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The climate in North Africa in Antiquity was much wetter than today and it was excellent for the growing of grains such as wheat. The Province of Africa became the breadbasket of the Roman Empire for centuries. Over this period, the Annonae system was established and allowed the free distribution of grain to Roman citizens.<ref>Erdkamp, Paul The Cambridge Companion to Ancient Rome. United Kingdom (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2000), p 213</ref>. Most of this grain came from the province of Africa and the former territories of Carthage. The conquest of the former lands of their bitter enemies allowed them to develop a secure and cheap food source for the city. This allowed the economy to grow in Rome and helped to maintain social stability in the sprawling metropolis for over seven centuries.
====Conclusion====The rivalry between Rome and Carthage was one of the greatest in Antiquity if not in all of history. The victory of the Romans in the Third Punic War was total and led to the disappearance of the Carthaginian State. This The destruction of Carthage was very important critical in the rise of Rome and helped it to become the superpower in the Mediterranean. The destruction of Carthage allowed Rome to become the only significant naval power in the sea and this was essential in the growth and maintenance of its Empire. The control of the Mediterranean allowed the Roman Republic to dominate trade and this allowed it to grow rich. The victory of Scipio Aemilianus also led to the establishment of the province of Africa and this in turn eventually led to conquest the colonization of extensive North African territories. The destruction of the great city of Carthage, in 146 BC , marks a new phase in the history of Rome. Without a serious dangerous rival , the Romans would expand their Empire greatly and dominate much of Europe, the Near East , and North Africa for centuries.
==Recommended Reading==
Lennox Manton, Roman North Africa (London, Batsfords Ltd, 1988).