The 2nd Punic War (218-201B.C.): from Sagunto to Zama, end of Carthaginian naval hegemony

Abstract

One of the results of the First Punic War (264-241 BC.) was the shrinking of Carthage’s vital space in the Mediterranean, and the decline of its maritime trade due to its loss of the former islands of Sardinia and Corsica and other islands, including Sicily, which led to the collapse of its economy, prompting it to search for areas New leverage to compensate for its loss. Carthage realized that it could restore its status , but outside Rome's vital sphere, so it turned its attention to Spain, away from Rome. However, that did not prevent a new war from occurring between the Romans and the Carthaginians in 218 BC, which ended with Carthage's defeat and it’s signing of peace treaty in 201 BC. In this study, we will try to find out the reasons for the outbreak of the Second Punic War and the consequences that resulted from it.

Key words: Second Punic War, Hannibal, Carthage, Rome.