DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18096#0029
Carthage and Rome
3
From the day when the two nations crossed arms in the
icinity of Syracuse a kind of fatality hung over them. It
eemed as if there were no room in the world for two such ambi-
ious rivals ; and that, the struggle having once commenced,
should continue till one or the other ceased to exist. The
ant of an efficient fleet to enable them to do battle with the
arthaginians in their own element preyed heavily upon the
omans in their Sicilian campaign. But Rome was not dis-
ouraged. With that strength of will which always charac-
erised her people, she set to work to create a navy. In sixty
ays, we are told, a forest of timber was cut down, and
140 galleys, fully manned and provisioned, sailed out under
M. Attilius Regulus to attack the Carthaginian fleet on their
~ wn coasts.1 This intrepid general, inspired by the temporary
success of Agathocles 2 the Sicilian, in his invasion of Cartha-
ginian territory, contemplated a similar adventure. He captured
more than 200 towns and villages and, landing Italian troops
for the first time on African soil, paved the way for a more
permanent occupation which was to take place after the lapse
of nearly 100 years.3 Then came the close of the first Punic
war. Carthage retreated. All Sicily, except the little kingdom
of Syracuse, then wisely governed by the renowned Hiero II.,
was abandoned to the Romans. Sardinia, which the Cartha-
1 Polybius, i. 66. The Romans began to build ships (or rather coasting vessels)
B.C. 338, and seventy years later the maritime services had assumed such importance
that four qusestors of the fleet, stationed at different ports of Italy, were appointed.
This provoked the jealousy of Carthage, whose supremacy at sea had for so long a
period remained undisputed. (Rawlinson's Manual of Ancient History.) The
Romans occupied the old Phoenician ports on the coast of Africa, and did not
attempt, till a much later period, to form any new ones.
2 Agathocles, an adventurous Sicilian and tyrant of Syracuse, invaded North
Africa B.C. 306 and nearly ruined Carthage, either destroying or taking possession of
nearly all the towns. Recalled to Sicily, he left the war in the hands of his son
Archagathus, who was unsuccessful. The Carthaginians regained all they had lost.
The army of Agathocles consisted of 6,000 Greeks, about the same number of
European mercenaries, 10,000 Libyan allies, and 1,500 horse. (L' Universpittoresque.)
3 There is nothing on record to indicate that the Roman people, so little
accustomed to maritime warfare and with a superstitious dread of the sea, encouraged
so hazardous an undertaking. Regulus followed the banks of the Bagradas, laid
siege to Uthina, and subsequently took Tunis. The Carthaginians engaged Greek
mercenaries, led by Xantippus the Lacedemonian, who brought the war to a close.
The Romans were defeated, and their fleet destroyed by a tempest. Polybius (i. 66)
says that the Romans had 330 galleys and 140,000 men, and that the Carthaginian
fleet consisted of 350 galleys and 115,000 men.
B 2
3
From the day when the two nations crossed arms in the
icinity of Syracuse a kind of fatality hung over them. It
eemed as if there were no room in the world for two such ambi-
ious rivals ; and that, the struggle having once commenced,
should continue till one or the other ceased to exist. The
ant of an efficient fleet to enable them to do battle with the
arthaginians in their own element preyed heavily upon the
omans in their Sicilian campaign. But Rome was not dis-
ouraged. With that strength of will which always charac-
erised her people, she set to work to create a navy. In sixty
ays, we are told, a forest of timber was cut down, and
140 galleys, fully manned and provisioned, sailed out under
M. Attilius Regulus to attack the Carthaginian fleet on their
~ wn coasts.1 This intrepid general, inspired by the temporary
success of Agathocles 2 the Sicilian, in his invasion of Cartha-
ginian territory, contemplated a similar adventure. He captured
more than 200 towns and villages and, landing Italian troops
for the first time on African soil, paved the way for a more
permanent occupation which was to take place after the lapse
of nearly 100 years.3 Then came the close of the first Punic
war. Carthage retreated. All Sicily, except the little kingdom
of Syracuse, then wisely governed by the renowned Hiero II.,
was abandoned to the Romans. Sardinia, which the Cartha-
1 Polybius, i. 66. The Romans began to build ships (or rather coasting vessels)
B.C. 338, and seventy years later the maritime services had assumed such importance
that four qusestors of the fleet, stationed at different ports of Italy, were appointed.
This provoked the jealousy of Carthage, whose supremacy at sea had for so long a
period remained undisputed. (Rawlinson's Manual of Ancient History.) The
Romans occupied the old Phoenician ports on the coast of Africa, and did not
attempt, till a much later period, to form any new ones.
2 Agathocles, an adventurous Sicilian and tyrant of Syracuse, invaded North
Africa B.C. 306 and nearly ruined Carthage, either destroying or taking possession of
nearly all the towns. Recalled to Sicily, he left the war in the hands of his son
Archagathus, who was unsuccessful. The Carthaginians regained all they had lost.
The army of Agathocles consisted of 6,000 Greeks, about the same number of
European mercenaries, 10,000 Libyan allies, and 1,500 horse. (L' Universpittoresque.)
3 There is nothing on record to indicate that the Roman people, so little
accustomed to maritime warfare and with a superstitious dread of the sea, encouraged
so hazardous an undertaking. Regulus followed the banks of the Bagradas, laid
siege to Uthina, and subsequently took Tunis. The Carthaginians engaged Greek
mercenaries, led by Xantippus the Lacedemonian, who brought the war to a close.
The Romans were defeated, and their fleet destroyed by a tempest. Polybius (i. 66)
says that the Romans had 330 galleys and 140,000 men, and that the Carthaginian
fleet consisted of 350 galleys and 115,000 men.
B 2