The word "Punic" comes from the Latin word for "Phoenician" and means "Carthaginian. The First Punic War marked the first Roman involvement outside of Italy, and was the beginning of the Romans conquest of the Mediterranean. It was a prolonged conflict that lasted for over two decades. The Second Punic War was the hardest war the Romans ever fought and resulted in huge losses for the Romans in materials and manpower. The Third Punic War was an act of Revenge in which the Romans finally obliterated their enemy.
In the late 300's Campanian mercenaries which had been hired by the Greeks seized the town of Messana on the straights separating Sicily from Italy. The mercenaries called themselves Mamertines (taken from the Oscan name for Mars the God of War). They used the town as a base for raiding nearby towns.
The Mamertines had recently been allies with the Campanians, who mutinied while in Romes service, and seized Rhegium, which is situated across the Straits of Messina, and held it against the Romans for ten years. .
In 270 BC this revolt was defeated by Rome and the Campanians were dealt with severely. A man who was the commander of the Syracusan forces at that time, who went by the name of Hiero had helped the Romans throughout this situation. .
In 265 Hiero won a great pitched battle near Longanus River and was elected "Tyrant" of Syracuse. .
Heiro realized that the The Mamertine takeover of Messana gave him an exuse to intervene and that if he intervened successfully it would be a significant gain, strategic wise because Messana controlled part of North East Sicily and the Straits which was the shortest crossing point between Sicily and Italy.
Hiero.
In 265 BC Hiero decided it was time to stop the Mamertine pirates and judging by their own merits didn't think anybody would really miss them. But there were things he had to consider. .
If he did defeat the Mamertines, what would happen to Messana and who else would have something to gain from the advantages that being in control of such a strategic area like this would bring, not only, who would try to prevent Herio from gaining one.
