THE PUNIC WARS
                            
The first Punic war was one of three which eventually resulted in the
complete destruction of Carthiginian power by Rome.

First Punic war -264Bc to 241BC
Second Punic war-219BC to 201BC
Third Punic war -149BC to 146BC

The most famous of these wars was the 2nd Punic war, mainly because of
the genius of Hannibal, the Carthaginian general. In 218BC he crossed
the Alps and defeated the Romans in four major battles - Ticinus,Tiberia
Lake Trasimene and finally the classic battle of Cannae where a huge Roman
force was virtually wiped out. However he was reluctant or unable to actually
capture Rome and wandered Italy with his army for 15 years. he returned to
Carthage in 202BC to face a Roman invasion but was resoundly defeated by
the great Roman general Scipio Africanus at the Battle of Zama.
Hannibal committed suicide in 182BC, exiled from Carthage.

In the third Punic war, the Romans raised Carthage to the ground and the
area became a province of Rome.