In short
Between 264 and 146 BC, Rome and Carthage fought three successive wars across the Mediterranean that reshaped the ancient world. The conflict left Rome as the undisputed superpower of the western Mediterranean and Carthage in ruins, establishing a new order that would persist for centuries.
How it unfolded.
The five-minute version
What actually happened.
The Punic Wars were a series of wars fought between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian Empire during the period 264 to 146 BC. Three such wars took place, involving a total of forty-three years of warfare on both land and sea across the western Mediterranean region, and a four-year-long revolt against Carthage.
As it was happening
14 voices, 43252 days.
One beat at a time. Click any dot on the timeline to jump, press play for autoplay, or use the arrow keys to step.
Carthage falls
Roman general Scipio Aemilianus breaches walls after three-year siege. City burned systematically; survivors enslaved; territory becomes Roman province.
Voices from this moment (1)
Carthage falls
Apr 1
“Roman general Scipio Aemilianus breaches walls after…”
As it was happening
14 voices, 43252 days.
Day 0 · April 1, 146
Carthage falls
Roman general Scipio Aemilianus breaches walls after three-year siege. City burned systematically; survivors enslaved; territory becomes Roman province.
“Roman general Scipio Aemilianus breaches walls after…”
- Carthage falls, Apr 1
Day 1006 · January 1, 149
Third Punic War begins
Rome invades Carthage again, driven partly by senator Cato the Elder's repeated demand: 'Carthago delenda est' (Carthage must be destroyed).
“Rome invades Carthage again, driven partly by senator Cato…”
- Third Punic War begins, Jan 1
Day 19998 · January 1, 201
Second Punic War ends
Treaty of Scipio. Carthage loses Spain, pays huge war indemnity, reduces navy to ten ships, becomes Roman satellite state.
“Treaty of Scipio.”
- Second Punic War ends, Jan 1
Day 20654 · October 19, 202
Battle of Zama
Scipio Africanus defeats Hannibal in North Africa. Hannibal's invasion strategy collapses; Rome consolidates dominance.
“Scipio Africanus defeats Hannibal in North Africa.”
- Battle of Zama, Oct 19
Day 25690 · August 2, 216
Battle of Cannae
Hannibal's double-envelopment tactic destroys Roman army of 80,000 troops, inflicting worst military defeat Rome has yet experienced.
“Hannibal's double-envelopment tactic destroys Roman army of…”
- Battle of Cannae, Aug 2
Day 26207 · January 1, 218
Second Punic War begins
Hannibal Barca invades Italy from Spain with war elephants, launching one of antiquity's most famous military campaigns.
“Hannibal Barca invades Italy from Spain with war elephants,…”
- Second Punic War begins, Jan 1
Day 34608 · January 1, 241
First Punic War ends
Treaty of Lutatius concludes 23-year conflict. Carthage cedes Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica to Rome; pays substantial war indemnity.
“Treaty of Lutatius concludes 23-year conflict.”
- First Punic War ends, Jan 1
Day 41547 · January 1, 260
Battle of Mylae
Roman navy defeats Carthaginian fleet off Sicily's coast, establishing Rome's emerging naval capability under consul Gaius Duilius.
“The Romans build ships as if spawned by grain itself -…”
- Synthesized from period accounts - Livy's historical records of Carthaginian dispatches, Mar 20
“Three years of this war and grain prices double.”
- Synthesized from period accounts - contemporary merchant records, Nov 10
“Rome comes as liberator, Carthage as overlord - yet both…”
- Synthesized from period accounts - local Sicilian chronicles, May 12
“Roman navy defeats Carthaginian fleet off Sicily's coast,…”
- Battle of Mylae, Jan 1
Day 43008 · January 1, 264
First Punic War begins
Conflict ignites over control of Sicily. Rome enters Mediterranean naval warfare for the first time, forcing development of warship technology and tactics.
“We cannot permit Carthage to dominate the straits between…”
- Senate speech, Rome, 264 BC, Jun 15
“Never has the world seen such a contest - forty years…”
- Synthesized from period accounts - Polybius' historical writings on the Punic Wars, Sep 1
“Conflict ignites over control of Sicily.”
- First Punic War begins, Jan 1
The numbers.
6 numbers that anchor the scale.
By the numbers
The countable parts.
Total duration
0 years (264–146 BC)
Number of wars
0 distinct conflicts
Years of active warfare
0 years of combat operations
First Punic War
0–241 BC
Second Punic War
0–201 BC
Third Punic War
0–146 BC
Captured in time.
Captured before it changed
The web as it looked, the day it happened.
Wayback Machine snapshots of the pages people actually loaded that day. Click any card to open the archive at full size.
Sources & citations.
Sources
Where this came from.
Every claim on this page traces to a public, license-clean source. We don't asterisk well.
Wikipedia
1 source- 1.Punic Wars
en.wikipedia.org