Each of us from the school bench knows the Latin phrase "Carthage must be destroyed!". It was said by an ancient senator, urging other nobles to put an end to the rivalry of the Eternal City and the amazingly beautiful village in Africa. With this phrase, the politician always ended his speeches and, in the end, achieved what he wanted.
Why and who destroyed Carthage, it becomes clear when you take a short excursion into the past. In the world of that era there were two great and powerful states that were complete opposites. In the Apennines, the Romans had a well-developed agricultural sector, economy, legal system, and army. In Carthage, trade flourished, everything was decided by money and status, and mercenaries comprised military power. If Rome based its power on land, then the African city was a sea power. On the Apennine Peninsula, the pantheon of condescending gods was worshiped, and on the other side of the Mediterranean Sea the bloodthirsty Moloch made numerous human sacrifices. Sooner or later, these two superpowers would have to clash their foreheads, which resulted in a series of Punic wars.
Before answering the question of who destroyed Carthage, it should be said that the rivalry of the two civilizations lasted more than a hundred years. It was not profitable for any state to destroy the enemy, since their territorial interests were not in contact. Rome fought to expand its borders at the expense of a weaker enemy, while the Carthaginians delivered their goods to all corners of the empire and needed a stream of slaves.
The Carthage Guild led action against the Roman Empire with varying success. Such campaigns always ended with a truce. But the African side violated all the agreements first, which could not please the proud Eternal City. Violation of the treaty was an insult to Rome, so wars were unfolding again. In the end, the Senate made a decision and chose the one who destroyed Carthage to the ground.
When the legions approached the walls of Carthage, they were confident in the peaceful end of the war. The Romans knew that the death sentence had already been passed. The Roman commander who destroyed Carthage, patiently and in stages announced all the demands of the Senate. The townspeople dutifully performed them in the hope that the illustrious army would soon leave. Residents of the legendary African city were allowed to take their wealth with them and leave their homes. After that he was razed to the ground, plowed with a heavy plow and sown with salt, cursing these places forever. The main reason for these measures, the one who destroyed Carthage, called the lack of agreement. After all, they, giving promises, obviously knew that they would not fulfill them.
By the way, the inhabitants of Carthage later caught on, but the Roman legions no longer believed them. History captures the heroic siege of the African pearl before its complete destruction. The onslaught of Scipio in 146 put an end to the history of this beautiful city on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the great state. Despite the Roman rites, life returned to these parts after some time. Fertile soil, mild climate and favorable geographical position attracted new colonizers. But the city never reached its former greatness.