the back of his chair, studying some old manuscript, of which there were a countless number in our house. I put on a pleasant smile and went down to the living room. Seeing me, for some reason Karaffa froze, without uttering a word. The silence dragged on, and it seemed to me that the cardinal was about to hear my frightened heart beating loudly and treacherously... But finally, his enthusiastic, hoarse voice was heard:
– You are amazing, Madonna Isidora! Even this sunny morning is playing next to you!
– I never thought that cardinals were allowed to compliment ladies! – with the greatest effort, continuing to smile, I squeezed out.
- Cardinals are people too, Madonna, and they know how to distinguish beauty from simplicity... And where is your wonderful daughter? Will I be able to enjoy double beauty today?
– She is not in Venice, Your Eminence. She and her father went to Florence to visit her sick cousin.
– As far as I know, there are no patients in your family at the moment. Who fell ill so suddenly, Madonna Isidora? – there was an undisguised threat in his voice...
Caraffa began to play openly. And I had no choice but to face the danger face to face...
– What do you want from me, Your Eminence? Wouldn't it be easier to say it directly, saving us both from this unnecessary, cheap game? We are smart enough people that, even with differences in views, we can respect each other.
My legs were giving way from horror, but for some reason Caraffa didn’t notice this. He glared at my face with a flaming gaze, not answering and not noticing anything around. I couldn’t understand what was happening, and this whole dangerous comedy frightened me more and more... But then something completely unexpected happened, something completely outside the usual framework... Caraffa came very close to me, that’s all also, without taking his burning eyes off, and almost without breathing, he whispered:
– You cannot be from God... You are too beautiful! You are a witch!!! A woman has no right to be so beautiful! You are from the Devil!..
And turning around, he rushed out of the house without looking back, as if Satan himself was chasing him... I stood in complete shock, still expecting to hear his steps, but nothing happened. Gradually coming to my senses, and finally managing to relax my stiff body, I took a deep breath and... lost consciousness. I woke up on the bed, drinking hot wine from the hands of my dear maid Kei. But immediately, remembering what had happened, she jumped to her feet and began to rush around the room, not having any idea what to do... Time passed, and she had to do something, come up with something in order to somehow protect herself and your family from this two-legged monster. I knew for sure that now all the games were over, that the war had begun. But our forces, to my great regret, were very, very unequal... Naturally, I could defeat him in my own way... I could even simply stop his bloodthirsty heart. And all these horrors would end immediately. But the fact is that, even at thirty-six years old, I was still too pure and kind to kill... I never took a life, on the contrary, I very often gave it back. And even such a terrible person as Karaffa was, she could not yet execute...
The next morning there was a loud knock on the door. My heart has stopped. I knew - it was the Inquisition... They took me away, accusing me of “verbalism and witchcraft, stupefying honest citizens with false predictions and heresy”... That was the end.
The room they put me in was very damp and dark, but for some reason it seemed to me that I wouldn’t stay in it for long. At noon Caraffa came...
– Oh, I beg your pardon, Madonna Isidora, you were given someone else’s room. This is not for you, of course.
– What is all this game for, monsignor? – I asked, proudly (as it seemed to me), raising my head. “I would prefer simply the truth, and I would like to know what I am really accused of.” My family, as you know, is very respected and loved in Venice, and it would be better for you if the accusations were based on truth.
Caraffa would never know how much effort it took me to look proud back then!.. I understood perfectly well that hardly anyone or anything could help me. But I couldn't let him see my fear. And so she continued, trying to bring him out of that calmly ironic state, which apparently was his kind of defense. And which I absolutely couldn’t stand.
– Will you deign to tell me what my fault is, or will you leave this pleasure to your faithful “vassals”?!
“I do not advise you to boil, Madonna Isidora,” Caraffa said calmly. – As far as I know, all of your beloved Venice knows that you are a Witch. And besides, the strongest who once lived. Yes, you didn’t hide this, did you?
Suddenly I completely calmed down. Yes, it was true - I never hid my abilities... I was proud of them, like my mother. So now, in front of this crazy fanatic, will I betray my soul and renounce who I am?!
– You are right, Your Eminence, I am a Witch. But I am not from the Devil, nor from God. I am free in my soul, I KNOW... And you can never take this away from me. You can only kill me. But even then I will remain who I am... Only in that case, you will never see me again...
I blindly threw a weak blow... There was no confidence that it would work. But Caraffa suddenly turned pale, and I realized that I was right. No matter how much this unpredictable man hated the female half, he had a strange and dangerous feeling for me, which I could not yet accurately define. But the main thing is that it was there! And that was the only thing that mattered so far. And it would be possible to figure it out later, if now Karaff managed to “catch” this simple female bait... But I didn’t know then how strong the will of this unusual person was... The confusion disappeared as quickly as it came. The cold and calm cardinal stood before me again.
“It would be a huge loss for everyone who appreciates beauty, Madonna.” But too much beauty can be dangerous, as it destroys pure souls. And yours will definitely not leave anyone indifferent, so it will be better if it simply ceases to exist...
Caraffa left. And my hair stood on end - so strong did he strike fear into my tired, lonely soul... I was alone. All my loved ones and relatives were somewhere on the other side of these stone walls, and I was by no means sure that I would ever see them again... My beloved little Anna was huddled in Florence with the Medici, and I really hoped that Caraffa did not know where or who had it. My husband, who adored me, was with her at my request and did not know that I had been captured. I had no hope. I was truly all alone.

Plan
Introduction
1 Background
2 Progress of the war
3 Results
4 Interesting fact
Bibliography
Third Punic War

Introduction

The Third Punic War (149 - 146 BC) is the last of the Punic Wars.

1. Background

Over the time since the Second Punic War, the strength of Rome has increased significantly. In the wars, Macedonia and the Seleucid Empire were defeated, and Egypt was made dependent. However, Carthage, although deprived of its former power and having almost no military forces, caused concern with its rapid recovery. This still large trading center created significant competition for Roman trade. The Romans tried to weaken him; according to the peace treaty, the Carthaginians could not resolve all their disputes by military means, but had to submit them to the Senate for trial. An ally of Rome, the Numidian king Massinissa, taking advantage of this situation, plundered and captured Punic territories, and the Romans did not interfere with him in this.

Marcus Porcius Cato the Elder took part in the work of the commissions investigating these conflicts. A participant in the war with Hannibal, he looked with great apprehension at the newly accumulated wealth of Carthage. And, returning to Rome, he became an active supporter of the complete destruction of the ancient enemy. The interests of Rome demanded the same and the Senate supported this idea. It was not difficult to find a reason - with his attacks, Massinissa infuriated the Carthaginians and they put up an armed resistance to him.

2. Progress of the war

The Romans immediately prepared for war. The Punics tried to prevent it; they executed the heads of the anti-Roman party and sent an embassy to Rome. But the Roman army had already sailed to Africa. First of all, the consul Lucius Censorinus demanded that all weapons and 300 noble citizens be handed over as hostages. After fulfilling these requirements, the consul announced the main condition - the city of Carthage must be destroyed, and a new settlement should be founded at least 10 miles from the sea.

In Carthage, this demand was met with absolutely irreconcilability - the citizens tore the messengers to pieces and were determined to die rather than accept this terrible condition. In order to gain time, the Romans were asked for a month's delay, and the consul easily agreed to it - he believed that with the issuance of weapons, Carthage was defenseless.

Maintaining complete secrecy, the Carthaginians began preparations for defense. The whole city worked - there was not a single traitor among the more than half a million population. Carthage was an excellent fortress; within a month, the citizens brought its defenses to the highest possible level, and when the Roman army appeared under the walls of the city, the consuls were surprised to see an enemy ready for battle. The assault was repulsed with heavy losses for the Romans; detachments of the Punic army that left the city harassed the Romans with their raids. Finally, Massinissa was completely dissatisfied with the Romans’ desire to gain a foothold in Africa and did not provide them with any support. The unsuccessful siege lasted 2 years, when Scipio Aemilianus received command of the Romans. Having reorganized the army, he moved on to active action. Soon the Carthaginians lost their outer wall, and the city's harbor was closed by a dam. But the Punes dug a canal and their ships unexpectedly went to sea. Scipio managed to block it and surrounded Carthage with an outer wall.

In the spring of 146 BC. e. The Romans stormed the city, but a fierce battle raged for another 6 days. Only 55,000 inhabitants remained alive. The commander of the defense, Hasdrubal, and all those who could not count on life fortified themselves in one of the temples, the Romans decided to starve them out. Driven to extremes, the besieged set fire to the temple so as not to die at the hands of the enemy. As soon as Hasdrubal ran out of the temple and begged for mercy, his wife threw her children into the fire and threw herself into the flames.

The rejoicing in Rome was boundless. The Senate decided to destroy the city. Carthage was set on fire again and burned for another 17 days. A furrow was drawn across its territory with a plow, the area was forever cursed, the ground was sprinkled with salt.

4. Interesting fact

Formally, the Third Punic War ended on February 5, 1985. The mayor of Rome, Hugo Vetere, signed a peace treaty between Rome and Carthage during an official visit to Tunisia. Thus, the 3rd Punic War formally lasted 2131.

Bibliography:

1. Carthage and Rome « Site archive « Eltheriol.ru