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The final defeat of Carthage in the Third Punic War transformed the history of the Ancient Europe. For over a century the Romans and the Carthaginians had fought for control of the Mediterranean. However, by 146 BC, the Romans had achieved a total victory over Carthage and had literally wiped the city from the face of the earth. This was to have important victory had significant repercussions for on Roman politics and society. The defeat of Carthage in the Third Punic War allowed the Roman Republic to become the superpower of Europe and allowed its influence to expand to North Africa. North Africa become the breadbasket of Rome for centuries. The victory also ensured that Rome was the greatest naval power in the Mediterranean and aided its economic expansion over the next 500 years.

==Third Punic War==By 151 BC the Carthaginians Hannibal was a military genius, who had fully repaid greatly expanded the indemnity that had been imposed on them by Punic Empire in Iberia and invaded Italy after traversing the victors of ZamaAlps. The oligarchy After his decisive victory at Cannae it seemed that ruled the city believed that the treaty was now expired. This alarmed those in RomeRomans were defeated, who continued to fear the North African citybut remarkably they survived. Moreover, they believed that it was re-building The Romans eventually wore Hannibal down in secret its navya war of attrition. There is some archaeological evidence to suggest that Then one of the Carthaginian shipyards were secretly building large war galleys despite greatest Roman generals Scipio Africanus defeated the treatyCarthaginians in Spain and invaded their homeland (in modern Tunisia). Moreover This invasion forced Hannibal to return from Italy, many in Italy were covetous of and Scipio later defeated him at the famously rich agricultural lands Battle of Carthage Zama. The Carthaginians were defeated, and its trade networkRome forced Hannibal into exile. By 151 BC there was A vengeful Rome imposed a general agreement among peace treaty on the Roman elite city that a final confrontation with their great rivals was inevitable and even desirablepunitive. The Numidians invaded Carthaginian lands and By the North Africa city-state engaged in a brief war. Rome claimed that under end of the treaty that second Punic War, the city Carthaginians had lost all their Empire and Rome confined them to obtain its permission to wage war and that thereby Carthage their original territory. Rome had broken achieved a total victory in the peace agreementSecond Punic War. The Senate declared war on their old enemies in 149ADtransformed Rome's military. Carthage tried to placate the Romans, but they were intent on war. The Romans landed in modern Tunisia and they conquered Carthage’s outposts Its army grew and defeated its became an extraordinarily professional army and besieged the city. The ever-resourceful Punic population turned their metropolis into Rome also became a fortress and they resisted many fierce assaults from the legionssignificant naval power. Such  After its defeat, Carthage was too weak to oppose Rome’s ambitions in the stubbornness of Mediterranean. Under the defense harsh terms of the inhabitants treaty that many in Rome feared that they would have ended the Second Punic War, the Carthaginians had been reduced to abandon the siege. The legionnaires acclaimed Scipio Aemilianus as their leader and he changed the course status of a dependency of the siegeItalian city-state.<ref> MilesScullard, Howard Hayes: A History of the Roman World, 753 to 146 BC (New York, Routledge, 2002), p 345316</ref>. He built a mole that cut the besieged city from the sea Not only had they been forced to relinquish their Empire and soon limit their navy, the defenders supplies ran lowPunic state was obliged to pay a massive indemnity to their old enemies’ treasury every year. In desperation Furthermore, the Carthaginians began to carry out large numbers Roman Republic oversaw the foreign relations of human sacrifices the city-state. The Romans also encouraged Numidians to enlist the support raid Carthaginian areas frequently. The Romans also ruled in favor of the Gods Numidians in their favor in their hour of needborder disputes with Carthage. <ref> Scarre, p. Scipio in 24</ref> The peace terms that the Spring of 146 BC launched a daring attack Romans had imposed on the walls North African city-state were onerous and framed in such a way as to permanently weaken it.  The descendants of the city and seized Phoenician settlers were a section bold race of it mariners, entrepreneurs, and traders. Despite the treaty, Carthage was able to pay the reparations and this enabled his army even to enter Carthageexpand its trade network. There The recovery of the city was vicious street fighting remarkable, and no quarter was given by either sideit became, once more an economic powerhouse, despite all the efforts of the Romans.<ref>AppianMiles, Richard. Carthage Must Be Destroyed: The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Civilization (London, Allen Lane, 1302010), 132p. 45</ref>. After nearly a week  This alarmed some of the Senators, who were the Romans seized ruling elite in the city and on the Carthaginians surrenderedTiber. Many of had fought in the city’s inhabitants refused Second Punic War and knew that Rome had come close to surrender defeat and they committed suicide in mass by flinging themselves into possible extinction at the hands of Hannibal. The distinguished senator Cato the Elder demanded that ‘Carthage must be destroyed’ at the many fires end of every speech he made in the devastated citySenate </ref>Appian, 130History of Rome, v, 133iii</ref>. It is estimated that of However, many Romans did not want war as they had come to rely upon the surviving population, that nearly all of them were sold into slavery. payments from Carthage once the greatest city of the Western Mediterranean was a ruin.   ====Third Punic War====

====Rome masters of the Mediterranean====Carthage had always been a great maritime power and dominated the trade networks of the Mediterranean. Even after their defeat in the Second Punic war , they remained a formidable naval power<ref>Goldsworthy, Adrian The Fall of Carthage (London, Cassel Military Paperbacks, 2010), p. 178</ref>. Their naval technology was much more advanced than the Romans. While the Carthaginian navy was limited by the terms of the treaty that ended the Second Punic War, they had the ability to quickly build a powerful fleet of ships<ref> Miles, p. 355</ref>. Moreover, the Carthaginians were expert traders and talented businessmen and even after the loss of their possessions in Spain they continued to trade extensively in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. Many Roman merchants resented this, and they actively lobbied for the war against the North African city. The defeat of Carthage allowed Rome to become the greatest naval power in the Mediterranean and their control was unchallenged for almost 700 years, until the Germanic invasion of the 5th century AD <ref>Scullard, H. H. From the Gracchi to Nero: A History of Rome from 133 B.C. to A.D. 68 (New York, Routledge, 1968), p. 167</ref> The control of the sea was essential to the growth of Rome. It not only gave it naval supremacy it also allowed Italian merchants to dominate the sea’s trade routes and this enriched the Republic, greatly. The destruction of their enemy allowed Rome to become the unchallenged power in the Mediterranean.