Investigation of economic reason

Dory T. and D. Dudley, in their book "Rome vs. Carthage" Origins Punic wars traditionally, considering that the main cause of the first war - the fight for Sicily. Speaking about the causes of the second war, the researchers correctly note that the seeds of cross were sown in the end of the second: the contradiction between the belligerents and remained unresolved.

Cartage’s side

Polybius (160 BC), who was direct eyewitness of Punic War, wrote that Carthage was very rich on metal region of North Africa, but it wasn’t enough profit for “metal eater”. War-prone. And an elderly couple argues that this war could start exactly for the money. Imagine that you are Carthaginian. You have huge city-empire, which is like oven. Bigger oven needs more wood. Polybius though so too. It was the main weakness of Carthage. According to Dori and Dudley, Carthage was not able to use the reserves of North Africa, as did Rome in Italy, because when you exhausted all resources around, you need find them elsewhere. It is many Roman sources, which give us version of war, that exactly Cartage was initiator of war (leading main reason above), but I think that they were written especially for Rome and were false.

Arguments of my assumptions are works of Hungarian scientist, I. Kertes, who restored works of Polybius, Appian and Dioceses⁵. Identifying the elements of the Greek tradition suggested that the materials of the ancient authors about treacherous politics of Cartage and breach of the peace treaty with Rome are false. Unicheskoy, Russian historic, rightly said: Romans were convinced that they had never taken any wars except for law and justice. Using that, we should be particularly critical to all Roman sources.

Let’s continue investigate Cartage. A. Nemirovsky (1928) in his briefly work "Punic Wars" said that Cartage was outdated and outlived empire. I agree with this statement, because none empire does not live long. Time changed and it is appeared representative of new world- Rome. Cartage was like big oven, which came down to the limit. This oven took new target- Sicily. According to Dory T. and D. Dudley above Sicily was main reason of war. Firstly, Cartage wanted it, because Sicily was rich on metals and useful fossils. Secondly, it was good aligned between Rome and Cartage, between West and East, between North and South, Africa and Europe. Good align give list of advantages and benefits. Exactly for Cartage could be good trade point, market and fort.⁶

Think critically: if you are farmer. You have some little, rich and with black earth fertile near you plot would you leave it? Of course it will be controversial and someone else would want it too. You will have court for it. That court had Rome and Cartage. None of them didn’t want to give another Sicily. Now we analyzed and founded several reasons and benefits from Cartage’s side.

Now, we investigated all possible reasons of war from Cartage’s side and we can do our first conclusion. Punic Wars began because of Cartage (and Rome). Exactly Cartage had list of aims and plans for war. Cartage as an empire and sovereign of seas had more strategically aims from war, but this aims have direct connection with economical benefits. 1. Sicily was good trade market and rich on fossils. 2. Sicily was good aligned. 3. Good align give advantages to easy trading.