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Carthage had been found in the 8th century BC by Phoenicians, on the coast of North Africa. They were great traders and farmers , and soon they had created a great city , and they dominated large tracts of the coast of Northern Africa. From here , they established a trade network across the Mediterranean. The Carthaginians had a large navy and were the dominant maritime power in the western Mediterranean. They first established colonies and later developed a maritime Empire. They contested the control of Sicily with the Greeks. The rise of Rome in the Third Century led them to interfere in Sicily. They were initially invited into Sicily by the Greeks, who were fearful of the Carthaginians. This led to tensions with the Carthaginians and ultimately led to the outbreak of the First Punic War <ref> Garland, Robert. Hannibal (London: Bristol Classical Press, 2010), p. 45 </ref>. This was a brutal war and both sides inflicted severe defeats on each other.

The rise of Rome in the Third Century led to their interference in Sicily. They were initially invited into Sicily by the Greeks, who were fearful of the Carthaginians. This invitation led to tensions with the Carthaginians and ultimately led to the outbreak of the First Punic War.<ref> Garland, Robert. Hannibal (London: Bristol Classical Press, 2010), p. 45 </ref> This was a brutal war, and both sides inflicted severe defeats on each other.  After many years’ of fighting, there was a stalemate, Rome knew that it could only defeat the Carthaginians by ending their supremacy at sea. Rome eventually built a fleet , and after initial defeats, they defeated conquered and smashed the Punic navy and won a total victory. They imposed very harsh terms, on Carthage as part of the peace treaty. The Romans demanded that the Carthaginians evacuate Sicily.  After the treatywas signed, the Romans illegally seized the Punic possessions of Sardinia and Corsica. It also placed restrictions on the size of the Punic navy and demanded reparations. Their defeat in the First Punic War saw Carthage stripped of most of its empire, apart from its North Africa territories and an enclave in Spain .<ref> Garland, p. 47</ref>.