AHC: Stop the Punic Wars

The Punic Wars were a response by the Romans to Carthaginian expansion in Sicily. According to wikipedia, if the operations that the Romans stopped had continued, Syracuse would be the only hurdle that would have to be crossed before complete control of Sicily (and we know from OTL that once the current king died his successor would ally with Carthage).
Based on OTL I can say there is probably a couple chances for the war to be prevented. The Senate deadlock could be moved in the direction of non-war, or the public forum could push to prevent the war. Perhaps the Cisalpine Gauls assault the Northern border, drawing resources. Perhaps Syracuse allies with Carthage earlier, and butterflies the conflicts that lead Rome to intervene.
 

Winnabago

Banned
I thought maybe you could still have the Punic Wars if there was still a Latin-speaking empire there. But, seeing as Africa was Phoenician entirely due to Lebanese settlers, I thought it would be easier to remove the “Punic” bit.\

But yeah, and/or.
 
In the 8th or 9th century BC? At that point you would have a decent chance of butterflying Rome as well...

Heck, if you even want to go with the Roman/Vergilian chronology, Carthage was founded by Dido around the time of the Sack of Troy, Aeneas came there, and then went on to found Alba Longa. I'm not espousing classical chronology, as it's ludicrous and makes no sense (According to my estimates, Achilles died at the age of 17, with a son who was at the most 11, but the story acted as if he was 20) but there might be some point in their accordance of Carthage as an older city than Rome by a long shot.
 
I'm not sure the first was was avoidable by that point. The Romans wanted to expand, and Carthage and Rome were two powers right next to each other that both were hungry for the others land. Perhaps we could butterfly away the other wars though, by the Romans either crippling Carthage further and not taking an interest in their lands, or Carthage forcing the Romans off Sicily and setting up permanent borders with the Romans.
 

PhilippeO

Banned
avoiding war in Sicily still not solving the problem, They also compete for allies and land in Spain. and with Sicily belongs to Cartaghe, it would still lead to competition in South Italy.


for Punic War to stop happen, Rome and Carthage need third or more rival. as long as there are only two superpower in western Med, they will eventually fight each other.
 
for Punic War to stop happen, Rome and Carthage need third or more rival. as long as there are only two superpower in western Med, they will eventually fight each other.

I was going to retort "Just like the US and the Soviet Union, right?" but this actually brings up a different alternative: can we get one of them to fall apart and lose "superpower status" before war breaks out?
 
I was going to retort "Just like the US and the Soviet Union, right?" but this actually brings up a different alternative: can we get one of them to fall apart and lose "superpower status" before war breaks out?

I think this is different from the US/Soviet relationship, that difference being the whole mutually assured destruction thing. Without that you need atleast three countries in order to maintain a balance of power.
 
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