It is not clear whether at the beginning of the Roman military action in Sicily a war between Rome and Carthage had been expected.
The war was started by tension created in northeastern Sicily by mercenaries called the Mamertines. They seized the city of Messana, on the strait between Sicily and the mainland on in the northeast of the island, killed all the men and took the women as their wives. They then started raiding the nearby area. This provoked a reaction from the Greek city of Syracuse, also on the east coast, which was the most powerful city-state in the island. In the east and south of Sicily there were Greek city-states.
The Mamartines appealed for help to both Rome and Carthage, which had five ports in western Sicily. Carthage accepted to help, but also imposed a Carthaginian Garrison in Messana. The Mamertines asked Rome for help again.
The Roman senate debated the issue and could not reach an agreement. Many senators did not want to help mercenaries who had stolen a city. The issue was passed on to the Assembly of the Soldiers which had the power to vote on war and peace. It voted for war.
Two Roman legions landed at Messana where the Mamertines had expelled the Carthaginian garrison. The Romans defeated the Syracusans who were besieging the city and then besieged Syracuse, which was forced into an alliance treaty and to agree to supply the Roman army. Some small Carthaginian dependencies defected to Rome. Carthage recruited a mercenary army and mobilized for war.
Ancient Greek historian Polybius thought that the Romans were concerned about a possible Carthaginian takeover of eastern Sicily, should Carthage clash with and defeat Syracuse.
There is no mention of whether Rome predicted a war with Carthage and it is likely that they did not expect that a major war would develop. Carthage had to respond to the perceived threat posed by the alliance between Rome and Syracuse. It is likely that they had not expected a major war to develop either. They probably thought that they could win a quick land war, especially considering that Rome did not have a navy to speak of. Instead, the land war got bogged down due to the rough terrain of the island and the Romans built a navy which matched the powerful Carthaginian navy in size, though not in skills, and the war ended up becoming a big conflict which lasted 23 years.
The war was started by tension created in northeastern Sicily by mercenaries called the Mamertines. They seized the city of Messana, on the strait between Sicily and the mainland on in the northeast of the island, killed all the men and took the women as their wives. They then started raiding the nearby area. This provoked a reaction from the Greek city of Syracuse, also on the east coast, which was the most powerful city-state in the island. In the east and south of Sicily there were Greek city-states.
The Mamartines appealed for help to both Rome and Carthage, which had five ports in western Sicily. Carthage accepted to help, but also imposed a Carthaginian Garrison in Messana. The Mamertines asked Rome for help again.
The Roman senate debated the issue and could not reach an agreement. Many senators did not want to help mercenaries who had stolen a city. The issue was passed on to the Assembly of the Soldiers which had the power to vote on war and peace. It voted for war.
Two Roman legions landed at Messana where the Mamertines had expelled the Carthaginian garrison. The Romans defeated the Syracusans who were besieging the city and then besieged Syracuse, which was forced into an alliance treaty and to agree to supply the Roman army. Some small Carthaginian dependencies defected to Rome. Carthage recruited a mercenary army and mobilized for war.
Ancient Greek historian Polybius thought that the Romans were concerned about a possible Carthaginian takeover of eastern Sicily, should Carthage clash with and defeat Syracuse.
There is no mention of whether Rome predicted a war with Carthage and it is likely that they did not expect that a major war would develop. Carthage had to respond to the perceived threat posed by the alliance between Rome and Syracuse. It is likely that they had not expected a major war to develop either. They probably thought that they could win a quick land war, especially considering that Rome did not have a navy to speak of. Instead, the land war got bogged down due to the rough terrain of the island and the Romans built a navy which matched the powerful Carthaginian navy in size, though not in skills, and the war ended up becoming a big conflict which lasted 23 years.
