The Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.) were a series of conflicts between the rapidly expanding Roman Republic and the Phoenician Sea empire, Carthage. Both sides expended enormous resources assembling armies and building and rebuilding fleets. Hannibal crossed the Alps and the Romans, for the first time, confronted war elephants. The struggle featured heroic personalities, brilliant battles, terrible sieges, cruelty, craft, and for Carthage, devastation and ruin.