The Third Punic War

 The Fall of Carthage

by Stefan Härtel

 "Ceterum censo Carthaginem esse delendam" (also, I think that Carthage must be destroyed)

--Sentence with which Cato the Elder invariably finished his speeches

 
After the Second Punic War (218-201 BC), Carthage has lost most of its power, as well as all possessions out of their main territory (today's Tunisia/parts of Algeria). In 149 BC the Romans declared war on Carthage; this time not to defeat them, but to destroy the city itself! But Carthage still had a powerful army, and in the first two years, the Carthaginians did unbelievably well. But the tide turned as C. Laelius and Scipio the Younger landed in Africa and destroyed the city...