264 BC First Punic War
A clash in Sicily, between Rome and Carthage, leads to the First Punic War

260 BC Rapid-response fleet for Rome
A Carthaginian quinquereme, captured by the Romans, is used as the model for the first Roman fleet - constructed in two months

260 BC Roman raven effective at sea
The new Roman fleet wins a decisive victory over the Carthaginians at Mylae, thanks largely to the 'raven' (corvus in Latin)

241 BC End of First Punic War
A Roman naval victory at Trapani, off the northwest tip of Sicily, completes the blockade of the Carthaginians and ends the First Punic War

241 BC Sicily is Rome's first province
At the end of the First Punic War, Sicily becomes Rome's first overseas province

240 BC Spanish metals worth fighting for
Spain, with its mines of gold, silver and copper, is a hotly disputed region between Carthage and Rome

228 BC Hamilcar Barca in Spain
Hamilcar Barca dies fighting in Spain, after establishing a strong Carthaginian presence in the peninusula

227 BC Sardinia and Corsica form a province
Sardinia and Corsica are annexed by Rome, becoming the second Roman overseas province

225 BC Ebro as boundary
A treaty defines the Ebro river as the Spanish boundary between Carthage and Rome

221 BC Hannibal commands in Spain
Hannibal succeeds to the command of the Carthaginian forces in Spain, on the death of his brother-in-law Hasdrubal

218 BC Hannibal crosses Alps
Hannibal crosses the Alps with his elephants, beginning the Second Punic War

217 BC Hannibal wins at Lake Trasimene
Hannibal surprises and traps a Roman army on a narrow plain beside Lake Trasimene

216 BC Hannibal wins at Cannae
Hannibal destroys a Roman army at Cannae, in the most severe defeat ever suffered by Rome

202 BC Hannibal loses at Zama
Hannibal suffers his first decisive defeat by a Roman army, at an unidentified site in north Africa called Zama

201 BC Spain ceded to Rome
Carthaginian Spain is handed over to Rome to become two new provinces, at the end of the Second Punic War

149 BC Third Punic War
Rome picks a quarrel with Carthage to begin the Third Punic War

146 BC Destruction of Carthage ends Punic Wars
Carthage is destroyed by the Romans at the end of the Third Punic War