A HISTORY LESSON
under the terms of their surrender in the Second Pu-
nic War, they were forced to appeal for help to the
Rome, you may have heard, wasn’t built in a day, and Roman Senate, which had little affection for their for-
neither was its far-reaching and long-lasting Empire. mer enemies. The Senate’s arbitration of the matter
That Empire, in fact, was built and maintained for
dragged on for decades and was heavily slanted
centuries through brutal military dominance, and it
against Carthage. Frustrated and aggrieved, the rem-
fought bloody wars against many other civilizations
nants of the once great city-state mounted a military
across the Mediterranean, into Africa, Europe and
campaign against the Humidians, but were soundly
Asia. But perhaps no enemy the Roman people faced defeated.
was as hated and feared as the North African city-
Members of the Roman Senate, though, were dis-
state of Carthage (in modern day Tunisia).
turbed by this uprising of militarism among its defeat-
The Romans and the sea-faring Phoenicians of Car-
ed enemy. The great orator Cato the Elder was partic-
thage fought the three famous Punic Wars over 125 ularly adamant about the need to destroy Carthage
years, during which Rome
once and for all. He famous-
alternately suffered humili-
ly ended all his speeches
ating defeats –and achieved
(regardless of the topic) in
great victories. The second
the Roman Senate with the
Punic War is famous for the
exhortation, “Carthago
Carthaginian assault on Ro-
delenda est” or “Carthage
man territory from the
must be destroyed!”
North, as Hannibal’s vast
The Third Punic War lasted
armies (between 60,000
just three years, ending in
and 100,000 men!) crossed
146 BC. A long siege of Car-
the Alps with war ele-
thage ended when the Ro-
phants. While he secured
man general Scipio Aemili-
many victories during this
anus razed the city. The re-
legendary campaign, Hanni-
maining population of
bal failed to decisively de-
50,000 was sold into slav-
feat Rome and permanently
ery; the city was systemati-
sever its relationships with
cally sacked and burned to the
Hannibal crossed the Alps with war elephants
its allies. Fighting between
ground over 17 days; and, leg-
the two sides dragged on for nearly 15 years, and the
end
has
it,
the
land
was
“sown with salt,” making it
Carthaginians were ultimately forced to surrender in
impossible to ever repopulate the area.
204 BC following a stunning defeat by superior Ro-
man cavalry forces in the Battle of Zama on the Afri- Finally, Carthage had been, once and for all time, de-
can mainland.
stroyed.
Carthago Delenda est!
In defeat, the Carthaginians found themselves har-
assed by their neighbors, the Numidians. However,
Vox Latina
2015-2016 Volume 2
- Beckett Schiaparelli
Page 3