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The control of the sea was essential to the growth of Rome. It not only gave it naval supremacy it also allowed Italian merchants to dominate the sea’s trade routes and this significantly enriched the Republic. The destruction of their enemy allowed Rome to become the unchallenged power in the Mediterranean.
====Roman Africa====In legend , the Romans wanted to eradicate everything Carthaginian, so much so that they sowed salt on its soil to make it a desert. This did not happen, and it is only this legend was a 19th -century fabrication. The Romans were too pragmatic for that and instead they declared the lands around the ruins of the great Punic city to be public lands. They encouraged Italian settlers to farm this land and much of it was also distributed to local farmers. The victors turned the area into a province and called it Africa. This eventually became the name of the entire continent. The Romans appointed a governor to the new province and they made Utica the capital. The large Punic population in the area was left alone if they were peaceful and paid their taxes. Julius Caesar later rebuilt Carthage and it became one of the great cities of the Empire and a cultural and artistic centre. The province of Africa became partially Romanized over the centuries. The Punic culture of Carthage survived in the area for many centuries, possibly until the Arab conquests. Over a period of decades, the Romans expanded from Tunisia and came to dominate the entire coastline of North Africa. They first conquered Numidia (Algeria), under Marius and eventually established a client kingdom in present-day northern Morocco.<ref> Scullard, p. 189</ref>. The victory over Carthage allowed Rome to dominate the North African coastline from the Sinai to Morocco.
==Roman Food Supply==
The population of Rome was growing rapidly in the second century BC and many feared that a lack of food could limit its growth or lead to social unrest. The vast city was placing an intolerable burden on the agricultural resources of Italy. One of the reasons why Rome initiated the Third Punic War was to seize the rich farmlands of Carthage. The Carthaginians were not just great mariners and traders but also accomplished farmers. The Romans seizure of the lands of their enemies was very important, it allowed them to secure grain for their ever-expanding population. 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 was to become the breadbasket of the Roman Empire for many centuries. Over a period, the Annonae system was established and this was 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 a 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.
