Final answer:
The Roman naval battles against Carthage were part of the Punic Wars, marked by Rome's innovative naval tactics during the First Punic War, Hannibal's campaign in the Second Punic War, and the utter destruction of Carthage following the Third Punic War, which solidified Roman dominance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Roman Naval Battles Against Carthage
The clash between Rome and Carthage, two dominant powers of the ancient Mediterranean, led to the Punic Wars, spanning from 264 to 146 BCE. During the First Punic War, they battled for control over Sicily. Rome's naval ingenuity, demonstrated by their use of the corvus boarding device, allowed them to transform naval battles into land-based combat, to which their military was better suited. This strategic maneuvering contributed to their victory over the superior Carthaginian fleet.
The conflict didn't end there, however, as the Second Punic War saw Carthage's general, Hannibal, invade Italy. Despite stunning victories at Trebia, Lake Trasimene, and Cannae, the Carthaginians could not secure a decisive victory. The Romans, led by Scipio Africanus, took the fight to North African soil, culminating in the pivotal Battle of Zama in 202 BCE, where Hannibal was finally defeated, marking the end of Carthage's power in the region.
An uneasy peace followed but was disrupted by the Third Punic War, instigated by Roman interference in Carthaginian affairs. Rome sought complete dominance, and, after a one-sided conflict, Carthage was destroyed in 146 BCE, cementing Roman supremacy in the Mediterranean.