The Punic Wars 264-146 BC (Essential Histories) [Paperback]

Gosh, what can i say. When i read this book i was blown away. The amount of fact is remarkable for such a short book. All major events are covered in the punic wars. The book has a tendency to focus on Hannibal and the second war, but that is understandable.
The fact that this book is 100% in colour is perfect, and instantly makes for a more enjoyable read.
If you just want an overview of the punic wars then this is the book for you. It blends humour and fact very well, which makes you want to read more.
All in all a must buy for someone who just wants an introduction to this turbulent era of history (perfect for children as well).

As usual with the essential histories titles, this book provides a very good introduction to this subject. The author describes the complex events of the three punic wars as a series of phases, which helps the reader to understand the wider strategic situation in these wars, which were spread across the entire mediterranean area involving many different factions (not just Carthage and Rome).
Something that appeals to me about this book is that it does not try to infer too much from the few facts we have available to us today (some historians will tell you that a roman army camped on a particular location for three days before marching northwards and dying of the plague, on the evidence of a single toothpick found 4 miles away). Instead the author describes different possible reasons why Hannibal did not march on Rome following the battle of Cannae for example, and admits that we know little about exactly what information was at his disposal when he made this decision.
With many confusing names in the book (a tribe of Scipios and the "Ha" names of Carthage; Hanno, Hasdrubal and Hannibal), the glossary of names at the end is also a valuable addition.
This book will give you an interest in the punic wars at an affordable price where a more expensive, thicker book could well kill your interest. That said, there was much more to the punic wars than the events described in this book, but this is certainly the best place to start.

The modern practice of regarding history as what happened last week has resulted in the loss of an understanding of the foundation of Western civilisation and how it came about. The three Punic Wars lasted for over a century, although there were long periods of peace between. They extended throughout the Mediterranean and decided the future of the Western world. They were fought by two races: the Indo-Germanic (including Romans and Greeks) and the Semitic which included Jews and Arabs. It was a contest between ordered societies and commerical adventurers.

Carthage was established by Phoenician settlers from Tyre in 814 BC. It was destroyed in 146 BC leaving no records but some archaelogical evidence. Most of what is known about them comes from Roman sources, which may not be unbiased. Cicero "identified the Catheginians' most distinguishing characteristics as being craft, skill, industry and cunning." They lived for profit and used all means, including bribery, to achieve their aims. Their religion was polytheistic and during the fifth century BC replaced the worship of Melquarth with that of Baal Hannon which included human sacrifice. Each city, including Carthage, was bound in a loose manner to other cities which produced stability but did not create loyalty to the Carthaginian empire as a whole.

Rome was established around 750 BC. It was absorbed by the Etruscans a century later, was an Etruscan colony for 250 years and briefly occupied by the Gauls before starting to expand its hegemony over Italy as a whole and, in harness with the Greeks, opposed Carthaginian interests in Sicily. Roman society set itself "an ideal of virtue based on willpower, self-restraint, a seriousness devoid of frivolity, perseverance and a binding sense of duty to the family, social group or military unit, all established in the hierarchy of state authority." It was a conservative, superstitious society based on loyalty. Roman religion was multi-deist and by the third century had absorbed the Greek gods and Romanised them. The Senate was hereditary, aristocratic, despotic and frequently divided between three aristocratic families (the Fabii, Claudii and the Aemilii) each of whom had different agendas.

Carthage's main force was its navy which was manned entirely by Cartheginians. Their ships were able to provide a strategic mobility which, if utilised properly, was a match for anyone. Their army consisted mainly of mercenaries from subject nations, including slingshot experts from Majorca, cavalry and short sword fighters from Spain and Libyans from Tunisia. One of their weapons were Moroccan elephants which Hannibal supplemented with larger Indian elephants. On the battlefield they struck terror into the enemy's men and horses. The Roman forces were primarily a land army. They constructed a navy after a Carthaginian ship ran aground was "dismantled and used as a model for a whole Roman fleet." Neither side engaged in conflict with each other and drew up treaties of friendship (the third of which was signed in 279 BC). Within ten years they were at war.

Carthage controlled most of Sicily although there were Greek settlements on the island. In 278 BC the settlers appealed to the Greek general Pyrrhus of Epirus to drive the Carthaginians out of Italy. Pyrrhus did so but he became so unpopular with the Sicilians that they joined with the Carthaginians to force him out again. When he left it opened the way for the Carthaginians and Romans to battle for supremacy.

The first Punic War broke out in 264 BC and ended in 241 BC, although military action ended two years earlier. Carthage was immediately troubled by the mercenary revolt which lasted four years. Each of the parties sniped at each other, the Romans seizing Sardinia and invading Illyria. In 220 BC they placed Saguntum in eastern Spain under their protection. This provoked the leader of the Barca dynasty, Hannibal, into taking the city. He then marched from Spain across the Alps and invaded Italy from the North in 218 BC resulting in the seventeen year second Punic War. Hannibal defeated the Romans at the battle of Cannae but was unable to rouse other Italians against Rome. He was recalled to Carthage where he was defeated by the Romans, under Scipio Africanus, at the battle of Zama in 202 BC. Hannibal escaped and remained on the run from the Romans until he committed suicide in 183 BC

The third Punic War lasted three years and was motivated by the Romans hatred of Carthage which had started to prosper despite the financial burdens imposed by Rome. Although the Carthaginians were prepared to surrender immediately Roman demands that they destroy Carthage itself led to a revolt. Scipio Nascia warned the Senate that if Carthage was destoyed Roman arrogance would lead to internal social, economic and political disintegration as various groups " pursue their own self- interested ends." His prediction was "remarkably perspicacious." Carthage itself was razed to the ground.

In 1985 a formal treaty of friendship and cooperation was signed by the Mayors of Carthage and Rome finally ending the conflict between the two cities after 2448 years. The importance of understanding history is an essential part of knowing how we got where we are and avoiding past mistakes to ensure a peaceful future. Whether the latter is a realistic objective seems as uncertain as ever. This is a splendid introduction to the Punic Wars and worth five stars for anyone who's knowledge of ancient times is limited. Highly recomended.