Fall of Carthage

The siege of Carthage was the main engagement of the Third Punic War fought between Carthage and Rome.^¹ It consisted of the nearly three-year siege of the Carthaginian capital, Carthage.^¹ In 149 BC, a large Roman army landed at Utica in North Africa.^¹ The Carthaginians hoped to appease the Romans, but despite the Carthaginians surrendering all of their weapons, the Romans pressed on to besiege the city.^¹ The Roman campaign suffered repeated setbacks through 149 BC, only alleviated by Scipio Aemilianus, a middle-ranking officer, distinguishing himself several times.^¹ A new Roman commander took over in 148 BC, and fared equally badly.^¹ At the annual election of Roman magistrates in early 147 BC, the public support for Scipio was so great that the usual age restrictions were lifted to allow him to be appointed commander in Africa.^¹