AWA284 - Comparing the Byzantine conquest of Vandal North Africa with the Punic Wars

Ancient Warfare Podcast

The History Network

Society & Culture, Greece, Warfare, Ancient, Rome, History, Military

4.4 • 631 Ratings

🗓️ 22 December 2023

⏱️ 11 minutes

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Summary

Mark wants to hear Murray's thoughts on comparing the Roman wars against the Vandals vs the Punic Wars. Mark writes, 'both the Roman-Vandal and Roman-Carthage wars occurred roughly in the same geographic area and included naval and land-based fighting. However, within 26 years the Vandals had conquered North Africa, the major islands of the Western Med and sacked Rome.

In the 3rd/2nd centuries BCE the 1st/2nd Punic wars lasted over 60 years, and even then, neither side could capture each other's capitals. Granted, the Roman Empire was exhausted and fighting multiple enemies for much of the 5th century CE- but the Roman Republic also fought on multiple fronts during the 2nd Punic War.

Then, in the 6th century CE, Belisarius was able to conquer and annex the Vandal Kingdom in less than a year. Why did these later wars seem to happen at a much faster pace? Did smaller armies and a more depopulated Mediterranean in late antiquity shorten wars? Were logistics better with better ships or Roman roads? Did later armies and navies use different tactics or technologies so that wars were much shorter?'

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi everyone and welcome to another episode of ancient warfare answers with me, Marie.
0:10.0	You can ask us a question of course. You can send us an email, send us telegram, send us a postcard.
0:16.0	You can answer one of our polls. You can comment on one of the other videos with a question and we'll come
0:22.4	across and get to it in time, I promise. Now, today's question is from Mark, quite a long one,
0:29.0	so let me get through what it's all about, but it is about a topic I do love to talk about,
0:36.4	so hopefully I can be disciplined and keep myself to my 10 minute time frame.
0:43.3	Hi there. Something which I would love to hear discuss is a comparison of the Roman Wars against the Vandals versus the Punic Wars.
0:51.0	Both the Roman Vandal and Roman Carthage Wars occurred in roughly the same
0:54.5	geographic area and included naval and land-based fighting. However, within 26 years, the Vandals
1:00.5	had conquered North Africa, the major islands of the Western Mediterranean and Sacked Rome. In the third
1:05.7	second centuries BC, the first and second Punic Wars lasted over 60 years, and even then neither side was able to
1:12.8	capture each other's capitals. Granted, the Roman Empire was exhausted with fight and
1:17.2	exhausted and fighting multiple enemies for much of the 5th century AD, but the Roman Republic
1:25.1	was also fighting on multiple fronts during the second period of war.
1:28.0	Then in the 6th century AD, Belisarius was able to conquer and annex the Vandal Kingdom in less than a year.
1:33.8	Well, less than three months. It's amazing. Anyway, we'll get to that.
1:38.4	And look it. Why did these later wars seem to happen at much faster pace?
1:42.3	Did smaller armies and more depopulated Mediterranean and later antiquity make shorter wars?
1:46.7	Were logistics better with better ships or Roman roads?
1:49.6	Did later armies and navies use different tactics or technologies so that wars were much shorter?
1:54.0	Anyway, keep up the good work. Love the show and the magazine.
1:57.0	Thanks, Mark.
	...

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