The Punic Wars and Tunisia

What were the consequences of the first Punic War? The Romans annexed Corsica and Sardinia and revisited the terms of the first Punic War treaty. Meanwhile, Carthage was under siege and facing a difficult civil war. In the end, it accepted Roman conditions for peace and increased its war indemnity. The second Punic War, however, resulted in Carthage's destruction.Rome annexed Corsica and Sardinia after the first Punic War
The Romans annexed Corsica and Sardisia after the first Punic War. The Romans claimed the Carthaginian navy preyed on Roman shipping, and their military preparations were aimed at Rome. They declared war on Carthage, and the city-state surrendered rather than fight again. In exchange for their surrender, the Carthaginians surrendered Sardinia and Corsica, and agreed to pay Rome 1,200 talents.Rome began military exploits outside of Italy, and soon became rivals with the Carthaginians, who controlled a vast empire in North Africa. These two nations fought each other for control of the Mediterranean trade routes. Their two armies engaged in several long-lasting wars, which were fought for a total of 100 years. These wars were a true test of discipline and tenacity. The First Punic War was fought over Sicily, and the Romans won despite huge losses.Hannibal crossed the Alps with elephants
Two thousand and three hundred years ago, Carthaginian general Hannibal led a massive army across the Alps to invade Italy. His army was made up of tens of thousands of foot soldiers, hundreds of horses, and nearly 40 elephants. The vast size of the army was considered a great military feat at the time. But how did Hannibal make such an epic trek? A microbiologist called Chris Allen believes he's solved the puzzle. His research team found traces of ancient horse poo that suggests Hannibal crossed the Alps with elephants.The first part of the journey was difficult, and the animals were famished and thirsty. The Numidian cavalry worked for three days to build a road and bring the elephants. Hannibal's army took three days to reach the plains near the Po. Once in the plains, Hannibal concentrated on reviving the troops and horses.Roman fleet defeated Carthaginian fleet off Cape Hermaeum
The Carthaginians tried to prevent the Romans from leaving the area by intercepting the Romans at the southern tip of the peninsula off Cape Hermaeum, Cape Bon, and Ras ed-Dar. The Roman fleet consisted of 114 ships with crews, and the Carthaginians feared that they were being encircled. They were defeated and their ships pinned against the Roman coastline.After defeating the Carthaginian fleet off Cape Hermioneum, the Roman navy moved to Africa. The Romans retreated their remaining forces to Aspis, but not before defeating the Carthaginian fleet. A storm later destroyed the fleet off the coast of southern Sicily, destroying 70 percent of its 264 ships and killing up to one-hundred thousand marines and rowers. However, the Romans recovered their lost ships and started to move toward land warfare.Mining activity in Tunisia during the first two Punic Wars
The earliest evidence for mining activity in Tunisia dates back to 340 BC, when the Carthaginians began to control the hinterland. This activity continued during the Greco-Punic War, 480 BC, and continued into the Punic Wars (264-146 BC). Despite the losses suffered by Carthage during these conflicts, the mining activity in Tunisia was vital in supporting the Carthaginian economy and supporting its army.The excess Pb found in the deltaic sediments increases sharply between 275 BC and 180 BC, indicating that mining activity was ongoing during this time. This mining activity took place in the mines of Djebba and Kebbouch, which discharged tailings into the Medjerda. The mining phase lasted about three years and resulted in the pollution of the river.