Rome Versus Carthage: The War at SeaThe epic struggle between Carthage and Rome, two of the superpowers of the ancient world, is most famous for land battles in Italy, on the Iberian peninsula and in North Africa. But warfare at sea, which played a vital role in the First and Second Punic Wars, rarely receives the attention it deserves. And it is the monumental clashes of the Carthaginian and Roman fleets in the Mediterranean that are the focus of Christa Steinby's absorbing study. She exploits new evidence, including the latest archaeological discoveries, and she looks afresh at the ancient sources and quotes extensively from them. In particular she shows how the Romans' seafaring tradition and their skill, determination and resourcefulness eventually gave them a decisive advantage. In doing so, she overturns the myths and misunderstandings that have tend to distort our understanding of Roman naval warfare. |
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According to Polybius Africa Agathocles Agrigentum alliance allies Ancient Appian army attack besieged boarding-bridge booty campaign captured Carthaginian fleet Carthaginian ships Carthaginians cavalry century BC coast colonies commander Commentary on Polybius consul Corsica crews defeated Diodorus Dionysius Drepana Eckstein enemy envoys Etruria Etruscans forces Frank Gardner Moore Gaius Goldsworthy grain Greek Habicht Hamilcar Hannibal Hannibal's Dynasty harbour Hasdrubal Hellenistic Hiero Historical Commentary History of Roman Hoyos Illyria infantry island Italy Lancel land Lazenby Lilybaeum Livy Lucius Macedon Masinissa mercenaries Messana naval oars operations Orosius Panormus Phoenician Polybius ports probably Punic fleet Punic Wars Pyrrhus quadriremes quinqueremes Roman fleet Roman navy Roman Republican Roman Sea-Power Roman ships Rome Rome’s sailed Sardinia Scipio sea battle Sea-Power in Republican Second Punic Second Punic War senate sent shipbuilding Sicily siege soldiers Spain supplies Syracusan Syracuse Tarentines Tarentum territory Thiel took Translation transport treaty triremes triumph troops Walbank warships western Mediterranean Zonaras