Visual Timeline: Punic Wars

To navigate the timeline, click and drag it with your mouse, or click on the timeline overview on the bottom.

270 BCE 260 BCE 250 BCE 240 BCE 230 BCE 220 BCE 210 BCE 200 BCE 190 BCE 180 BCE 170 BCE 160 BCE 150 BCE  
 
 
264 BCE: The Mamertines at Messana on Sicily call for Carthaginian and then Roman help in defence against Syracuse, sparking the First Punic War.
 
 
264 BCE - 241 BCE: First Punic War. Carthage cedes Sicily to Rome.
 
263 BCE: Antaros and 3000 Celts fight with Carthage in the First Punic War.
 
 
263 BCE: Segesta joins the Roman cause in the First Punic War.
 
262 BCE: Rome besieges and sacks Agrigento on Sicily in one of the first actions of the First Punic War.
 
260 BCE: First Roman naval victory against Carthage off Mylae in the First Punic War.
 
260 BCE: Rome builds a fleet of 120 ships in just 60 days to fight the First Punic War.
 
258 BCE: Rome wins a naval battle against Carthage at Sulcis during the First Punic War.
 
256 BCE: Roman naval victory against Carthage off Ecnomus during the First Punic War.
 
256 BCE: Rome lands an army of four legions on African soil at Clupea during the First Punic War.
 
255 BCE - 253 BCE: Roman fleets are wrecked by storms off Pachynus and Palinurus during the First Punic War.
 
255 BCE: Carthage sues for peace during the First Punic War but the Roman consul Regulus' excessive demands are rejected.
 
255 BCE: A Carthaginain army led by the mercenary Spartan commander Xanthippus defeats two Roman legions near Tunis during the First Punic War.
 
254 BCE: Romans capture Palermo during the First Punic War.
 
250 BCE: A Carthaginian army led by Hasdrubal is defeated by Roman consul Metellus near Palermo in the First Punic War.
 
249 BCE: Carthage defeats Rome in a naval battle at Drepanum during the First Punic War.
 
249 BCE: Antaros withdraws his support from Carthage.
 
 
247 BCE: Hamilcar Barca raids southern Italy and then lands on Sicily during the First Punic War.
 
 
244 BCE: Hamilcar Barca captures Eryx on Sicily during the First Punic War.
 
242 BCE: A Roman fleet besieges the Carthaginian stronghold of Drepana on Sicily during the First Punic War.
 
241 BCE: Roman naval victory off the Aegates Islands leads to victory over Carthage, ending the First Punic War.
 
237 BCE: Hamilcar Barca arrives in southern Spain to expand Carthage's interests there. He makes his base at Gades and founds Acra Leuce.
 
229 BCE: Hasdrubal takes command of Carthage's armies in Spain.
 
226 BCE: Hasdrubal signs an agreement with Rome not to cross the Ebro river in Spain.
 
221 BCE: Hannibal takes command of Carthage's armies in Spain.
 
219 BCE: Hannibal crosses the Ebro river in Spain and sacks the city of Saguntum, Rome's ally, sparking off the Second Punic War.
 
 
218 BCE - 201 BCE: Second Punic War.
 
218 BCE: Rome declares war on Carthage after Hannibal sacks Saguntum in Spain. The Second Punic War begins.
 
218 BCE: Hannibal leaves Spain to cross the Pyrenees and Alps into Italy.
 
218 BCE: Hannibal wins the battle of Ticinus.
 
218 BCE: Hannibal wins the battle of Trebia.
 
217 BCE: Hannibal wins the battle of Lake Trasimene.
 
 
216 BCE: Marcus Claudius Marcellus successfully defends Nola against attack from Hannibal during the Second Punic War.
 
216 BCE: "Hannibal ante portas." Hannibal directly threatens the city of Rome, but cannot advance due to lack of supplies and reinforcements.
 
216 BCE: Hannibal wins the battle of Cannae, the worst defeat in Roman history.
 
215 BCE: A Carthaginian army led by Hasdrubal is defeated at the battle of Ibera in Spain.
 
214 BCE: Syracuse joins the side of Carthage in the Second Punic War.
 
 
213 BCE - 212 BCE: Roman commander Marcus Claudius Marcellus lays seige to and ultimately sacks Syracuse.
 
212 BCE: A Carthaginian army is defeated in Sicily by a Roman army led by Marcellus. Syracuse falls to Rome who now control the island.
 
 
211 BCE: Marcus Claudius Marcellus is given a triumph for his capture of Syracuse and victories in Sicily.
 
211 BCE: Scipio Africanus lands an army for the second time at Empuries in northeastern Spain during the Second Punic War.
 
211 BCE: A Carthaginian army defeats two Roman consuls and their armies in the Tader valley, Spain.
 
 
210 BCE - 207 BCE: Scipio Africanus conquers Spain for Rome.
 
 
209 BCE: Tarentum comes under Roman control during the Second Punic War.
 
209 BCE: Scipio Africanus captures the Carthaginian base and treasury Carthago Nova in southern Spain.
 
 
208 BCE: Roman commander Marcus Claudius Marcellus is killed in an ambush in Venusia, southern Italy.
 
208 BCE: Scipio Africanus defeats a Carthaginian army led by Hasdrubal at Baecula in Spain.
 
207 BCE: Hannibal, harassed by Roman forces, is reduced to controlling only Bruttium in southern Italy.
 
207 BCE: Rome defeats a Carthaginian army at the battle of Metaurus.
 
 
206 BCE - 205 BCE: The Romans conquer Gades. End of the Carthaginian presence on the Iberian Peninsula.
 
206 BCE: Scipio Africanus wins the battle of Ilipa in Spain.
 
204 BCE - 203 BCE: Scipio Africanus wins two battles and besieges Utica in North Africa.
 
204 BCE: Scipio Africanus sails to North Africa in the Second Punic War.
 
203 BCE: Carthaginian commander Mago is unable to join forces with Hannibal and his army is defeated in Cisalpine Gaul.
 
203 BCE: Scipio Africanus attacks the two camps of Syphax and Gisgo in North Africa and destroys their armies.
 
203 BCE: Scipio Africanus defeats a Carthaginian army led by Hasdrubal in North Africa.
 
203 BCE: Hannibal is recalled from Italy to defend Carthage against Scipio Africanus.
 
202 BCE: Battle of Zama: Scipio Africanus defeats Hannibal, ending the Second Punic War.
 
150 BCE: A Carthaginian army attacks Numidia, breaking the peace treaty agreed with Rome and sparking the Third Punic War.
 
149 BCE - 146 BCE: Third Punic War.
 
149 BCE: Rome sends an army of 80,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry to attack Carthage.
 
148 BCE: The Roman siege of Carthage, in its second year, remains unsuccessful.
 
147 BCE: Scipio Africanus the Younger takes over command of the siege of Carthage and builds a mole to block its harbour.
 
146 BCE: Scipio Africanus the Younger sacks Carthage and enslaves its population.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
270 BCE 250 BCE 230 BCE 210 BCE 190 BCE 170 BCE