The Siege of Carthage Begins
149 BC · Classical Antiquity
In 149 BCE, Roman consuls Manius Manilius and Lucius Marcius Censorinus landed forces near Carthage, initiating the siege that opened the Third Punic War. Rome had demanded Carthage surrender arms and relocate inland, conditions the Carthaginians rejected. The city's fortifications included a triple wall system extending approximately 33 kilometers. Initial Roman assaults failed against these defenses. The siege persisted for three years until Scipio Aemilianus assumed command in 147 BCE and systematically reduced the city's supply lines. Carthage fell in spring 146 BCE.
Key Figures
Scipio AemilianusHasdrubal the BoetharchManius ManiliusLucius Marcius Censorinus
Locations
CarthageAncient RomeUtica
Topics
puniccarthageroman republicwarthird punic war
Connected Events — 2 Connections
The three-year siege initiated in 149 BC directly culminated in the complete destruction of Carthage in 146 BC Destruction of Carthage
The Battle of Utica established the precedent and tactical knowledge for Roman operations against fortified Carthaginian positions in North Africa, directly informing Roman siege techniques used 54 years later in the Third Punic War The Battle of Utica
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