Hello, and welcome to the history of Rome, episode 20b, The First Punic War.

After years of inconclusive fighting on and around Sicily, the Romans decided the time

had finally come to stop fighting the tentacles of the Carthaginian Empire and stab right at

its heart.

They assembled a massive invasion fleet of 350 ships on the southern coast of Sicily,

and in 256 BC set sail for Africa.

Though they were stalled by one of the largest naval battles in history, the Romans were able

to regroup and set out once again no worse for the were.

They had been set back a few months, which through a small monkey wrench into their plans,

but the Romans remained focused and confident that they were on their way to sack Carthage

and end the war.

In charge of the operation was the senior consul for the year Marcus Atelius Regulus.

Originally, the planet place had been to land about 50 miles southeast of Carthage, disembarked

the legions, set up a defensive perimeter, and begin the march on the enemy city.

The logic behind landing down the road from Carthage and not right on their doorstep

was twofold.

First, the waters immediately surrounding Carthage were patrolled by the weekend, but still

powerful Carthage and navy.

The Romans concluded that any resistance they faced at sea would be far stiffer than any

they met on land.

Second, the Romans had no illusions about the ease of taking a great city like Carthage,

so just as they had done with Syracuse, they knew they needed to isolate Carthage and

...