History glossary
the Punic Wars
the three wars fought by Rome and Carthage between 264 and 146 BCE.
- Category
- Conflict
- Region
- Western Mediterranean
- Date range
- 264-146 BCE
What it means
The Punic Wars were the First, Second, and Third Punic Wars fought between the Roman Republic and Carthage. They began as a struggle over Sicily, expanded into a contest across the western Mediterranean, and ended with the destruction of Carthage and Rome's rise as the dominant Mediterranean power.
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.
