Скачать или смотреть The First Punic War

The First Punic War (264–241 BC) marked the beginning of an epic struggle between two rising giants — Rome and Carthage, locked in a battle for control of the Mediterranean.

What started as a local dispute over Sicily soon erupted into a full-scale war lasting 23 years — fought across stormy seas, foreign coasts, and blood-soaked battlefields.

Rome, once a land-based power with no naval tradition, reinvented itself at sea. By copying Carthaginian warships and introducing the ingenious corvus boarding bridge, Roman soldiers turned sea battles into infantry combat — and in doing so, rewrote naval warfare.

Carthage countered with its wealth, experience, and legendary commanders like Hamilcar Barca, relying on skilled sailors, swift fleets, and strategic attrition to wear Rome down.

Both sides suffered massive losses — not only in battle but to the unforgiving storms of the Mediterranean itself.

Finally, in 241 BC, Rome built one last fleet and struck decisively at the Battle of the Aegates Islands, securing victory and forcing Carthage to surrender Sicily and pay heavy reparations.

This victory transformed Rome into a naval superpower, reshaped Mediterranean politics, and set the stage for the rise of Hannibal and the even more devastating Second Punic War that would follow.