Tom Holland

Their motivations, we're told by a Greek historian writing a century later, fundamentally is that Rome needs a worthy enemy.

because having Carthage as this great bogey on their doorstep keeps them honest.

It keeps them on their toes.

And the worry is that if you destroy Carthage, then the Romans may become decadent and self-indulgent and may end up kind of turning on themselves if they don't have to guard against an outside enemy.

All of which, of course,

in a sense, does happen.

And so it's more than possible that that Greek historian is writing with the benefit of hindsight.

I mean, you know, not necessarily, but possible.

And I do think it's clear that at the time, the chief source of anxiety for Romans in the Senate listening to Cato push for this war of annihilation is actually that they're worried about breaking the treaty that they'd signed with Carthage

Because this will then offend the gods and bring down divine anger on the head of their city.

Because the Romans, they saw themselves as being the most devout of peoples.

And certainly they were kind of very legalistic.

So even when they are attacking Macedonian kings or taking Greek bigwigs hostage, they always needed to feel that they were legally justified in what they were doing.

They're not, as they see it, doing anything that is legal.

unmerited or unprovoked they always have to feel that the gods are on their side and so this is what large numbers in the senate feel they need with regard to carthage they can't attack carthage without a casus belli and fortunately for them

They have one on hand because this is Masinissa.

Yes.

And so Massinissa, by now in his late 80s, is as acquisitive as ever.

And so his men continue to launch attacks on farms and estates in Carthage's rural hinterland with the aim of appropriating them.

And in Carthage, there is now total despair that Rome will ever reign Massinissa in.