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Excellent

Rome loses the battle of Trebia in an ambush. They wanted a pitched open battle. Reminds me of American revolutionaries guerrila campaign against British armies that were used to pitched warfare. Many Romans were killed or enslaved. The Consul was said to have worn a Gallic scalp over his helmet.

Hannibal savages Rome’s farms as Rome sends a newly raised army to challenge him

Hannibal descends into the Italian plain and tries to recruit local Gallic tribes. Much of his army has fallen away by this time as they deserted or could not keep up with his march. Hannibal picks a tribe and massacres them to make a calculated example to the other tribes in the area.

Hannibal’s army moving too fast for Scipio, crossing into the alps and fighting mountain tribes on the way.

The rise of Hannibal Barca in Spain, his initiative to sack the pro Roman city of Saguntum and cause the mass starvation of its entire city, many inhabitants cannibalized each other or killed themselves rather than be captured by the Baal worshipping human sacrificing Carthaginians. His surprise land assault begins towards Roman territory.

220s BC. Romans expand into cisalpine Gaul for more territory due to expanding population. Wars with gallic tribes. Consul Regulus is killed and his severed head is brought back as a trophy for the Gauls.

The rise of the Barca family in Spain, with the campaigns against Celto-Iberians. Also Carthage had to give up Sardinia to Rome and surrender without a rebellion during the mercenary rebellion.

Consequences of rebelling to Carthage and losing: trampled to death by elephants, crucified, dismembered and tossed into a ditch to bled out limbless.

Carthage was almost destroyed by a 3 year mercenary rebellion after the first punic war. They were unable to pay their huge mercenary army following their defeat and the mercenaries rebelled, and were reinforced by nearby Libya who was already in a decade long war with Carthage.

Major difference. Romans were very aggressive and sought to exploit every weakness on the enemy when they could. Carthage was way more passive and defensive by comparison. They just wanted Sicily. Descendants of merchants vs descendants of warriors could perhaps affect genetic traits and desires of entire peoples.

The victory of Rome in the First Punic War: less Carthaginian control in the mediterranean, permanent control over Sicily, giving them access to higher grain production. Rome was also more willing to sacrifice lives for victory if thats what it took. Interesting dynamics at play.

Romans adapted to sea battles with Carthage extremely well, most of their losses were from sea though. They copied Carthaginian ships and added an invented corvus hook which made it possible to board Cathaginian ships quickly. They couldnt maneuver in water as well as Carthaginian ships though. Roman elite invested more of their own wealth in the state than Carthaginian elite.