|
Punic Wars
Punic Wars three distinct conflicts between Carthage and Rome . When they began, Rome had nearly completed the conquest of Italy, while Carthage controlled NW Africa and the islands and the commerce of the W Mediterranean. When they ended, Carthage was ruined, and Rome was the greatest power W o...
Read more
|
|
Masinissa
Masinissa or Massinissa , c.238-148 BC, king of Numidia. He succeeded (c.207 BC) his father as king of E Numidia. Brought up in Carthage, he fought in a Carthaginian campaign in Spain in the Second Punic War (see Punic Wars ) but eventually went over (c.206) to the Roman side. After defeating h...
Read more
|
|
Hamilcar Barca
Hamilcar Barca d. 229 or 228 BC, Carthaginian general. He was assigned the command in Sicily in 247 in the First Punic War (see Punic Wars ). From mountain bases near Palermo he made repeated raids on the Romans and relieved the Punic garrison in Lilybaeum. However, the Carthaginians were defeated...
Read more
|
|
Hasdrubal
Hasdrubal d. 207 BC, Carthaginian general; son of Hamilcar Barca . During the Second Punic War (see Punic Wars ), his brother Hannibal , on leaving for Italy, made Hasdrubal commander in Spain. Hasdrubal conducted a long campaign against the Romans, led by Publius and Cnaeus Scipio , who preven...
Read more
|
|
Regulus
Regulus (Marcus Atilius Regulus) , d. c.250 BC, Roman general in the First Punic War. While consul (267 BC) he conquered the Sallentini and captured Brundisium (now Brindisi). He became consul a second time (256), defeated the Carthaginians at sea, and waged war against them in Africa, at first wi...
Read more
|
|
Sagunto
Sagunto , Latin Saguntum, town (1990 pop. 58,135), Valencia prov., E Spain, on the Palencia River, in Valencia. A seaport on the Mediterranean, it is an important metallurgical center, with iron and steel foundries. Saguntum was an ally of Rome when it was besieged and captured (219-218 BC) by the...
Read more
|
|
Numidia
Numidia , ancient country of NW Africa, very roughly the modern Algeria . It was part of the Carthaginian empire until Masinissa , ruler of E Numidia, allied himself (c.206 BC) with Rome in the Punic Wars . After the Roman victory over Carthage led to peace in 201 BC, Masinissa was awarded rule o...
Read more
|
|
Cato the Elder
Cato the Elder or Cato the Censor, Lat. Cato Major or Cato Censorius, 234-149 BC, Roman statesman and moralist, whose full name was Marcus Porcius Cato. He fought in the Second Punic War and later served as quaestor (204), aedile (199), praetor (198), consul (195), and censor (184). He was ...
Read more
|
|
Hannibal
Hannibal , b. 247 BC, d. 183 or 182 BC Carthaginian general, an implacable and formidable enemy of Rome. Although knowledge of him is based primarily on the reports of his enemies, Hannibal appears to have been both just and merciful. He is renowned for his tactical genius.
Invasion of Italy
...
Read more
|
|
Tarragona
Tarragona , city (1990 pop. 112,360), capital of Tarragona prov., NE Spain, in Catalonia, on the Mediterranean Sea at the mouth of the Francolí River. A port and commercial center, it has an oil refinery, flour mills, and a large wine export. Some of Spain's finest wines are made in the nearb...
Read more
|