History glossary
the First Punic War
the first war between Rome and Carthage, fought mainly over Sicily from 264 to 241 BCE.
- Category
- Conflict
- Region
- Sicily and the central Mediterranean
- Date range
- 264-241 BCE
What it means
The First Punic War began when a local crisis at Messana drew Rome and Carthage into Sicily. Rome built major fleets, challenged Carthage at sea, and eventually won Sicily, its first overseas province, after a long and costly struggle.
Related terms
Stories using this term
The Roman Republic
From the expulsion of Rome’s kings to the rise of Augustus, the Roman Republic built a powerful mixed constitution, expanded across the Mediterranean, and ultimately collapsed into civil war and one-man rule.
The Punic Wars: The Story of Rome, Carthage and Hannibal
From rivalry over Sicily to Hannibal's invasion, Zama, and the destruction of Carthage, the Punic Wars made Rome the dominant power of the Mediterranean and changed the Republic forever.
