the punish wars took place almost a century ago starting in 264 b.c. and ending in 146 b.c. with the destruction of Carthage when the wars broke out Rome was the dominant power in the Italian peninsula Carthage was the leading maritime power in the world.
the first war broke out in 264 b.c. because Rome interfered in a dispute on the Carthaginian-controlled island of sicily the war ended with Rome in control of sicily and corsica and marked is as a naval and land power
in the second war the Carthaginian general Hannibal invaded Italy and earned victories at lake Trasimene and Cannae before he was defeated by Scipio Africanus in 202 b.c. it left Rome in control of western Mediterranean and much of Spain
in the third war the Romans were led by Scipio the Younger and they captured and destroyed the city of Carthage in 146 b.c. turning Africa into a province for the roman empire