⚔️ Punic Wars Flashcards
What war did the Romans fight from 264-241 BC?
1st Punic War
What were the years for the First Punic War?
264-241 BC
Where did the Carthaginians originate from?
Phoenicia
The First Punic War broke out because of a conflict with Carthage over what island?
Sicily
What Sicilian city did the Romans besiege in 262 BC?
Agrigentum
What kind of Carthaginian ship did the Romans first model their navy on?
quinquereme
What is a quinquereme?
a ship with five banks of oars
What group of Campanian mercenaries overran Messana after abandoning their agreement to fight for the Syracusans?
Mamertines
What does “Mamertines” mean?
men of mars
What Sicilian city did the Mamertines overrun after abandoning their agreement to fight for Syracuse?
Messana
Who did the Mamertines appeal to for help against the Syracusans?
Carthage
When Carthage refused to leave Messana, who did the Mamertines appeal to for help?
Rome
Why did the Mamertines appeal to Rome for help?
to make Carthage leave Messana
What Sicilian city did the Romans besiege in 264 BC?
Messana
The siege of what city in 264 BC began the First Punic War?
Messana
What Roman admiral won Rome’s first major naval battle at Mylae in 260 BC?
Duilius
At what battle in 260 BC did the Rome win its first major naval battle against the Carthaginians?
Mylae
What grappling hook attached to a plank did the Romans use to board enemy ships?
corvus
What is a “corvus”?
grappling hook attached to a plank
What device did the Romans use to board Carthaginian ships and produce hand to hand combat?
corvus
At what battle in 256 BC did Regulus and the Romans defeat the Carthaginian navy?
Cape Ecnomus
In what year did Regulus defeat the Carthaginians at Cape Ecnomus?
256 BC
What was Regulus’ strategy after winning at Cape Ecnomus?
attack Carthage
What Spartan mercenary defeated and captured Regulus at the Bagradas Valley in 255 BC?
Xanthippus
At what battle in 255 BC did the Spartan mercenary Xanthippus help the Carthaginians defeat and capture Regulus?
Bagradas Valley
What Spartan mercenary did the Carthaginians hire to assist against the Romans?
Xanthippus
What Roman was captured after the Bagradas Valley?
Regulus
What Roman did the Carthaginians release on the condition that he return to Carthage with acceptable peace terms?
Regulus
What happened when Regulus returned to Carthage after refusing to negotiate peace terms with the Romans?
he was executed
At what battle in 249 BC was the Roman admiral Claudius Pulcher defeated by the Carthaginians?
Drepana
Who threw the sacred chickens overboard before the Drepana because they refused to eat?
Claudius Pulcher
Why did Claudius Pulcher throw the sacred chickens overboard before the Drepana?
they refused to eat
Who reportedly said “if they won’t eat, let them drink” before he threw the sacred chickens overboard?
Claudius Pulcher
What did Claudius Pulcher say before he threw the sacred chickens overboard when they refused to eat?
if they won’t eat, let them drink
At what battle in 241 BC did the Romans defeat the Carthaginians and end the First Punic War?
Aegates Islands
In what year did the Lutatius Catulus defeat the Carthaginians at the Aegates Islands and end the First Punic War?
241 BC
What Roman admiral defeated Carthage at the Aegates Islands and ended the First Punic War?
Lutatius Catulus
What island did Rome gain control of at the end of the First Punic War?
Sicily
What does the name “Barca” mean in Carthaginian?
blitz / lightning
During the First Punic War who was the most brilliant Carthaginian general?
Hamilcar Barca