THE PUNIC WARS as a classic three-act Drama: Act I: The Rise of the Republic (264-241 BC). Rome, a young power that has never had a navy, challenges the maritime empire of Carthage, builds its first warships and wins a magnificent victory, crushing the rule of the Phoenicians and acquiring Sicily. ACT II: Carthage strikes back (218-201 BC). Hannibal’s army invades the very heart of Italy, the cradle of the Republic. Legions crushed by elephants die at Cannae. But the Eternal City does n... Show more... Show more