After Cannae, Rome desperately needed manpower, yet the Senate refused Hannibal's offer to ransom its captured soldiers. This seemingly counterintuitive decision was a powerful psychological statement to Hannibal, their allies, and their own people: there would be no negotiation, only total war, regardless of the human cost.

The Romans often propagandized the concept of 'Punica Fides' or 'Punic Faith' to portray Carthaginians as uniquely treacherous. Yet, their greatest general, Scipio, used blatant deception by feigning peace negotiations with Sifax and Hasdrubal specifically to learn the layout of their camps before burning them down, highlighting the hypocrisy of wartime rhetoric.

The Romans empowered Massinissa, a Numidian king and their ally, to continuously encroach on Carthaginian territory. This strategy of using a proxy ally kept Carthage weak and created constant border disputes, providing Rome with an eventual pretext for war.

Despite Carthage being militarily crippled after Hannibal's defeat, the psychological trauma of his invasion persisted in Rome. This "biding fear" was irrational given Carthage's weakness but powerfully shaped Roman policy for generations, ultimately leading to the city's destruction.

The harsh terms of the First Punic War, which stripped Carthage of territory and imposed a massive indemnity, created deep resentment. This parallels the Treaty of Versailles with Germany, illustrating how overly punitive settlements can sow the seeds of a future war of revenge rather than secure lasting peace.

The historian Polybius described the Roman sack of New Carthage, noting the practice of killing indiscriminately—including cutting dogs in half—was a deliberate policy. This was not random brutality but a calculated psychological tactic to inspire terror and ensure swift surrenders in future conflicts.

Beyond physical destruction, the Romans committed cultural annihilation. They seized and dispersed Carthage's libraries, which held its rich literary and historical tradition. By preserving only a single farming manual, Rome ensured that future generations would only ever hear the conqueror's version of events.

After his decisive victory at Cannae, Hannibal expected Rome to negotiate terms, as was the norm in ancient warfare. He fatally underestimated their unique, implacable resolve to never capitulate, causing him to miss his window of opportunity to march on the city and enforce a peace.

To build support for a war of annihilation, the influential Roman senator Cato ended every single speech, regardless of topic, with the phrase "Carthage must be destroyed." This relentless repetition created a political "drumbeat of war" that normalized a radical policy and fostered public support.