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The war started when the romans sent an at army to sicily to prevent a carthaginian takeover. Rome crushed carthage's navy off the coast of sicily and then the island then came under roman rule

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12y ago
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11y ago

You should specify what war you are referring. I assume that you mean the Second Punic war.

The Romans adopted tactics that partially neutralised the vast superiority of Hannibal's great military genius and of his cavalry. They also found in Scipio Africanus a general who was capable to match Hannibal's military genius. After an unsuccessful campaign in Spain, Scipio Africanus started a second campaign there, defeated Carthage and won Spain for the Romans. He also defeated Hannibal in the final battle near Carthage. This was Hannibal's first and only defeat. Rome's victory was not due exclusively to her efforts. Failures in Hannibal tactics also contributed to his the failure of his campaign in Italy. The internal politics of Carthage was also a factor. These are the main factors in this was:

1) Hannibal tried to reach Italy form Spain as quickly as possible to catch the Romans by surprise. He did succeed in this. The astonishing speed of his advance threw the Romans off. However, he had to pay a big price for this. In his effort to cross the Alps in the winter, a feat that was not thought possible, he lost his siege machines, probably due to snow. Without these machines, he could not attack Rome. Because of this he went to southern Italy instead of advancing in Rome. He spent the rest of his campaign there and never got close to Rome.

2).The Romans' Fabian strategy of attrition avoided battle due to Hannibal superiority and aimed a wearing him down through guerrilla tactics. This made the war drag on. It forced Hannibal to ravage the countryside in the areas where he went to feed his troop. This alienated the peoples of these areas. Over time it also created the need for reinforcements, which Hannibal never received.

3) The failure of gaining enough support form Rome's allies in Italy. This was needed to increase the number of troops available to Hannibal, weaken Rome's fighting strength, and provide further supplies of soldiers which became needed as the war dragged on. When Hannibal travelled to Italy he got support from the Gauls in northern Italy who rebelled, creating difficulties for the Romans. However, as Hannibal travelled south, the Gauls no longer provided support. Hannibal got some support from Roman allies in southern Italy after he was the battle of Cannae, but this was insufficient.

4) The interception and defeat of Hasdrubal's army. Hasdrubal, Hannibal's brother, gathered an army in Spain and crossed the Alps to bring reinforcements and the badly needed siege machines to Hannibal. While traveling to southern Italy to join Hannibal, his army was routed and he was killed (207 BC). Hannibal did not receive the new and fresh soldiers and the badly needed siege machines. This was the beginning of the end for Hannibal's campaign in Italy. He became a spent force and withdrew to Calabria (the toe of Italy) because its mountainous territory was easy to defend. He spent the last four years of his campaign in Italy stuck there.

5) At this point Carthage did not support Hannibal. The peace party in that city gained the ascendancy and refused to send him reinforcements. Carthage's economic interests in Spain were now considered more important than Hannibal's campaign. Carthage's wealth rested mainly on Spain, especially the Spanish silver mines, and she was now at risk of losing it to the Romans.

6) Scipio Africanus defeated the Carthaginians at the battle of Illipa in southern Spain (206 BC). Carthage lost her territories in Spain and with this the bulk of her manpower for her infantry (most Carthaginian infantrymen were Turdetani and Iberian allies from Spain) and the wealth of the silver mines. This was a big blow both to Carthage and to Hannibal, who could no longer hope for reinforcements from Spain.

After this, Scipio Africanus organised an expedition to Africa and Hannibal was recalled to Carthage to fight him. Scipio defeated Hannibal in the battle of Zama, which marked the final defeat of Carthage.

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3y ago

Wearing them down in 3 wars

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Q: Explain how Rome gradually defeated the Carthaginians?
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Related questions

How did rome graudually defeated the carthaginians?

Rome defeated the Carthaginians in the Three Punic Wars (264-241 BC, 218-201 BC, and 149-146 BC).


Who defeated the carthaginians?

The Roman general Scipio defeated the Carthaginians under Hannibal at the battle of Zama in Africa. Scipio was awarded the honorific name Africanus for his victory.


Who was defeated by Rome in the Punic war?

The Carthaginians were defeated and lost control over Sicily. After the war Rome also seized Corsica and Sardinia. The city of Carthage was in modern day Tunisia.


What was the outcome of the wars fought between ancient Rome and Carthage?

Rome achieved its aim of dominating the Western Mediterranean by eliminating the Carthaginians, in a 'Final Solution' Rome sold the defeated Carthaginians into slavery so that they could no longer be a competitor.


What were the Carthaginians trying to do to Sicily before Rome stepped in?

The Carthaginians were wanting to expand their control to Sicily before Rome stepped in.


What happend As a result of the battle of zama Carthage gave to rome?

Scipio defeated Hannibal, and the Carthaginians had to accept a humiliating treaty which included that they lost territory to Rome, e.g. Spain, and had to promise not to fight with anyone without Rome's permission.


What were the outcomes of the 2nd and 3rd Punic wars?

Rome and its allies defeated Carthage. After the Second war, Rome imposed an annual financial penalty designed to cripple Carthage for 50 years. The resilient Carthaginians paid it off in ten years. So after defeating Carthage in the Third Punic War, Rome went for a 'Final Solution' selling the Carthaginians into slavery to get rid of their contest for superiority in the Western Mediterranean.


Who was the famous commander that Rome defeated during the Punic wars?

Hannibal Barca led the Carthaginians whereas Publius Cornelius Scipio led the Roman army .


What did Rome gain by defeating the Carthaginians?

Dominance of the Western Mediterranean.


Why were the Carthaginians attacking Rome?

Over control of the Western Mediterranean.


What was Rome's monumental struggle with the carthaginians was known as?

The Punic wars


Rome conquered what empire in 202 bc?

Carthaginians