Punic Wars

Conflict in Sicily between Rome and Carthage sparks the First Punic War. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/First_Punic_War_264_BC_v2.png

Rome's first naval win against the Carthaginian Navy. The Roman fleet sinks 50 Carthaginian ships with the help of the newly invented corvus. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/70/c3/47/70c347cda1a91b2aad3974d6b53da808.jpg

The Greeks help Rome to build a fleet of 120 ships in just 60 days to defeat the illustrious Carthaginian Navy. Also the invention of the corvus, a long battle bridge used to board enemy ships. http://www.erichotz.com/images/roman_corvus_1b.jpg

The Roman Navy suffered a huge defeat by Carthage at Drepana and lost almost its entire fleet of ships. http://www.mindserpent.com/American_History/introduction/bg/249_bce_drepana.jpg

Roman naval victory over Carthage in the Aegates Islands leads to the end of the First Punic War. Sicily becomes Rome's first foreign province. http://dcc.dickinson.edu/sites/all/files/750px-Sicily-FinalPW1.jpg

Hamilcar Barca, the Carthaginian commander, arrives in Spain to expand Carthaginian territory.

Hannibal (Hamilcar Barca's son) crosses the Alps with his elephants. Hannibal was one of the greatest military leaders in history. Second Punic War begins. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/ee/14/a1/ee14a1bdcd99df4da9030f02ade15f19.jpg

Hannibal destroys the Roman army at Cannae in the most severe defeat ever suffered by Rome. http://www.emersonkent.com/images/cannae_216_bc.jpg

Scipio defeated the remaining Carthaginian forces in Spain, which placed Spain under Roman control. http://fcdn.valka.cz/files/thumbs/t_scipio_africanus.jpg