This page is a stub. It will be expanded to a full-fledged article.
First Punic War
First Punic War (264-241 BCE): the first of three wars between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian Empire, in which Rome conquered Sicily.
According to the Greek historian Polybius of Megalopolis (c.200-c.118), the First Punic War (264-241) between Carthage and Rome had been "the longest and most severely contested war in history".note And indeed, it lasted almost a quarter of a century and probably, a million people lost their lives.
In the end, Rome had conquered the island of Sicily, and had become a Mediterranean superpower, but to achieve victory, the Romans had been forced to reinvent themselves: they had learned to wage war at sea and had had to conduct protracted sieges.
Chronology
| 265 | Q. Fabius Q.f. Maximus Gurges L. Mamilius Q.f. Vitulus |
|
| Hiero defeats the Mamertines at the Longanus Mamertines appeal to the Carthaginians and then to Rome Alliance between Hiero and Carthage |
||
| 264 | Ap. Claudius C.f. Caudex M. Fulvius Q.f. Flaccus |
|
| Outbreak of war Claudius crosses to Sicily, and lifts the siege of Messana |
||
| 263 | M'. Valerius M.f. Maximus (Messalla) M'. Otacilius C.f. Crassus |
|
| Both consuls campaign in Sicily Hiero makes peace with Rome |
||
| 262 | L. Postumius L.f. Megellus Q. Mamilius Q.f. Vitulus |
|
| Both consuls lay siege to Acragas, defended by Hannibal | ||
| 261 | L. Valerius M.f. Flaccus T. Otacilius C.f. Crassus |
|
| Defeat of Hanno and fall of Acragas Carthaginian navy raids Italy Romans decide to build fleet |
||
| 260 | Cn. Cornelius L.f. Scipio Asina C. Duillius M.f. |
|
| Scipio captured at the Aeolian Islands Duillius wins the naval battle of Mylae |
||
| 259 | L. Cornelius L.f. Scipio C. Aquillius M.f. Florus |
|
| Scipio attacks Corsica and Sardinia Aquillius campaigns in Sicily |
||
| 258 | A. Atilius A.f. Caiatinus; C. Sulpicius Q.f. Paterculus |
|
| Caiatinus campains in Sicily Paterculus attacks Sardinia and wins battle off Sulci |
||
| 257 | C. Atilius M.f. Regulus Cn. Cornelius P.f. Blasio II |
|
| Regulus wins battle off Tyndaris and raids Malta Blasio commands in Sicily |
||
| 256 | L. Manlius A.f. Vulso Longus; Q. Caedicius Q.f. Suff. M. Atilius M.f. Regulus II |
|
| Both consuls defeat Carthaginians off Ecnomus and proceed to Africa, where Regulus remains, defeating Hasdrubal in the battle of Adys and capturing Tunes Abortive negotiations with Carthage |
||
| 255 | Ser. Fulvius M.f. Paetinius Nobilior M. Aemilius M.f. Paullus |
|
| Regulus defeated and captured near Tunes Consuls bring fleet to rescue survivors, winning victory off Cape Hermaea and raiding Cossyra, but are caught in a storm off Camarina on return |
||
| 254 | Cn. Cornelius L.f. Scipio Asina II A. Atilius A.f. Caiatinus II |
|
| Hasdrubal arrives on Sicily Both consuls campaign in Sicily, capturing Panormus and other towns |
||
| 253 | Cn. Servilius Cn.f. Caepio C. Sempronius Ti.f. Blaesus |
|
| While Caepio commands in Sicily, Blaesus raids Africa, nearly losing his fleet on the Syrtis, and losing half of it in storm off Cape Palinurus | ||
| 252 | C. Aurelius L.f. Cotta P. Servilius Q.f. Geminus |
|
| Roman fleet reduced to sixty ships Both consuls command in Sicily, capturing Thermae and Lipara |
||
| 251 | L. Caecilius L.f. Metellus C. Furius C.f. Pacilus |
|
| Both consuls command in Sicily Carthaginians reinforce army there |
||
| 250 | C. Atilius M.f. Regulus II L. Manlius A.f. Vulso II |
|
| Metellus defeats Hasdrubal at Panormus Both consuls commence siege of Lilybaeum |
||
| 249 | P. Claudius Ap.f. Pulcher L. Junius C.f. Pullus |
|
| Claudius loses battle off Drepana Junius loses fleet in storm near Camarina |
||
| 248 | C. Aurelius L.f. Cotta II P. Servilius Q.f. Geminus II |
|
| Both consuls continue to besiege Lilybaeum and Drepana Carthalo raids Italy |
||
| 247 | L. Caecilius L.f. Metellus II N. Fabius C.f. Licinus |
|
| Metellus continues with siege of Lilybaeum Buteo continues with siege of Drepana, where he captures the island of Pelias Hamilcar Barca arrives in Sicily and raids Bruttium |
||
| 246 | M'. Otacilius C.f. Crassus II M. Fabius C.f. Licinus |
|
| Siege of Lilybaeum and Drepana continued Skirmishing around Heirkte |
||
| 245 | M. Fabius M.f Buteo C. Atilius A.f. Bulbus |
|
| Siege of Lilybaeum and Drepana continued Skirmishing around Heirkte |
||
| 244 | A. Manlius T.f. Torquatus Atticus C. Sembronius Ti.f. Blaesus II |
|
| Siege of Lilybaeum and Drepana continued Skirmishing around Heirkte |
||
| 243 | C. Fundanius C.f. Fundulus C. Sulpicius C.f. Galus |
|
| Siege of Lilybaeum and Drepana continued Hamilcar moves to Eryx Continued skirmishing |
||
| 242 | C. Lutatius C.f. Catulus A. Postumius A.f. Albinus |
|
| Catulus sent to Sicily in command of new fleet He is wounded at Drepana |
||
| 241 | A. Manlius T.f. Torquatus Atticus II Q. Lutatius C.f. Cerco |
|
| Lutatius Catulus defeats Hanno in the battle of Aegates Islands (10 March), and with his brother, Lutatius Cerco, negotiates peace with Gesco; Sicily become's the first Roman province, governed by a praetor |
Literature
J.F. Lazenby, The First Punic War (1996)