远华大案:The Official Age of Empires Expansion: The Rise of Rome

The Empire of Alexander the Great
334 - 323 B.C.
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Carthaginian civilization
(800 BC to 146 BC)
Strengths: Transports 30% faster
Fire Galley +25% attack
Academy units and all elephant units +25% hit points
During the beginning of the last millennium BC, the Phoenicians beganestablishing colonies around the Mediterranean to compete with theGreeks for trade. The most important Phoenician colony was Carthage. Itwas founded around 800 BC near modern Tunis in North Africa. While thehome cities in Phoenicia were repeatedly conquered and subjugated, thecolony of Carthage prospered and expanded to become one of the greatpowers of the Western Mediterranean.
True to their Phoenician heritage, the Carthaginians became greatseafarers, traders, and colonizers. There is some evidence that theycircumnavigated Africa and very questionable evidence that they reachedthe Americas. They capitalized on the trade of Iberian silver andBritish tin. Carthaginian settlements spread along the North Africancoast, into western Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Minorca, and much ofSpain (modern Cartagena in Spain was called Carthago Nova, or NewCarthage). During the fifth and fourth centuries BC they fought with theGreeks for trade and colonies, especially in Sicily. In the thirdcentury, they began a titanic clash with the rising power of Rome.
The Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage were fought to decide whichpower would dominate the Western Mediterranean. The first war (264-241BC) was fought over Sicily. The Romans were not a naval power but builtfleets from scratch based on the plans of a captured ship. Their firsttwo fleets defeated Carthaginian fleets but were in turn lost to storms.Their third fleet completed the defeat of the Carthaginians at sea. TheCarthaginians were forced out of Sicily, and lost Corsica and Sardiniaas well.
The Second Punic War (218-201 BC) was a temporary improvement ofCarthaginian fortunes and a near victory. The war was triggered by thegreat general Hannibal who marched out of modern Spain, across modernFrance, and into modern Italy across the Alps with a large army,including war elephants. In a brilliant campaign of 16 years, Hannibaldefeated the Romans at every turn, although he lacked the criticalstrength to take Rome itself and end the war. Unable to defeatHannibal's army in Italy, the Romans attacked the Carthaginians first inSpain and then in North Africa. Hannibal was called out of Italy todefend the homeland. At the decisive battle at Zama, the Romansdestroyed the Carthaginian army.
Carthage was forced to give up its overseas possessions, pay a largeindemnity, reduce its fleet, and become subservient to Rome. By 150 BCthe city had recovered and was seen again as a threat. When theCarthaginians attacked Numidia, a Roman ally, the Romans responded byattacking Carthage once more. This time the city was destroyed utterlyand its power broken forever. A symbolic furrow was plowed through thecity and sewn with salt to show that the city would not be allowed torevive.