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.
Centuries after Hannibal's war, the poet Virgil created a foundational myth in "The Aeneid" portraying the conflict with Carthage not as politics but as the fulfillment of a divine curse from Queen Dido. This shaped Roman identity and justified their actions to future generations.
A Roman faction opposed Cato's call for annihilation, not out of mercy, but from a strategic belief that Rome needed a rival. They argued that the fear of Carthage kept Romans disciplined and on their toes, and that total victory would lead to internal decadence and self-indulgence.
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.
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.
Roman senator Cato was horrified to find Carthage thriving economically decades after its defeat. He perceived this prosperity—rich hinterlands, upgraded harbors, and stockpiled timber—as a direct threat, proving that a rival's economic resurgence can be a powerful catalyst for preemptive war.
Roman diplomats employed a strategy of bad-faith negotiation to cripple Carthage's defenses. They first demanded the surrender of all weapons, implying this would suffice. Only after Carthage was completely disarmed did the Romans reveal their true, non-negotiable demand: the city's total destruction.
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.
While overseeing the final destruction of Carthage, the Roman commander Scipio Aemilianus wept. He was not celebrating victory but contemplating the rise and fall of all great empires—from Troy to Persia—and openly expressed his fear that Rome would one day suffer the same fate.