Hello.
There's a good discussion of the events that led up to Cato's call for
the destruction of Carthage at:
The Illustrated History of the Roman Empire:
The Roman Republic: Third Punic War
http://www.roman-empire.net/republic/republic.html#thirdpunic
Here are the key points:
"To add to Carthage's troubles Masinissa, who was king of Numidia and
a close Roman ally, was not only harassing their borders but gradually
clawing land away from them, claiming these territories to be his
under the peace treaty signed by Carthage after its defeat at Zama...
Carthage alas complained to Rome. So, in 150 BC a Roman commission of
inquiry was sent to Africa to sort matters out between Carthage and
Numidia. But the leader of the commission was Marcus Cato...
...In spite of the sanctions and conditions imposed on Carthage there
was a possibility that it might rise again and once more wreak havoc
on the Roman Empire. And Cato the Elder believed this more than anyone
else...
...With this Cato the Elder leading the commission of inquiry it was
obvious from the beginning that the commission would find in favour of
Masinissa. The result was yet further attacks by Numidian horsemen.
Carthage lost patience and responded, fighting back.
No doubt, this was exactly what Cato the elder had hoped for, as it
breached the terms signed by Carthage after its defeat in the Second
Punic War. For Carthage was not allowed to take up arms without Roman
permission."
The Illustrated History of the Roman Empire:
The Roman Republic: Third Punic War
http://www.roman-empire.net/republic/republic.html#thirdpunic
From Boise State:
"...Despite all the penalties and all the impediments, Carthage
recovered economically. Rome had taken away her empire and the
financial burden that went with it, but had left her free to pursue
trade as she willed. Carthage paid off her war indemnity and by the
middle of the second century, was flourishing.
This did not set well with many Roman senators. Rome had acquired a
good deal of fertile land along the coast of North Africa, and a
number of senators had invested in olives and grain there. But these
were goods in which Carthage traded as well, and Carthage was rather
better at it.
A faction within the Senate, led by Cato the Elder, began to agitate
against Carthage. Was it right, they asked, that Carthage should
prosper while Romans toiled? Was Carthage's new prosperity not
potentially dangerous? After all, the city had twice troubled Rome.
And, in any case, Carthage was harming Roman mercantile interests."
source: Dr. E.L. Skip Knox, Boise State: History of Western Civilization
http://history.boisestate.edu/westciv/punicwar/17.htm
From University of Alberta - Edmonton:
"In 153/2 an embassy was sent by the senate to investigate yet another
Carthaginian complaint... A member of this legation was M. Porcius
Cato, consul of 195 (the same man who argued against declaring war on
Rhodes in 167). The legation was apparently also intended as a kind of
spy mission, and in investigating the border claims the legates
inspected the state of Carthaginian territory. Cato was apparently
horrified at the prosperity of the Carthaginian countyside..."
source:
Christopher Mackay - "Third Punic War"
University of Alberta - Edmonton
http://www.ualberta.ca/~csmackay/CLASS_365/Third.Pun.War.html
Additional analysis from Mackay (University of Alberta - Edmonton):
"By the late 150s many senators were clearly looking for an excuse to
attack Carthage.
...It would seem from Nasica's argument that the Romans genuinely felt
some concern about the threat of Carthage, but it is at the same time
quite clear that Carthage posed no serious threat to Rome.
Nonetheless, there was doubtless lingering hostility to the
Carthaginians as a result of the war with Hannibal (Cato certain had
fought many years in that war).
...Carthage was still one of the largest cities in the Mediterranean
world, and if the legation of 153/2 was impressed with the wealth of
the Carthaginian hinterland, that was all the more reason for
magistrates to be eager for war. The soldiers too were favorably
inclined on these grounds. Whereas the Roman state had recently had
major problems in finding men willing to serve in the unremunerative
wars in Spain, when war came with Carthage there was no shortage of
volunteers.
...It appears to have been a general Roman policy at this time to act
aggressively with any power that had any semblance of independence..."
source:
Christopher Mackay - "Third Punic War"
University of Alberta - Edmonton
http://www.ualberta.ca/~csmackay/CLASS_365/Third.Pun.War.html
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Carthage is in modern-day Tunisia.
See: TourismTunisia.com - Carthage:
http://www.tourismtunisia.com/togo/carthage/carthage.html
Carthage Museum:
http://www.tourismtunisia.com/culture/carthage_m.html
Here's a map of Tunisia that shows Carthage's location:
http://www.japon.net/tunis/tunis/recomend.html
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search strategy:
cato, "carthage must be"
cato, "third punic war", fig
carthage, tunisia
carthage, tunisia, map
I hope this helps. |
