The name "Punic Wars" is used for the series of wars between Rome and Carthage in the third and second centuries BC. The Romans called the Carthaginians Poeni [Phoenicians], from which derived the adjective "Punic."

Carthage- with its capital near Tunis in modern-day Tunisia, North Africa - was a trading empire that had co-existed with Rome for many centuries. Eventually the two empires clashed in the series of three wars called the Punic Wars.

Rome defeated Carthage three times, finally destroying the city and the empire.

The first marked the first Roman involvement outside of Italy, and represents the beginning of the Roman conquest of the Mediterranean. It was a huge conflict that lasted for more than two decades.

• The second was the hardest war the Romans ever fought and resulted in huge losses for the Romans in material and manpower.

• The third was an act of vengeance in which the Romans finally obliterated their bitter enemy. The wars were decisive for the emergence of imperial Rome and the direction of western history.

The first of the three great confrontations between Rome and Carthage was fought bitterly on land and sea over control of Sicily, with the war being taken for a time to North Africa. In 264 the Mamertine mercenary rulers of Messana called on Carthaginians to protect them from Hiero of Syracuse; then called on Rome to protect them from Carthaginians. This led to war between Carthage and Rome, primarily about control over Sicily.

During this war Rome built a fleet (262 BC) for the first time and defeated the former Mediterranean Sea power, Carthage, at Mylae in 260 BC.

In 256 the Romans invade Africa but the Carthaginians defeated them with the help of a Spartan general and the Romans withdraw.
After initial successes, the Roman fleet was almost entirely destroyed in 254 BC but in 247 BC the rebuilt Roman fleet defeated Carthaginian ships near Aegates (Egedi) islands. A further naval defeat in 241BC resulted in the surrender of Carthage.

After 25 years of fighting, Rome finally forced the Carthaginians to accept humiliating surrender and to give up all claims to Sicily (including land that had been Carthaginian for generations), also told to keep its fleets out of Roman waters, and pay a large fine. This was a bitter pill to swallow, and it is little wonder the peace did not hold.

Second Punic War (Hannibal's War): 218-201 BC

Hannibal’s aggression on Saguntum (Spain) - an ally of Rome - precipitates the Second Punic War.

In 218 BC Hannibal crosses Alps and invades Italy and has a string of successes: Trebbia, Trasimene (217BC) and Cannae (216 BC) and many cities in the south of Italy - including Capua, the second city - defect to Hannibal.

The Romans resort to defensive tactics, avoiding a direct confrontation, but gradually reduce Hannibal's ability to wage war successfully.

The Romans wage a campaign in Spain, which is finally successful, and the Carthaginians are driven out of their Spanish possessions. Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal escapes with his army to Italy from Spain but is defeated and killed at Metaurus (207 BC).

Gradually in Italy the Romans recover the cities that defected to Hannibal.

Finally the Romans invade North Africa: Hannibal is recalled and defeated by Scipio Africanus (202 BC). Carthage surrenders (201 BC).

Carthage continued to be commercially successful and, though only a minor power, a source of irritation to Rome. The Romans were further incited by the speeches of the censor Cato the Elder,  who demanded that"Carthage must be destroyed". Disputes with Rome's client king in North Africa, Masinissa, gave the pretext for the Third Punic War  (149-146 BC), in which the Romans, led by Scipio the Younger, captured the city of Carthage, razed it to the ground, and sold the surviving inhabitants into slavery.