AWThe 1st Punic War

8/14/2019 AWThe 1st Punic War

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The 1st Punic War

264-241 BC


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Carthage, Thenand Now


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Carthage, then


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Carthage, now


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First Punic War

Rome vs. Carthage (N. Africa)

Large scale naval battles

Failed Roman invasion of Africa

Introduction (and disappearance of the

corvus)

Sacred Chickens

Hamilcar Barca


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Major Events

Roman interests brought her to Sicily and formeda peace with Hiero of Syracuse.

264-257 BC Sicilian towns were taken by Rome:Carthage strongholds were Panormus (251),Lilybaeum (surrendered 241), Drepana (242) andAgrigentum (262).

Rome invades Africa (Carthage) in 256/55, hopingto end the war.

Naval Battle of Ecnomus en route to Carthage


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Sicily


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Carthagianian Strongholds


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Battle of

Ecnomus

Romans take a wrecked quinquireme

and adds a corvus to turn a sea battle

into a land battle.

Records stop mentioning after 255 BC


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256 BC, as the invasion force to Africa is en route

330 Carthaginian/350 RomanRoman victory

Avg 400 crew + soldiers (500 on quinquireme) X 680 ships =272,000 men

54 ships sunk total = 21,600 drowned/killed


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Consul, Marcus AtiliusRegulus lands 15,000infantry, 500 cavalry and isoutside the walls of Carthage.

Spartan Xanthippus organizesthe defense/Battle of TunisCarthaginian victory.


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Regulus as a Hostage

2,000 Romans escape, most are slaughtered

Regulus, on his honor, goes back to Rome

to ask peace for Carthage.

Regulus asks the Senate to refuse and

continue on.

Regulus returns (250) and is executed; put

in a spiked barrel and rolled downhill.


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1415 Medieval Manuscript Depicting Regulus Death


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Battle of Drepana, 249 BC

Roman fleet arrives at Drepana in morning,

sailing from the East.

Sacred Chickens will not eat the grain; the

consul Publius Claudius Pulcher throws

them overboard.

ut biberent, quando esse nollentif they wont eat, let them drink


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Results of Drepana

As the Romans come in one entrance to the harbor

(supposed sneak attack) the Carthaginians go out

another entrance. Pulcher discovers that the enemy is behind him,

and in the confusion, looses 93 of the ~120 ships.

93 X 400 = 37,200 men lost

He returns to Rome/tried for being impious to the

gods, convicted, exiled, but dies shortly after trial

(suicide?).


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Hamilcar Barca

Father of Hannibal Took over supreme

command in Sicily in

247 Guerilla defense

from Mt. Eryxstill

there when the finalbattle and peace is

signed in 241.


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Final PushBattle of the

Aegates Islands Patricians penny up for one last fleet.

Roman naval victoryCarthage sues for

peace, leaves Sicily, pays 2,200 talents over

10 years, and 1,000 talents upfront and in

addition.

Carthage deals with a Mercenary Warafterwards/Hamilcar crushes it.


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AWThe 1st Punic War

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