Did Rome behave honorably in the Punic wars

Rome had a single-minded objective in its wars against Carthage – to eliminate its threat to its domination of the western Mediterranean. Originally allied to Carthage to use its naval power against the Greek presence in the west, the commercial success and economic strength of Carthage inevitably resulted in conflict.After defeating Carthage in the First Punic War, a division between the spheres of influence in Spain was broken by Rome. The Second Punic War, after a tumultous rampage by Hannibal through peninsular Italy, ended in Hannibal’s defeat at Zama in North Africa by Scipio Africanus.The severe terms of peace required Carthage to pay an immense 50-year annual indemnity which was designed to cripple it indefinitely. Carthage, with a limited population, relied on mercenary troops, and so without money was impotent. However the Carthaginians were such competent traders that they paid it off early after 10 years, and so had the funds to hire mercenaries to be a potential threat once more.The fact that the Carthaginians had had enough of war meant nothing – African kings who were clients of Rome were sooled onto the Carthaginians, whose defensive actions were condemned as attacking Rome’s allies. Cato the Elder ran a continuous campaign, ending each speech in the Senate, regardless of the topic, with ‘and Carthage must be destroyed’. The third Punic War accomplished this in 149 BCE, and the city was literally destroyed. Three decades later a new Carthage was built on the site for Roman veteran resettlement.