The Third Punic War had its roots in the aftermath of Carthage's losses in the First and Second Punic Wars. After these defeats, Carthage relinquished control of Sicily, its Spanish empire, and its military independence, in addition to paying substantial reparations to Rome.
Despite setbacks, Carthage recovered economically through trade. They also maintained friendly relations with Rome, even declaring Hannibal an exile when he sought refuge at the court of Antiochus III. Furthermore, Carthage supplied Rome with grain, barley, and military assistance for campaigns in other regions while consistently meeting reparation payments from the Second Punic War.
However, as the second century BC unfolded, Carthage became increasingly assertive in its pursuit of autonomy, mainly due to its territorial losses to the Numidian kingdom under Masinissa. The Numidians steadily encroached on Carthaginian lands, ultimately seizing approximately half of the territory Carthage had possessed in 200 BC.
Tensions reached a critical point when Carthage responded to an attack on Oroscopa by dispatching an army of 31,000 soldiers to confront the Numidian king in 150 BC. Tragically, Carthage's military campaign ended in disaster, with their army suffering a devastating defeat. This turn of events presented Rome with a pretext to finally settle old scores with its perennial rival, sack Carthage, and seize what seemed like an easy spoils of war.
In the Roman Senate, figures like Marcus Porcius Cato, who had observed Carthage's resurgence, vehemently argued that Carthage should be destroyed, citing Carthage's unapproved military actions against a Roman ally. This sentiment ultimately led to the outbreak of the Third Punic War.
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