The Punic Wars

The Punic Wars recounts the three wars between Rome and Carthage that determined control of the western Mediterranean. It follows the naval struggle of the First Punic War, Hannibal’s invasion of Italy and victories such as Cannae in the Second, and Rome’s eventual destruction of Carthage in 146 BC. The book explains how these conflicts transformed Rome from an Italian power into an expanding Mediterranean empire.

The three conflicts also altered the societies that fought them. Rome learned to sustain large fleets, campaign for years outside Italy and administer overseas possessions, while Carthage repeatedly had to finance distant wars through commanders and allied manpower. By the end, the rivalry that began over Sicily had changed the distribution of power across the Mediterranean.