Rome and Carthage fought three wars during the third and second centuries B.C. The first and second wars both ended with treaties on Roman terms. Some fifty years after the end of the Second Punic War, Rome was strongly influenced by an aged veteran of that war named Marcus Porcius Cato, AKA Cato the Elder. […]
Why Did Rome Spare the City of Carthage after the Second Punic War and then Destroy it Fifty Years Later?
September 14, 2019 By Leave a Comment
It was Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus who finally defeated Hannibal at the end of the Second Punic war. He imposed Roman terms on the city. They were generous terms in that they allowed Carthage autonomy with their own laws and government. The treaty forced Carthage to destroy all but five of their battleships, stop training […]
What Role Did the Berbers (Numidians) Play in the Destruction of Carthage?
August 26, 2019 By Leave a Comment
The Romans called the native peoples of North Africa Numidians, which meant nomads. They were distinct from the Carthaginians who were descended from Phoenician colonists. The Numidians provided the Carthaginians with mercenaries, and at the start of the Second Punic War in 218 B.C. both major tribes, the Masaesyli under King Syphax and the Massylii […]
Why did Hannibal not Besiege and Conquer Rome after his Victory at Cannae.
May 4, 2019 By Leave a Comment
After the battle of Cannae one would have thought that Hannibal had Rome on the ropes. It is believed that one in five Roman or allied men of military age died at Cannae, Trasimene or Trebia. The story goes that Hannibal’s cavalry chief, Maharbal offered to take his cavalry to Rome and besiege the city, […]
Quora Question: What did Hannibal Think of the Romans
March 18, 2019 By 2 Comments
Hannibal was indoctrinated by his father, Hamilcar Barca, to hate the Romans. There is a story that, before taking Hannibal with him to Spain, Hamilcar took him to the Temple of Elissa at Carthage and made him swear an oath: “When I come to age, I shall pursue the Romans with fire and sword and […]
The Last Carthaginian is Now Available on Amazon and Kindle
March 11, 2017 By Leave a Comment
I have just published the third in my series of historical novels about the Second and Third Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage. The Death of Carthage told the story of the Second and Third Punic Wars from the point of view of the Romans. In the Wake of Hannibal told the story of the […]
Why Did the Romans Destroy Carthage?
January 30, 2017 By 12 Comments
The Punic wars were a pivotal point in Roman history. Rome emerged from them literally ready and able to conquer the world. After the Second Punic War, Carthage was subdued. They were devoid of warships, war elephants and sources of mercenary soldiers. They could not even effectively defend themselves against their Numidian neighbors who […]
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