Page 12 - NS-2 Textbook

SEA POWER AND EARLY WESTERN CIVILIZATION 5

IONIAN
SEA

o 25 ~O 75 [00
MILES ~KITIURA

Route of the Persian fleet and army against the Greeks in 480 B.C.

power of Carthage, a city-state in North Africa founded flicts between the two powers began in Sicily. Together
in the late eighth century B.C. by the Phoenicians. But on these conflicts were known as the Punic Wars (Punic is a
the Italian peninsula, a new pOV\Ter ,"vas emerging: Rome. Latin variation of the word uPhoenician,H or PUllicllS).
In 275 B.C., the Romans conquered Italy, including the At the begimling of the Punic Wars, Rome saw what
Greek colonies in the south. In the process, they absorbed sea power and a strong navy could do. The Carthaginian
the Greek culture, helping to continue the advance of navy protected Carthage from attack by the Romans, ha-
Western civilization. In their way, however, was a strong rassed Roman sea commerce, and plundered the Roman
rival: Carthage. In 265 B.C., the first of several bitter con- coast.
The Romans studied Greek sea tactics and eventu-
ally improved on them. As the Punic Wars progressed,
Roman seamanship and tactics overcame the Carthagini-
ans, driving them from the sea. The first Punic War gave
Rome the island of Sicily as a province, and the second
Ptmic War gave Spain to Rome. The third Punic War
began with an amphibious invasion of North Africa. By
the time it was ove1; Carthage had been burned, and
Carthaginian power was destroyed forever.

THE MARE NOSTRUM

The Roman Empire was now free to spread throughout
the Mediterranean. The Roman navy cleared the
Mediterranean of pirates, moved and supported Rome's
armies, and defeated any hostile fleets.
In the first century B.C., rebellious Romans and their
Egyptian allies, under the command of Mark Antony
and Queen Cleopatra, tried to overthrow the Roman
An ancient Greek trireme of the type that defeated the Persians at
Salamis. There were three decks of oars and rowers, one above the Empire during the confusion following the assassination
other on each side of the ship. Often the rowers were slaves. of Julius Caesar. The rebellion was crushed, huwever, in