Answer:
To fight in war, the Romans and Carthaginians had to fight in the Mediterranean Sea and cross the Alps, which both served as natural barriers.
Explanation:
The Punic Wars were three wars between Rome and Carthage (269 BC-146 BC) owing to the interest conflict related to expansion that the Roman Republic held with the Carthaginians.
The Carthaginians had the largest and most powerful navy, and their soldiers were mostly mercenaries. On the other hand, the Romans relied upon a consolidated and large disciplined army of legions on land.
The first of the three Punic Wars was held mostly in water (264 BC-241 BC) and resulted in Carthage being destroyed and Sicily being ceded. This was a naval war and both sides had to struggle and fight in the waters of the Mediterranean sea. The Roman fleets took over and won.
During the second Punic War (218 BC-201 BC), Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, came from the north to invade Italy, and that meant crossing the Alps with army elephants. The men ascended from the Rhone Valley, located in Gaul. Hannibal led his troops through dangerous cliffs, precipices and narrow paths. Moreover, mud, snow and freezing temperatures caused many men and most of the elephants to die by the end of the winter. This time, the Carthaginians won most of the battles, but were defeated in 202 BC.
In the third Punic war (149 BC-146 BC), the Roman legions destroyed the city of Carthage completely. The Carthagians suffered siege, raids, sacking and burning.
