Arif Hodzic

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We tend to think of Rome as one of the greatest powers of the ancient world.

And while that's true, they weren't without competitors.

In the third century BCE, the greatest naval power in the Western Mediterranean was Carthage.

This civilization dominated not just North Africa, but also other regions, including Western Sicily.

the island of Sicily would become the main battleground for one of the biggest conflicts in ancient history, the First Punic War.

Tonight, we'll explore the story of this extraordinary war and how Rome beat the odds to defeat Carthage.

In the process, it began its evolution into a superpower.

So just relax and let your mind drift as we explore the sleepy history of the First Punic War.

In 255 BCE, a bloody battle was fought near Carthage, Tunis, and modern-day North Africa.

It was a battle between two of the major powers of the ancient world.

On one side, Carthage, and on the other, Rome.

The Roman cavalry, while strong and skilled, was outnumbered

Not only did Carthage have more soldiers on horseback, but it also had another weapon – a hundred war elephants.

Roman soldiers were effectively backed into a corner, trampled, and slaughtered.

It's thought that about 13,000 Romans lost their lives while hundreds of others were taken prisoner.

Carthage had won the battle, but this was just one battle of many in the long war with Rome, the conflict that came to be known as the First Punic War.

This evening we'll explore the war in detail, from beginning to end.