What if Carthage had defeated the Romans? – Episode 3 of Almost History out now

Third episode of new ‘What If?’ podcast from All About History available now – Subscribe today on your preferred podcast player

In the rise of the Roman Empire there is one pivotal inflection point that stands out that could have changed the balance of power in the Mediterranean and reshaped ancient European history; the Punic Wars. This conflict between the two great powers of the region, Rome and Carthage, proved to be massively consequential as the Romans emerged victorious.

But it wasn’t a sure thing. Carthage began the First Punic War as the great power, but were held by the Romans in Sicily in a conflict that lasted for 23 years from 264 to 241 BCE. The Second Punic War, which many will be more familiar with, saw such daring missions as Hannibal of Carthage famously crossing the Alps into Italy and Rome invading Northern Africa, landing a decisive blow at the Battle of Zama. But how close were the Carthaginians to winning a history-changing victory that could have saved them from destruction in the Third Punic War?

To learn more about the Punic Wars and the ways in which Carthage could have overcome the Roman Republic, the All About History team spoke with historian Dr Eve MacDonald, author of books such as Carthage: A New History of an Ancient Empire. You can listen to our conversation now in episode 3 of Almost History: The What If Podcast from All About History.

Download and Subscribe today from your preferred podcast platform: