Carthaginian And Roman Naval Power Essay

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Carthaginian and Roman naval power

Firstly, how do I feel toward venerable Rome and mysterious Carthage? To me, Rome was the cradle of western civilization and a treasure house of archaeological relics. Whereas it had never crossed my mind that those former splendours were just one side of the coin, in fact, by 265 BC, Rome already had enormously strong naval force capable of doing significant damage in ancient wartime. In contrast, its arch-rival, Carthage, it was not only a formidable opponent that can stand comparison quite similarly with Roman fleets, but also a constant threat to Roman's hegemony. Predictably, in order to become a dominant power in the region, two cities would inevitably end up competing with each other in their push for established world supremacy, which Punic wars seemed certain, …show more content…

Given all this, "the naval forces became the most important military arm of the Empire. The strategic location of Carthage in a natural harbour sets the foundation for a strong empire. The Carthaginian Empire had the advantage of dominating the Gulf Tunis that in turn ensured a flow of trade from the Western Mediterranean"(Ancient Civilization, 2016).

Besides, the Carthaginians have always been natural seafaring people who "knew how to sail and fight on the open waters of the Mespotamia. A lot of the sailors were trained in basic naval functions and military tactics. The Carthaginians were considered the best sailors in the ancient world and they were deadly force to contend with if they were engaged on the seas by an enemy"(n.d.). In a way, Carthage was on equal terms with Rome, either in power or in