Final answer:
Rome won the war against Carthage by mastering naval warfare, seizing strategic opportunities, and benefiting from Carthage's missteps.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rome achieved victory in the war with Carthage through persistence, military innovation, and strategic opportunism. Despite suffering several defeats, the Romans capitalized on the Carthaginians' failure to invade Italy. Rome improved its naval warfare tactics, employing the corvus, a hooked plank, to transition sea battles into their favor. This culminated in the Battle of Zama in 202 BCE, where Scipio earned the name Africanus for defeating Hannibal's forces.
Following the desperate peace Carthage sued for after the loss of Sicily and their naval supremacy, the Romans not only seized on the terms to annex Sicily but, in an act of betrayal, took control of Corsica and Sardinia as well. The hostilities continued through the three Punic Wars, ending with the utter destruction of Carthage in the Third Punic War (149-146 BCE). This victory resulted in Rome acquiring Carthage's territories and marks the rise of Rome as the dominant power in the Mediterranean.
Factors Contributing to Roman Victory
- Economic wealth and resilience allowed Rome to persist in warfare.
- Naval innovation and the adaptation to combat at sea.
- Strategic diplomacy and alliances post-war to consolidate control.