Why Did The Ancient City Of Carthage Almost Become Rome's Equal?

Rome and Carthage shared many aspects when the two first clash. Carthage had two chief magistrates referred to as Suffetes, which compared to the political power of the Roman consuls, a council of elders named the “hundred,” which was similar to the Roman senate, and there was a Carthaginian assembly, the consistency resembled the Roman comitia (Morey, 1901). This is where the similarities end for Carthaginian, ruled by a few wealthy families, the Carthaginians did not integrate their subjects into the state, and they did not have the great loyalty of its citizens that Rome enjoyed. By placing its army under the command of a single permanent leader, Carthage created an overwhelming advantage to Rome, which had its armies controlled by the ever-changing civil magistrates and consuls (Morey, 1901).

So the war had begun, on both side there is a bit of advantage. The Romans have the advantage of being on the offense giving them a foot hole in Carthage. The Carthaginians also had an advantage. When the Carthaginians realized it was time for war they began preparing for siege. The got an advantage because the Roman army contracted disease during this time so Carthage had enough time to

The destruction of Carthage provided a trading port for Rome that boosted its economy. Moreover, the conquest of Sicily resulted in the exploitation of its minerals and natural resources for profit. Consequently, unequal distribution of wealth was widespread throughout society. The elites reaped the benefits while the lower elements struggled to compete.

Believe it or not, Carthage and Rome started off as friends. The main reason they started fighting each other was because of a small island territory off the coast of Italy called Sicily. Despite Carthage's constant disputes with its neighboring regions, Carthage and Rome were historically friendly towards one another. Over the years, the two cities formed and signed treaties solidifying trading rights. Ultimately the First Punic war was launched in 264 B.C., when Rome got in the middle of a dispute on the Carthaginian controlled island of Sicily (Punic Wars)

By this time, the Carthage had complete control over Spain, Sicily, and Sardinia among others. “As each expanded its boundaries, ultimately there was no way that a clash of arms could be avoided” (Nardo pg. 11). Both empires were vigorous, aggressive, exceptionally organized, and well led. Rome had always hated Carthage from the birth of the Roman Empire, and the Romans sought to establish Roman rule throughout the Mediterranean, and this could not be done with Carthage in the way. “There could only be one master of the Mediterranean”, claimed Cato the Elder, a Roman nobleman (Rise pg.

While many Roman and Carthaginian leaders sometimes tried to simulate different strategies from their opponents leaders. There were many differences between the two powerful governments of Rome and Carthage. One such area that had differences is the way they there governments functioned.

Political organization and administrative presence are the second requirements for having a successful empire. It is evident that the Roman government had the ability to collect revenue, taxation, while having a justice system to impose laws, build and maintain roads and other infrastructure. The Roman Empire was the most prosperous empire across Europe during its time. There were three elements that gave Rome the details to be seen as a great empire administrator. Rome had the ability to be aristocratic, democratic, and monarchical, all of which are important for the success of an empire (Polybius, 1). Polybius writes, “This was indeed only natural. For if one fixed one's eyes on the power of consult, the constitutionseemed completely monarchical

Carthage possessed wealth and had naval supremacy. Since Carthage never incorporated any colonies that it conquered consequently, it lacked a body of loyal citizens. While Rome sustained a larger, accumulation of devoted citizens having bestowed many of their colonies with full citizenship. Carthage relied on wealth and commercial resources and Rome seemed to thrive under catastrophe with Romans showing cohesion in times of

This very fact resulted in another outcome: that Rome was now a major dominating empire in Europe. Before long, the Romans took over all of Italy, Africa, Spain and Greece. “The defeat of Carthage transformed the Roman Republic from a growing regional power into the super-powered Empire of the Mediterranean” (“Results of the Second Punic War”, 2017). The Second Punic War was what started this series of conquests.

Like Carthage Rome was a developing, powerful city-state keen on controlling the Mediterranean and collecting the wealth associated with that. As the two nations expanded and came into contact more and more tensions began to rise and suspicions turned into hostility in what would be a precursor to the cold war between the Soviet Union and the United States of the 20th century, Rome and Carthage would come to compete with one another for supremacy of the known world.

With the introduction of the hoplite phalanx to the Roman army, came a multitude of wars and long drawn out campaigns that the Romans were involved in throughout the republic period. One such campaign or campaigns that set the Roman republic as the uncontested superpower in the Mediterranean was the Punic Wars. Rome fought three wars against Carthage between 264 and 146 BCE. These wars constituted major events in the history of Rome and the Mediterranean basin (Marcel Le Glay 2009) p. 73. Though these wars were fought for reasons such as competing economics, revenge (most notably the Carthaginian general Hannibal), and a fear that could be related in today’s terms of opposing forces such as (the United States and Soviet Union feared each other during the Cold War) the fact is in the end Rome defeated the Carthaginians, not only were the Carthaginians defeated, but the city of Carthage was demolished and the people massacred or sold into slavery so as not to threaten the Romans ever again. In the fall of the city, in obedience to the Senate’s orders the inhabitants were reduced to slavery or forced to emigrate, the town was burnt and soil was

The two cities were fairly matched, Carthage possessed the power and strength of ruling the sea with her long established navy and fleet of 300 -350 warships. The navy was largely made up of her Phoenician citizenry and was the finest of that era. The army wasn’t as large as Rome’s, however, still well equipped and highly skilled, many of Carthage’s foreign mercenaries fought in her army as well. One unique aspect was that specially trained warfare Indian Elephants were used in their attacks, it took a while for Scipio of Rome to strategise how to get around these gigantic weapons, in which he eventually did in his final victory over Carthage in the Battle of Zama (202 BCE). ("Carthage - Wikipedia, the free

This paper will explain how Carthage came to rival Rome during the Punic Wars. It will discuss their strengths and weaknesses in detail, leading to reasons as to why the Romans felt they needed to assemble their own navy.

Throughout ancient history, both the Roman Empire and the Carthage Empire were rivals in many battles and wars. Both Rome and Carthage were prestigious empires with economic and political growth mainly through trade and the conquest of land, but during the Punic Wars, they were both tested against each other that lead to 100’s of years of war to determine which empire was the supreme power of the Mediterranean.

Carthage was similar and almost equal to the Roman republic, especially as can be noticed in their government model. Carthage had two magistrates that were called “suffetes”, and which can be compared to the Roman consuls, Carthage had a council of elders that was called the “hundred”, that can be compared to the Roman senate, also,