Evan Lichtblau

The Punic Wars: How Rome Defeated Its Greatest Enemy

Started Oct. 28, 2022

Abstract or project description

How did the parallel rise of Carthage and Rome ultimately lead to, motivate, and perpetuate the three Punic Wars?

This podcast will tell the story of the Punic Wars, with a greater emphasis on the Carthaginian perspective. There will be five episodes, beginning with the foundation of Carthage and the prelude to the first war, and ending with the destruction of Carthage and its effect on the Western World. The podcast will trace the narrative of the Punic Wars through major battles, while also exploring the political and economic motivations behind the wars. In order to prepare this podcast, I will research the events leading up to, during, and immediately after the Punic Wars, as documented in the accounts of Polybius and other ancient authors, and examined by modern scholars. I will then create an outline that lays out the general scope of the podcast and its overall content. Thereafter, I will prepare a detailed script of each episode beginning with the first episode. Each episode of the final podcast will span 10-15 minutes. The goal of the podcast is to retell a famous story in an entertaining way and through a new perspective, the Carthaginian perspective. I hope to make the listener understand the motivation behind these ancient peoples and their destructive war, as well as the true impact of these wars. I plan to emphasize how these wars were the tipping point for Roman hegemony, and how they dramatically altered the course of history.